Robertis Homer, Excellent Pitching Lead Blue Jays to 2-1 Win Over Marauders

Dunedin, FL – The Blue Jays evened up their series against the Bradenton Marauders Wednesday night with a 2-1 win that featured more outstanding pitching and Robert Robertis’ first home run of the year.

Major league rehabber Mitch White got the start for the Blue Jays, working his way back from some elbow inflammation that sent him to the IL just before the end of Spring Training. White looked good in his first efforts this year, giving up a lone unearned run in the first, three total hits and not issuing a walk.

That lone run came in the top of the first, a two-out double by Bradenton right fielder Rodolfo Nolasco found the left-centerfield gap, then Tres Gonzalez put one on the ground toward Tucker Toman at short, taking a sharp hop off the heel of Toman’s glove and into centerfield, bringing the runner home.

But that was all Bradenton could muster the entire night. Kelvin Perez, Kendry Rojas, and Lazaro Estrada combined for 5.2 shutout innings in relief, blanking the Marauders for the remainder of the ballgame. And with the pitching as locked in as it was, the offense didn’t need to do much.

Adrian Pinto singled in the tying run in the second inning, bringing home Marcos De La Rosa who had just reached via a single himself, and immediately stole his way into scoring position. Then later on in the fourth, Robertis turned on a 1-0 fastball off the hand of Marauders starter Owen Kellington, sending it high into the Dunedin sky, where it fell into the Blue Jays bullpen past the rightfield fence, giving Dunedin a 2-1 lead that they wouldn’t lose.

Yet another great performance by Blue Jays pitching, aided in their efforts by some timely hitting. With the win Dunedin now moves back to within a game of .500 and gains themselves an opportunity to take the series lead on Thursday. Game three is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch at TD Ballpark, and coverage will begin on the Dunedin Blue Jays Radio Network at 6:15 p.m.