Aug. 11, 2016 Minor League Report
By Jay Blue
Blue Jays from Away
The Blue Jays’ minor leaguers went 3-5 on Thursday, winning or losing by two or fewer runs in five of the eight games.

Buffalo Bisons 2, Indianapolis Indians 3
In a tightly-contested game, the Bisons couldn’t rally enough of a comeback to force extra innings after scoring one run in the ninth and losing 3-2 to Indianapolis. Ryan Goins and Domonic Brown had two doubles each while Matt Dominguez was 2/4. Dalton Pompey was 1/4 with an RBI and a stolen base.

Chris Leroux had a solid start, giving up three runs (all coming on one pitch in the form of a three-run home run in the fourth inning) on seven hits and one walk in six innings with five strikeouts. Matt Dermody allowed two hits but nothing else in two innings, striking out two and Chad Girodo finished the game, facing the minimum in the ninth.

Player of the Game: Ryan Goins and Domonic Brown

Roster Notes: Melky Mesa was promoted from New Hampshire to Buffalo.

 
New Hampshire Fisher Cats 5, Bowie Baysox 6
Christian Lopes and Emilio Guerrero had big games for the Fisher Cats but it wasn’t enough as the Bowie Baysox scored three times over the last two innings to come from behind and win 6-5. Lopes was 2/5 with a home run and two RBI while Guerrero was 2/4 with the home run and two RBI. Dwight Smith, Jr. was on base four times with two walks, two singles and two stolen bases. Derrick Loveless was 1/3 with a walk, a run and a stolen base while Ian Parmley was 1/2 with a walk, a double and a run.

Taylor Cole left the game with the game tied at three, giving up three runs on seven hits and three walks over five innings, striking out three, and had a no decision for the effort. Murphy Smith held the Baysox at bay, walking two and leaving a runner on in the seventh with two outs (throwing 1 2/3 innings). Wil Browning stranded the runner in the seventh but gave up a pair of run sin the eighth on a home run to tie the game and Colton Turner gave up the walkoff run on two hits and a walk in the ninth.

Player of the Game: Christian Lopes, Emilio Guerrero and Dwight Smith, Jr.

Roster Notes: Melky Mesa was promoted to the Buffalo Bisons.

Dunedin Blue Jays 4, Brevard County Manatees 2
Dunedin scored enough, taking advantage of a couple of Brevard County errors to beat the woeful Manatees (with a 37-78 record) 4-2 and to secure a 1/2-game lead over the Clearwater Threshers for first place in the Florida State League North division in the second half. Conor Fisk gave up two solo home runs among just five hits over 6 2/3 innings but didn’t get the win. Brad Allen finished the seventh and got the first out of the eighth, striking out a batter in the process and Tim Mayza walked one and struck out two over the final 1 2/3 innings, picking up the win.

Anthony Alford was 2/4 with a double and Jonathan Davis was 2/4 with a triple and a run. Danny Jansen drove in a run with a double and scored while D.J. Davis was 0/0 with two walks, a sacrifice bunt and a stolen base.

Player of the Game: Anthony Alford and Jonathan Davis

Roster Notes: Gunnar Heidt was placed on the disabled list and Aaron Attaway was activated.

Lansing Lugnuts 4, West Michigan Whitecaps 2
The Lugnuts returned to action on Thursday and beat the West Michigan Whitecaps by a 4-2 score. Lane Thomas has found his stroke since returning from the DL and was 3/4 with an RBI and a run while Andrew Guillotte continues to be a doubles machine, hitting his 24th double as part of a 2/5 game with a run. Austin Davis also had a two hits, going 2/3 with a walk. Ryan Hissey was 1/4 with a triple and two RBI while Juan Kelly was on base three times, going 1/2 with two walks and a stolen base.

Ryan Borucki had another strong start, needing just 67 pitches to get through five one-hit innings, walking three but striking out five. Daniel Lietz continues his dominance, throwing three innings and giving up just two hits with two strikeouts. Andrew Case finished the game, entering in a non-save situation and gave up two runs on three hits in the ninth.

Player of the Game: Lane Thomas and Ryan Borucki

 
Vancouver Canadians 7, Everett AquaSox 16
Normally, a seven-run performance would be enough for the Canadians to win but the Everett AquaSox were geared up for Thursday’s game, scoring 16 times on 19 hits in a blowout in front of a Vancouver crowd. The AquaSox jumped all over starter Dalton Rodriguez in the second inning, tagging him for seven runs (five earned) on six hits and a walk in 1 1/3 innings while his replacement, Grayson Huffman, didn’t far much better, allowing seven runs on six hits and two walks in 2/3 of an inning, finishing the second and throwing to seven batters in the third without retiring any. Gabe Noyalis allowed a run on four walks and two strikeouts in 2/3 of an inning while Geno Encino calmed the flames, throwing 3 1/3 innings and giving up just one run on four hits with two strikeouts. Evan Smith gave up two hits and two walks over two innings, striking out two and Nick Hartman finished the game with an inning of scoreless ball, giving up a hit.

The offense had seven runs on 14 hits, getting three singles from Joshua Palacios, who drove in two and was picked off. Jacob Anderson was 2/5 with a run and Christian Williams was 2/4 with a double, a walk and two runs. Yeltsin Gudino was 1/3 with two walks and a run and J.B. Woodman hit a home run and walked in his only two plate appearances, coming out of the game in the fourth inning.

Player of the Game: Joshua Palacios and Christian Williams

 
Bluefield Blue Jays 7, Pulaski Yankees 4
Bluefield has been on a roll since I visited and they’ve gone 10-4 since and enjoyed a 7-4 win over the Pulaski Yankees. With the win, the Blue Jays are now two games back of the division leaders, Burlington, and are in a playoff position by two games over Princeton. Jose Espada started for Bluefield, throwing 5 1/3 innings and limiting the Yankees to two runs on solo home runs among three hits while striking out four. Stuart Holmes threw 2 2/3 innings of scoreless ball to follow and the normally-reliable Angel Alicea gave up two runs in the ninth, allowing two hits and two walks with two strikeouts.

The offence struck for 10 hits, but the two from Kalik May did the most damage. May was 2/5 with a triple and a home run, driving in five runs. Bradley Jones was 2/5 with a walk, a double, a stolen base and an RBI and Matt Morgan was 2/4 with a double and a run. Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. was 1/5 with a triple.

Player of the Game: Kalik May

 
GCL Blue Jays 0, GCL Yankees West 5
The GCL Blue Jays had an off day with the bats, getting just four hits and losing 5-0 to the GCL Yankees West. Jesus Navarro had two hits, going 2/4 and Antony Fuentes had a triple.

Josh Winckowski allowed a run on two hits and a walk in three innings with three strikeouts, getting six outs on ground balls, and Travis Hosterman gave up two runs on three hits and a walk with three strikeouts also in three innings. Mitch McKown allowed two more runs on two hits and two walks in the seventh and Orlando Pascual threw a clean eighth to close the books on the Jays’ pitching.

Player of the Game: Jesus Navarro

DSL Blue Jays 0, DSL Reds 1
The DSL Blue Jays also couldn’t get the offense going despite three hits from Aldo Ovando in a 1-0 loss to the DSL Reds. Ovando had three of the club’s four hits with second-baseman Jose Theran getting the other.

Emmanuel Reyes had a strong outing, allowing just one hit and three walks over five innings with six strikeouts. Adams Cuevas lowered his ERA to 0.59, giving up an unearned run on two hits and a walk in 3 2/3 innings with four strikeouts.

Player of the Game: Emmanuel Reyes and Aldo Ovando

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