Mateo sharp in Charlotte's 3-1 win

DUNEDIN -- New right fielder Todd Glaesmann has wasted little time establishing himself as a middle of the order threat for the Charlotte Stone Crabs.

Glaesmann's second home run in as many days helped Charlotte secure a 3-1 victory over the Dunedin Blue Jays on Thursday at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium.

Facing a mound opponent who was one strike away from a no-hitter in his most recent start, Charlotte's new power bat put an end to that idea in the first inning. Glaesmann connected for a two-out, solo homer off Jesse Hernandez that gave the Stone Crabs a 1-0 lead.

Hernandez (1-2) carried his no-hit bid into the ninth inning against the St. Lucie Mets on July 20 before Alonzo Harris Jr. slapped a two-out, two-strike single to spoil Hernandez' performance. The Blue Jays righty did not pitch poorly against the Stone Crabs in this one, lasting five innings and allowing just two runs - one earned - on three hits and a walk while striking out five.

While the Charlotte pitching staff put together an excellent game, it was an untimely error that ultimately cost Dunedin. With the game tied 1-1 in the fourth inning, Oliver Dominguez misplayed a two-out grounder off the bat of Steve Tinoco that skipped off the shortstop's glove and into left field, allowing Phil Wunderlich to score the go-ahead run.

That lead was enough for Victor Mateo and a pair of Stone Crabs relievers. Mateo (4-3) tossed five innings and allowed just one unearned run on two hits. He walked a pair while striking out six batters to win his third consecutive starting assignment.

With the 2-1 advantage still intact, Charlotte plated an insurance run in the eighth inning. Tinoco slapped a fielder's choice up the middle, which saw Wunderlich break up an attempted double play turn by the Blue Jays with a hard slide into Dominguez as Robi Estrada came across to stretch the lead to 3-1.

After Mateo's strong effort, the bullpen handled the latter innings. Lefty T.J. Geith provided three innings of scoreless relief before Lenny Linsky worked the ninth to earn his first save of the season.

Those three shut-out frames give Geith an impressive streak of 20 consecutive scoreless innings.

Glaesmann had belted 13 home runs with the Bowling Green Hot Rods of the Midwest League prior to his promotion to Charlotte on Tuesday. His first two hits in a Stone Crabs uniform have each left the yard, and his total of 15 combined homers between the two stops is good for second best among all Tampa Bay Rays farmhands. Former Stone Crab Henry Wrigley has 17 between Montgomery and Durham.

The series continues on Friday as the Stone Crabs look for another win over Dunedin behind left-hander C.J. Riefenhauser. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.