Jays avoid sweep behind Jensen gem

PRINCETON, WV - The Bluefield Blue Jays salvaged a game in Princeton behind the brilliance of Tucker Jensen. The righty took a no-hitter into the sixth and posted six scoreless frames against the Rays for the second time this season in Bluefield's 3-0 win at Hunnicutt Field on Thursday. The Jays still fell one game short of hanging onto the Mercer Cup after the Rays clinched Wednesday.

Jensen allowed only an infield single in six innings of shutout ball in a win over the Rays in Bluefield on July 21, and he was outstanding again in this start. He hit a batter and saw two errors made behind him, but he still had the no-no with one out in the sixth when Brandon Martin laced a clean single to center field. Jensen (W, 3-1) became the first Blue Jay to pitch into the seventh, but he was removed after giving up singles to the first two hitters.

Colby Broussard came on in relief and retired the side 1-2-3. He loaded the bases in the eighth on two soft singles and a hit batsman, but he escaped trouble with a flyout off of the bat of Daniel Duran. Brandon Dorsett (S, 2) worked a scoreless ninth to complete the six-hit shutout, the fourth whitewashing of the season by the Bluefield staff, the third against the Rays.

Bluefield only needed one big inning to grab the victory. Right-hander Alex Keudell (L, 2-3) matched Jensen in his start, as the game carried into the sixth at 0-0. That's when the Jays rallied to go ahead against Keudell. Jorge Vega-Rosado led off with a walk, Dickie Joe Thon bunted him over and Christian Lopes knocked him home with a double. Seth Conner, in his first game since getting hit in the head by a pitch against Bristol on Monday, belted a two-run homer to give the Jays a 3-0 advantage. Bluefield scored three runs in each of the three games in Princeton this week, with all tallies in each contest coming in a single inning.

The win gives Bluefield manager Dennis Holmberg his 1,299th career victory and he'll have two chances to reach 1,300 on Friday. The Jays will play a doubleheader of sorts against the East Division-leading Burlington Royals. The July 9 contest was suspended due to rain at Burlington Athletic Stadium with Bluefield ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the first.

Southpaw Daniel Norris (2-1, 6.28), who just happens to be the scheduled starter tomorrow, will face 2011 fourth-overall pick Bubba Starling with runners at first and third and no outs in the opening frame. First pitch at BowenField is set for 5:00 p.m., then after the completion of the nine-inning suspended game, the two clubs will then play a seven-inning game.

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