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Rzepczynski struggles in Jays' win

Southpaw touched up for four runs in five innings

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By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com

03/20/10 4:01 PM ET

BLUE JAYS 7, BRAVES 6 (10 innings)
at Dunedin, Fla.
Saturday, March 20

Blue Jays at the plate: After being blanked for the first three innings, Toronto pieced together a four-run outburst in the fourth. Second baseman Aaron Hill led the charge with a two-run homer -- his second blast of the spring. Adam Lind, Vernon Wells and Randy Ruiz each contributed doubles in the inning, plating two more runs. Shortstop John McDonald added an RBI single in the ninth. Minor Leaguer Michael McDade hit a walk-off two-run double in the bottom of the 10th inning.

Braves at the plate: During a three-run second inning, catcher David Ross chipped in an RBI double and third baseman Brandon Hicks followed with a two-run single. Lind fumbled the base hit from Hicks in left field, allowing a second run to score on the play. Joe Thurston had RBI hits in the eighth and 10th innings for the Braves.

Blue Jays on the mound: Left-hander Marc Rzepczynski, who is the front-runner for the fourth spot in Toronto's rotation, allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits over five innings of work. Rzepczynski struck out three, issued no walks and finished with 78 pitches (44 strikes). Relievers Shawn Camp, Jason Frasor and Scott Downs each logged one shutout inning, while closing candidate Kevin Gregg gave up one run on three hits in his lone inning on the hill.

Braves on the mound: Right-hander Derek Lowe logged five innings for Atlanta, allowing four runs on six hits. Lowe finished with two strikeouts, no walks and 75 pitches (52 strikes). Lowe, who also surrendered one home run, saw his Spring Training ERA rise to 5.25 with the performance. Jo-Jo Reyes, Craig Kimbrel and Jonny Venters turned in one shutout inning apiece.

Worth noting: In a Triple-A start on Saturday, Blue Jays left-hander Brett Cecil allowed two runs (one earned) with no walks over four innings. Cecil said he tested out a cut fastball that he only began working on this week, and he induced a pair of groundouts with the pitch. ... Braves top outfield prospect Jason Heyward had struck out three times in 27 Grapefruit League at-bats entering Saturday's game. He struck out twice in four at-bats against the Jays.

Grapefruit League records: Blue Jays 9-6; Braves 11-6

Up next: On Sunday, the Blue Jays host the Red Sox at 1:05 p.m. ET at Dunedin Stadium. Right-hander Shaun Marcum, whose schedule is currently aligned with an Opening Day start, is slated to take the mound for Toronto. Lefty Felix Doumont will start for Boston.

The Braves will host the Cardinals in a 1:05 p.m. ET tilt on Sunday in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Jair Jurrjens will make his second start of the spring for Atlanta after dealing with a right shoulder issue earlier this spring. Brad Penny is set to start for St. Louis.

Jordan Bastian is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.