Ben Dotzler pitched a gem of a game to knock out Cincinnati and keep the Jays alive. (Spomer / WBR)
Corvallis, OR
In a do-or-die game against Scott Googins and Cincinnati the Bluejays were clutch. Again.
Ben Dotzler, who was a midweek starter that gained his coach’s trust throughout the year, was absolutely lights out in the most pressure-packed ballgame he’s likely ever encountered. The 6’1 junior from Ida Grove was magnificent in his seven innings of work, absolutely pounding the strike zone while trusting his defense to do work behind him.
He ran into a little bit of trouble in the third inning after Cole Murphy popped a single into center. Two batters later, Jordan Hovey got a hot shot down the third base line and wasn’t able to get an accurate throw on the run, throwing just wide of the bag, and giving the Bearcats runners on second and third with just one out.
The very next ball to leave Dotzler’s hand went haywire, spiking into the turf and skittering away from David Vilches, giving Cincinnati an easy path home and a simpler 1-0 lead.
That’s all they’d score.
In the bottom of the fourth the Jays would answer. After Parker Upton catapulted a baseball into the right center gap, bounding off the wall, and getting second base, Jake Holton followed with a four pitch walk. This gave Will Robertson runners in scoring position, a pitcher on the ropes, and just one out.
On a 2-2 fastball that ended up middle-middle, Robertson put that violent swing behind the ball and gave the Jays a 3-1 lead. The ball itself had an exit velocity that likely reached well over triple digits, a lasershot that buried itself into the metal of the top row of the bleachers in right field.
It was vicious.
It was exactly what you expected from the junior right fielder.
As Dotzler continued to cruise, the offense struck again in the sixth inning, starting with a one-out single from Robertson into shallow right center. Jack Strunc followed with a laser shot base knock into left, giving the Jays two runners on for Hovey.
Jordan Hovey came through at the Plate for the Jays (Spomer / WBR)
Hovey, a heavy pull hitter, managed to sneak one under the glove of the first baseman, the ball trickling into the corner for a double that scored Robertson from second and eventually Strunc from first after the right fielder flubbed getting the ball in.
5-1 lead, six innings in, and a relatively untested kid on the hill pouring strikes into the zone, gaining confidence each and every strikeout? That’s the recipe for success. That’s what the Jays needed.
Other than an insurance run in the 8th inning, a true, “get ’em on, get ’em over, get ’em in,” situation where Hovey went first to third on a stolen base and a sac bunt, Jason Allbery came to the plate and worked the count full. Allbery drew the walk, giving the Jays runners on first and third and just one out.
Will Hanafan, who hadn’t been too effective all series long, worked a 9-pitch at bat and slapped a seeing-eye single through the left side, under the third baseman’s glove, and scored Hovey.
6-1.
Jonah Smith relieved Dotzler in the eighth inning. He proceeded to close out the game, throwing just 31 pitches to 8 very aggressive batters, only sacrificing a single hit throughout.
He managed to get the final batter of the game, Eric Santiago, to fly out to Hanafan in center.
Ballgame.
The Jays will get the Michigan Wolverines tonight (Sunday) at 9pm CT on ESPN3. They’ll need to beat Michigan twice in order to advance.