Mastroianni walks off Jays with RBI single
The speedy center fielder singled home the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Blue Jays a 4-3 win over the Tampa Yankees, Dunedin's first walk-off victory of the season that also improved their record to 4-0 against Tampa in 2009.
Janssen had pitched previously in two games for Dunedin, but was officially added the roster on April 30 after throwing in rehab appearances only. In his longest outing so far this season, Janssen pitched very well, allowing only one earned run on four hits in five innings pitched, striking out five while walking none.
The righty threw all his pitches very well, as his big-breaking curve ball and his explosive fastball seemed to keep Tampa off-balance throughout his start. Janssen also mixed in a slider from time-to-time that dove quickly underneath a couple of swings during the contest, showing that while Toronto is looking at his return sometime just before the All-Star Break, he is not going to waste any time in showing how well he's throwing in his comeback from a torn labrum.
Tampa got their run in the first inning on an RBI groundout to third base by top prospect Jesus Montero, who brought home Austin Krum to give the Yankees a 1-0 lead. Krum led off the game with a double over the head of left fielder Eric Thames.
Dunedin got their run back in an interesting fashion, as Darin Mastroianni walked to lead off the inning. Mastroianni promptly stole second base on the first pitch, barely beating out a strong, accurate throw from Montero. Then, on the pitch where John Tolisano struck out, Mastroianni took off for third, but Montero's throw hit Tolisano's bat on the follow-through, allowing Mastroianni to reach third safely.
Mastroianni would come in on the next pitch as Moises Sierra lined a single to left field to tie the game at 1-1.
It then became a clinic of both pitching and defense, as the score remained the same heading into the sixth inning. After Cody Crowell replaced Janssen, he immediately got some phenomenal help in the guise of a diving stab on a ground ball by shortstop Raul Barron, who snagged the ball hit by Eric Fryer and promptly threw him out at first.
However, that great start didn't set the overall tone of the sixth, as after getting Montero to fly out to deep left, Crowell gave up a single to Damon Sublett. Brandon Laird came up and executed a perfect hit-and-run with Sublett, as Laird's ground ball went right through the hole at second once occupied by Tolisano, who was racing over to cover his bag as Sublett went on the pitch.
With runners on the corners, the big blow came off the bat of Wady Rufino, who laced a double into the gap in right-center field to plate both Laird and Sublett and give Tampa a 3-1 lead.
When the seventh came around, a familiar face came out of the bullpen for Dunedin, as B.J. Ryan charged to the mound for his inning of rehab work. Ryan joined Dunedin on Thursday after going on the Toronto Blue Jays disabled list on April 23 with an injured right trapezius.
Facing questions about his declining velocity since Spring Training, Ryan nonetheless had a relatively calm inning of work, getting two groundouts and a fly out to retire the side.
He gave way to his offense in the bottom of the seventh inning, and they came up big, as C.J. Ebarb doubled off the right field wall to plate Kevin Ahrens to make it a 3-2 ballgame. After Yankees starter Jeremy Bleich was pulled, Jonathan Hovis came to the hill looking to preserve the lead.
He then promptly gave up the tying run on a double down the right field line from the hot-hitting Raul Barron, knotting the game at 3-3 after Ebarb touched home plate.
With the game tight, the Blue Jays then turned to their third consecutive left-handed reliever in the miniscule Tim Collins, whose big numbers so far this year have people talking great things about the 19-year-old from Worcester, MA.
His first test was against the best prospect in the Yankees system in Montero, and Collins made his case for his own status as a top prospect, retiring Montero on three consecutive pitches, making him flail at a high fastball for his first of three strikeouts in his two-inning outing.
Collins gave Dunedin a chance going into the bottom of the ninth as the Yankees stayed with Hovis, who had gone 1.2 innings already in the contest.
Adam Loewen coerced a walk to lead off the inning, and then after failing at his attempt to sacrifice Loewen over, Ahrens chopped one to Hovis to move Loewen to second anyways.
Hovis was then instructed to walk Ebarb to set up a force play, but that forced him into facing the red hot Barron, who walked on four pitches to load the bases.
That set the stage for Mastroianni, who drove the first pitch he saw through the drawn in infield on the right side to bring Loewen home for the walk-off win.
Collins (2-0) picked up the win for Dunedin while Hovis (0-2) took the loss and was credited with his second blown save of the year.
For Dunedin, they have now won five of their last seven and eight of their last 11, and will look to continue their hot streak against Tampa with game two of their series on Friday night at 7 p.m.
The game will be broadcast via Internet streaming. The audio link can be found at the top of the Dunedin Blue Jays homepage at www.DunedinBlueJays.com. The broadcast will begin roughly 5-10 minutes before the game's first pitch.
Friday will also be "Green Day" as the Blue Jays look to raise awareness of green energy and its potential, along with giving information out to fans on the numerous outdoor activities in the Dunedin area. The first 500 fans to purchase a drink will receive an honorary "Green Day" cup, courtesy of Middleton Lawn & Pest Control.