The Greyhounds got another solid performance from their ace in a 4-1 victory over the Austin Blue Sox in the first round of the Section 2B playoffs in Marcusen Park Sunday night.

Dave Meyer battled off fatigue to hold the Blue Sox to eight hits in nine innings.

“I’m exhausted right now. I’ve been roofing all weekend,” Meyer said. “This morning I slept in and thought there was no way I could pitch tonight. By the sixth inning, I was pretty well shot and going on fumes. I had nothing let.”

Helping Meyer was a boost of momentum his teammate Matt Cano gave him when the slugger drilled a solo home run in the fifth inning to give the Hounds (9-17 overall) a 2-1 lead. Cano’s homer came with two outs and no one on, but he wasn’t surprised to see a pitch to hit.

“I get out quite a bit during the year, so I was not surprised (to see a pitch to hit),” Cano said. “(Austin pitcher Joe Huffman) just went back to back changeups and he left one over the plate and I got some good wood on it.”

The Blue Sox (16-16 overall) used Cano’s homer as momentum as they almost tied the game up in the top of the sixth.

“It actually fired us up,” Blue Sox manager Josh Kunze said. “Because Matt was talking while he was running the bases.”

Nate Johnson and Dan Swift both singled to start the sixth for the Blue Sox and Pat Wolard bunted to put runners on second and third with one out. But Duell Higbe grounded out on a short roller to Meyer and Casey Toops, who had an RBI double off the left field wall in the second inning, struck out.

“We gave up Pat Wolard to get runners on second and third,” Kunze said. “They had the infield back and they were conceding a run and we didn’t execute. When you play these guys you have to play good baseball. When you give up an out, you’ve got to make it count.”

The Hounds will play at Rochester against the Royals Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. in a state qualifying game. The Blue Sox are scheduled to play Faribault Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in Marcusen. But that game will likely be a forfeit by Faribault, since the Lakers forfeited to Rochester Sunday.

Meyer said his defense was a key to victory against the Blue Sox as John Frein turned a double play in the fourth and was solid all night at shortstop for a defense that committed no errors Sunday.

“Everything we could’ve asked for happened for us,” Meyer said. “You can’t give these guys any breaks whatsoever. Once you give in, they start scoring runs.”

The Hounds added to their lead in the seventh when Nick Bowe and Craig Braaten each hit run-scoring singles. Bowe also scored two runs for his team.

“Nick’s really played some good ball in the second half of the year,” Cano said. “He’s really locked in at the plate and he’s always been solid defensively. He’s one of our ignitors.”

Both teams had early rallies come up short.

In the bottom of the second, the Hounds left the bases loaded without scoring. Frein popped out with runners on second and third and Bowe struck out after Mitch Mullenbach walked.

In the third, the Blue Sox had runners on first and second with one out when Nate Johnson flew out and Swift grounded out.

Meyer has three wins against the Blue Sox this year and he has learned quite a bit.

“I knew exactly what to throw on certain counts,” he said. “Last time I was missing spots and wasn’t getting them were I wanted them. Tonight I had pretty good command and the only ones I left out over the plate were the ones they got hits on.”

Hounds 4, Blue Sox 1

Hounds pitching: Dave Meyer (W), 9 IP, 8 H, 2 BB, 1 ER, 6 K

Hounds hitting: Nick Rohne, 0-for-2, BB; Nick Bowe, 1-for-2, RBI, 2 R, BB; Matt Cano, 2-for-2, HR, RBI, R, 2 BBs; Craig Braaten, 2-for-4, 2 RBIs, BB; Tim Kaplan, 0-for-4; Matt Raso, 0-for-4; Mitch Mullenbach, 1-for-3; Dan Wiechmann, 0-for-4; John Frein, 0-for-2, R, 2 BBs

Blue Sox pitching: Joe Huffman (L), 8 IP, 6 H, 6 BB, 4 ER, 5 K, 1 HBP

Blue Sox hitting: Aaron Port, 1-for-3; Andy Swank, 0-for-3, BB; Nate Johnson, 1-for-4; Dan Swift, 1-for-3, R, BB; Pat Wolard, 0-for-3; Duell Higbe, 1-for-4; Casey Toops, 1-for-3, double, RBI; Joe Kroc, 1-for-4; Jason Denzer, 2-for-4