Jays' Calderone starting to heat up

After suffering through a home run drought through much of the season, Adam Calderone is making up for it this month.

Calderone homered twice and drove in a career-high six runs Sunday as the Dunedin Blue Jays rolled to an 8-1 win over the Clearwater Threshers to earn a split of their doubleheader at Knology Park.

The 24-year-old outfielder singled and lifted a sacrifice fly as the Blue Jays dropped the opener, 5-2. He broke open the nightcap in the fourth inning with his first career grand slam. Calderone also swatted a two-run shot in the sixth to provide the final margin.

After going homerless in 21 games in July and hitting only four in his previous 62 games, Calderone has gone deep four times in eight August contests. Of his 75 hits with the Blue Jays, 31 have gone for extra bases -- 16 doubles, seven triples and eight home runs.

The 2006 23rd-round Draft pick eclipsed his previous career high of three RBIs, accomplished most recently on May 7 against Palm Beach. He is hitting .432 (16-for-37) with four homers, 12 RBIs and 10 runs scored in his last 12 games.

Calderone began the season with Class A Lansing and played eight games before a promotion to Dunedin. He hit .270 in 21 games in July before going 1-for-8 in a three-game stint with Triple-A Syracuse.

Calderone split last season between short-season Auburn and Dunedin, hitting .262 with eight homers and 38 RBIs in 89 games.

Cory Patton hit a solo homer, his 13th, and Bradley Emaus went 2-for-3 for Dunedin (39-16) which improved to 15-4 in August and has an 11 1/2-game lead over second-place Tampa in the Florida State League's East Division.

Blue Jays starter Adrian Martin (7-2) won his sixth straight decision, allowing one run on five hits while striking out seven over 5 1/3 innings. Brian Pettway struck out Anthony Mansolino with the bases loaded in the sixth and pitched a perfect seventh for his first save.

Threshers starter Ben Pfinsgraff (1-2) gave up five runs on three hits and a walk with one strikeout over 3 2/3 innings.

John Urick hit an RBI double in the first and Michael Taylor went 2-for-3 for Clearwater (24-33).