The D-Jays wasted an excellent starting pitching performance from Asher Wojciechowski in Thursday's 2-0 loss to the Brevard County Manatees.
Wojcieshowski (4-5), allowed one earned run through seven complete innings. The 22-year-old from Hardeeville, S.C., gave up a home run and two singles with one out in the fifth, only to bounce back and shut the door on the Manatees the rest of the way.
Three Manatees pitchers surrendered just two hits to the Jays on the night.
The D-Jays' Kevin Nolan made his third successive start at shortstop for the injured Ryan Goins and he was perfect at the plate with a single and three walks.
Two Jays that regularly hit in the middle of the batting lineup are in the midst of hitting slumps. Jays outfielder Brad Glenn, with only one home run in the last 10 games, remains tied for the lead in that category.
In those 10 games, the all-star right fielder is batting .225 and has seen his average fall from a season high .309 on May 15 to .283. In Thursday night's shut-out, Glenn was 0-4.
Third baseman Kevin Ahrens, the Toronto Blue Jays' first over-all pick in the 2007 draft, has hit .205 in his last 10 games. Ahrens, 22, is in his fifth year of professional baseball.
The Houston, Texas native has struck out 18 of his thirty-nine plate appearances in this ten game stretch, including a five strike-out night on June 2 against the Palm Beach Cardinals. Ahren's hitting blues continued on Thursday, going 0-4 with two more strike outs.
The Jays return home Friday (June 10) for a turn to host the Brevard County Manatees. First pitch at is scheduled for 7 p.m.
A side note: Florida Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez, 27, will come down to the Florida State League to play Friday (June 10) with the Jupiter Hammerheads. Ramirez, a three-time National League All-Star, has been out since June 6 with back stiffness.
