Jays notebook: Bautista hits first homer of spring

DUNEDIN, FLA.— Sunday was a nodoubter for the Blue Jays, a 6-1 win over Tampa Bay, fuelled by a threerun homer from Jose Bautista and seven dominating innings from righthanded pitchers Aaron Sanchez and Gavin Floyd.

Toronto improved to 10-2-1. It’s only spring, but winning still matters.

Here are a few things to take away from the game:

JOSE BAUTISTA

The Jays slugger turned a 1-2 offering from Rays starter Taylor Guerrieri into a three-run homer in the third inning. This is what Jays fans have been waiting for from Bautista, who has been eased into spring training games after a larger than normal game load with last season’s playoff run. Bautista had been 0-5 with a hit by pitch in six previous spring plate appearances. He struck out looking as well Sunday, and argued briefly with the home plate umpire over the low pitch.

RYAN GOINS

Goins had a single and scored on Bautista’s homer in the third. The middle infielder seems to be getting better and better; his awesome glove work is on full display again this spring, and he’s been tremendous at the plate, now with six runs scored, five hits, and five RBIs in 10 games.

RUSSELL MARTIN

The catcher went 0-for-3 Sunday — he has had a somewhat slow start with three hits in 14 at-bats — but showed off his arm, almost catching a runner leaning the wrong way at first.

MATT DOMINGUEZ

The third baseman had another hit and run scored, and now has six hits and four runs scored in 17 at-bats. Dominguez is likely to start in Buffalo, but he’s a promising depth player — a former first-rounder (12th overall in 2007) who has 357 major-league games under his belt.