Jay Blue: Berti, Bouchey, Panas, Urena
Juan Kelly (left), Connor Panas and Max Pentecost head to the dugout after Panas’s home run for class-A Lansing. Photo: Jay Blue.
August 1, 2016 Minor League Report
By Jay Blue
Jay Blue from Away
On a busy trade deadline day for the Blue Jays, the Jays accomplished something incredible by adding to their major league club in the form of a couple of relievers and a starter, while also adding to their minor league system by acquiring two highly thought of prospects from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Oh, and the Jays’ minor league teams went 4-2.
Buffalo Bisons
Scheduled Off Day
Roster Notes: Bo Schultz was recalled by the Blue Jays and Mike Bolsinger was optioned to Buffalo. Drew Hutchison was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates and was optioned to Indianapolis.
New Hampshire Fisher Cats
Scheduled Off Day
Roster Notes: Newly acquired OF Harold Ramirez and C Reese McGuire were added to the Fisher Cats’ roster.
Dunedin Blue Jays 6, Jupiter Hammerheads 4
Dunedin notched a comeback win over the Jupiter Hammerheads to push its record to 57-50 on the season and a tie for first place in their division for the second half (24-14, tied with Clearwater). Anthony Alford continues his breakout, going 3/5 with two runs, an RBI and a stolen base. Richard Urena, recently anointed the Jays’ #1 prospect by MLB.com, was also 3/5 with three RBI and a run, pushing his batting average to .305 on the season. Jorge Flores was 1/2 with a double, two walks and two runs but he made an error at second base.
Starter Justin Shafer struck out seven in five innings but gave up three runs on five hits (including a home run). Adonys Cardona threw an inning, giving up an unearned run on two hits while Conor Fisk earned the win with a scoreless seventh, striking out two and giving up a hit and two walks. Colton Turner was his usual stellar self, throwing two innings and giving up just one walk while striking out three.
Player of the Game: Richard Urena and Anthony Alford
Roster Notes: Starlyn Suriel was sent to Lansing from Dunedin.
Lansing Lugnuts 10, Fort Wayne TinCaps 9
The Lugnuts finally held on to a lead and beat the Fort Wayne TinCaps, powered by some thunder in the bats and the bullpen surviving a near-collapse at the end of the game. Following a hitters meeting, the Lugnuts batters came out rocking, scoring two in the second inning, three more in the third and five more in the fifth. Connor Panas led the barrage, launching two home runs (leading the team with 13 now) and driving in five. Ryan Hissey had three hits including a double and a run while John LaPrise (2/4, R, RBI), J.C. Cardenas (2/4, 2B, R) and Max Pentecost (2/5, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI, 2 R) had two hits each. Jake Thomas was also 1/4 with a walk, a stolen base and a run.
Josh DeGraaf made the his first start for the Lugnuts, throwing four innings and allowing two runs on five hits with one strikeout. Tayler Saucedo relieved, allowing another two runs on two hits and two walks in three innings but struck out five batters. Starlyn Suriel, fresh from Dunedin, pitched to five batters to start the eighth and it was there that the jitters began, as all five batters reach base and all five would come around to score. Jackson Lowery came on to put out the fire, but on good pitches, the TinCaps drove in both of the runners he inherited from Suriel. Lowery got out of the inning and turned it over the closer, Andrew Case, who threw a 1-2-3 ninth, getting two ground ball outs and a strikeout.
Player of the Game: Connor Panas
Roster Notes: Starlyn Suriel was assigned to Lansing from Dunedin.
Vancouver Canadians
Scheduled Off Day
Bluefield Blue Jays 6, Burlington Royals 5
Bluefield has played an awful lot of extra-inning games lately and they added 13 more to their total for the season on Monday, beating the Burlington Royals 6-5. Juandy Mendoza had a big game, scoring the winning run after Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. drove him home with a single in the top of the 13th. Mendoza also hit his first home run of the year, going 2/5 with two runs and one RBI. Cam O’Brien also hit a home run, going 2/2 with two walks, a triple and two runs. Reggie Pruitt also had two hits, going 2/6 with a double and an RBI. The Bluefield Blue Jays also contributed to their conspicuous record of strikeouts, sitting down 21 times without putting the ball in play. Bradley Jones added six strikeouts to his total while Kalik May struck out four times, going 1/5 with a double.
Joel Espinal started, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits and two walks, striking out five in 4 2/3 innings. Christian Cox pitched 1 1/3 innings, stranding a runner and giving up only one hit and striking out one. Kelyn Jose threw two innings without walking anyone, giving up a run on a hit and striking out two. Brayden Bouchey provided three innings of quality relief without allowing a hit and striking out seven while walking one. Angel Alicea got the win, throwing two scoreless innings and allowing three hits with three strikeouts.
Player of the Game: Brayden Bouchey and Cam O’Brien
Roster Notes: Javier Monzon was promoted to the Bluefield Blue Jays.
GCL Blue Jays 2, GCL Tigers East 1
The GCL got another well-pitched game, holding the Tigers East to just one run in a brisk, two-hour-and-23-minute 2-1 win. Maximo Castillo threw 5 2/3 innings with just one run allowed on four hits and two walks with four strikeouts. Yonardo Herdenez followed, allowing just one hit in 2 1/3 innings with two strikeouts and Jared Carkuff earned the save, throwing one inning and giving up a hit.
Jon Berti, rehabbing from New Hampshire, was 3/3 with an RBI. Both Kevin Vicuna and David Jacob were 1/3 with a walk and Jesus Navarro was 1/2 with a walk.
Player of the Game: Jon Berti
Roster Notes: Yorman Rodriguez was promoted to the GCL Blue Jays from the DSL and Javier Monzon was promoted to Bluefield. Guadalupe Chavez was traded.
DSL Blue Jays 0, DSL White Sox 2
The DSL Blue Jays lost both parts of a double header, making up a rained out game from July. In the first game, the bats were mostly silent as the club had just six hits, including doubles from Mc Gregory Contreras and Ronald Concepcion.
Adams Cuevas gave up two runs on five hits (including a home run) and two walks with two strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings. Jesus Colman finished it off, throwing 1 2/3 innings and striking out two.
Player of the Game: None
Roster Notes: Yorman Rodriguez was promoted to the GCL Blue Jays.
DSL Blue Jays 4, DSL White Sox 5
In the second half of the double header, the Blue Jays had more fight but still only had six hits (scoring four times), taking the DSL White Sox to nine innings before losing. Andres Guerra was 2/2 with a walk and an RBI while Yeison Estevez was 1/3 with a double and a walk and Victor Figuereo was 1/4 with a double and an RBI. Mc Gregory Contreras was 0/1 but walked three times.
Anderson Nunez started, allowing just one run on four hits and a walk with four strikeouts in four innings. Oscar Brito allowed two runs on three hits and a walk with a strikeout in 2/3 of an inning while Felix Cornelius gave up a run in 1 2/3 innings. Juan Bautista took the loss, giving up a run on three hits and a walk in 2 1/3 innings.
Player of the Game: Andres Guerra
The 2016 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook is now available in e-book and print formats! Visit the Handbook page for more information!
Now is a great time to subscribe to the Blue Jays from Away Premium Content Section!
All photos are copyright Blue Jays from Away (2013-2016) and may not be used without permission.