Sanchez throws 5 hitless in 3-2 win
Dunedin, FL - It took 11 innings and a wild, walk-off ending, but the Blue Jays came out of Thursday night's action with another victory, this time by a 3-2 margin over the visiting Tampa Yankees.
The win marked the second consecutive series victory to open the 2013 season for Dunedin, just the second time in over eight seasons that the D-Jays opened a season with back-to-back series wins.
After 10 innings of well-pitched baseball by both clubs, the Blue Jays were able to deliver the final blow to the Yankees in the bottom of the 11th inning. With one out in the inning, Andy Burns was able to reach base on a base hit to shallow left field followed by an infield single into the shift from Kevin Patterson, advancing Burns to third base. Gabe Jacobo stepped up to the plate next, hoping to replicate his heroics from Wednesday night, but came up empty after he grounded into a fielder's choice to shortstop Ali Castillo, who threw out Burns at the plate trying to score from third.
With two down in the inning and runners at first and second, Marcus Knecht hit a sharp ground ball between third base and shortstop that was fielded by Castillo, but he was not able to record an out after the Yankees infield attempted throws to both second and first bases. Nick Baligod, who pinch ran for Patterson, showed some heads-up baserunning in his first appearance of the 2013 season, scoring the game-winning run from second base while the Yankees were throwing the ball around the infield.
With the contest going 11 innings, the performance of starting pitcher and Blue Jays top prospect Aaron Sanchez was almost lost in the excitement. Sanchez again turned in a very strong outing for the D-Jays, this time going five no-hit, shutout innings for Dunedin, striking out three and walking two. Nearing his pitch limit for the day, Sanchez was lifted after recording the first 15 outs of the game without a hit and was relieved by Evan Crawford, who made his first rehab appearance for the club after making 10 appearances for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2012. Crawford surrendered the first hit of the game with two outs in the sixth and allowed the only two Yankees runs to score.
Marco Grifantini was strong again in relief for the Blue Jays, earning his first professional win after he pitched 3.0 innings of shutout, two-hit baseball.
The Blue Jays return to action tomorrow night at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium against the defending Florida State League champion Lakeland Flying Tigers. LHP Efrain Nieves (1-0, 0.00) will take the hill for the D-Jays against Wilsen Palacios (0-0, 4.50). First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 PM ET.