FSL1 Charlotte Stone Crabs

Blue Jays Hammer 'Crabs 7-0

Published on May 27, 2014 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Charlotte Stone Crabs News Release


PORT CHARLOTTE, FL (May 27, 2014) - Well, they certainly lived up to the hype. In going for a wire-to-wire finish for the Florida State League's best record in the first half, the Blue Jays have used a quick attack and dominant pitching to run through their opponents. That approach worked in spades at Charlotte Sports Park on Tuesday night, where Dunedin rode Daniel Norris to an easy 7-0 shutout against the `Crabs in the first game of the four game series.

Dwight Smith's four pitch walk off Jeff Ames to open the ballgame spelled horror in the proverbial tea leaves. Dalton Pompey's single put runners at the corners before Justin O'Conner made a laser throw down to second to nab Pompey trying to steal for the first out. Marcus Knecht's popout to short brought up K.C. Hobson, who guided an 0-2 pitch up the middle for an infield RBI single and a 1-0 lead.

The omens continued in the bottom of the inning when the Stone Crabs had their only legitimate chance to score all night. Singles by Tommy Coyle and Leonardo Reginatto and a two out walk by Maxx Tissenbaum brought up Justin O'Conner, but the lefty Norris got him to fly out to left to end the inning. Sadly, the offense wouldn't get another runner into scoring position for the rest of the game.

Kevin Patterson's fifth home run to open the second inning off Ames was the only scoring until the sixth inning. In one of his best performances of the year, Ames would not allow a run after the blast, and came out after five innings for the second straight start. Nick Sawyer's return to action out of the Stone Crabs bullpen started quite well, but two out singles by Christian Lopes and Smith turned it over to Pompey. His slow chopper up the middle was booted by Reginatto for a costly error and a run, which allowed Knecht to club a two-run triple for a 5-0 lead. The inning only got worse when Hobson lifted a popup in between the mound and home plate, but O'Conner couldn't make the catch and Knecht scored to make it 6-0.

Norris (4-0) didn't need much help, striking out the side in the second before adding three more across perfect fourth and fifth innings. He departed following a one out single by Reginatto in the sixth, and reliever Will Browning would help preserve the shutout with two and two thirds of scoreless relief. Knecht added an RBI single off Willie Gabay in the eighth for the final run, and Chad Girodo shut the door for the Jays with a perfect ninth.

NOTES: The loss marks the third time the Stone Crabs have been shutoutNorris' league-leading ERA fell from 0.80 to 0.72Ames (1-6) finished without a strikeout for the first timeit was Sawyer's first appearance since May 4, and all four runs in the sixth were unearned because of the two errorsGabay tossed a season-high three innings in his third relief appearanceReginatto had three of the four base hits and now has a team high six three-hit gamesthe 4-9 hitters finished a combined 0-for-20 with one walk and nine strikeoutsGantt (10) and O'Conner (8) had their season-long hitting streaks come to an end.

The series continues on Wednesday night at 6:30 PM when Leonel Santiago (1-4, 8.15 ERA) counters the Blue Jays Kendall Graveman (3-1, 3.38 ERA). It's Weenie Wednesday at Charlotte Sports Park, so enjoy a delicious Kayem hot dog for just $1! There are still great seats available, so visit www.stonecrabsbaseball.com or call 941-206-HITS (4487) to order your tickets now.

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Florida State League Stories from May 27, 2014


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