Jay Blue: Dantzler, Hutchison, Jimenez, Jones, Kelly, Woodman

July 23, 2016 Minor League Report
By Jay Blue
Blue Jays from Away
The three lowest teams on the Blue Jays’ minor league totem pole were the only successful ones in Saturday’s action with the clubs going 3-5 for the day.

 
Buffalo Bisons 1, Gwinnett Braves 2
Getting a strong game from Drew Hutchison, Bautista’s bat couldn’t bolster the Bisons as the club lost 2-1 on Star Wars Night. Bautista was hitting third, right behind Toronto teammate Ryan Goins and was 1/4 (and so was Goins). Dalton Pompey was 2/3 with a double, and a sac fly while Domonic Brown was 2/4 with two doubles. A.J. Jimenez was 3/4 with two doubles and a run.

Hutchison allowed just one run on four hits and two walks with four strikeouts through six innings and Chad Girodo picked up the slack, throwing 1 2/3 innings of one-hit ball before having Ben Rowen take over and strand his runner. Rowen, however, took the loss, giving up a run on two hits in the ninth.

Player of the Game: A.J. Jimenez and Drew Hutchison

Roster Notes: The Blue Jays sent Dustin Antolin outright to the Buffalo Bisons.

 
New Hampshire Fisher Cats 5, Trenton Thunder 8
The Trenton Thunder responded to Friday’s loss to the Fisher Cats by besting them on Saturday by an 8-5 score. Luis Santos was on the mound and he allowed four run son nine hits and two walks with five strikeouts in just 4 2/3 innings. John Stilson wasn’t able to eat up some innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on two hits and two walks with two strikeouts over 1 2/3 before Tim Mayza finished the seventh, allowing one of two of the inherited runners from Stilson to score. Murphy Smith and Jeremy Gabryszwski each threw an inning to finish the game.

The Fisher Cats had only seven hits, getting four doubles -- one each from Ryan Lavarnway, Dwight Smith, Jr., Derrick Loveless and Jorge Flores. The last three added a walk while Loveless and Flores each drove in a run. Ryan McBroom was 0/3 with a walk and a sacrifice fly.

Player of the Game: None

Dunedin Blue Jays 0, Jupiter Hammerheads 10
Dunedin couldn’t solve the Jupiter Hammerheads, dropping a 10-0 game on Saturday. In his Advanced-A debut, 2015 first-rounder Jon Harris struggled, allowing five runs on nine hits and four walks with three strikeouts in five innings. Jose Fernandez gave up five runs (two earned) in 2/3 of an inning while Alonzo Gonzalez cleaned up the mess, stranding two runners and pitching a scoreless 1 1/3 with a walk and two strikeouts. Colton Turner pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to finish the game.

The Blue Jays had five hits including two from L.B. Dantzler who had a single and a double.

Player of the Game: L.B. Dantzler

Roster Notes: Andy Fermin was placed on the 7-day DL and Jon Harris was promoted from the Lansing Lugnuts.

Lansing Lugnuts 2, Kane County Cougars 3
In an 11-inning battle the Lugnuts finally fell to the Kane County Cougars despite the Cougars scattering 17 hits and scoring only three times. Justin Maese was on the hill for the Lugnuts to start the game and he allowed 10 hits over his five innings but only gave up one run, walking one and striking out two. Josh DeGraaf pitched 1 1/3 innings of one-hit, one-run ball, striking out two and Kirby Snead, despite giving up a run on four hits, also struck out four in two innings. Andrew Case allowed a hit and a walk in 1 2/3 innings of scoreless ball, striking out two while Ryan Cook took the loss, throwing the 11th inning and giving up one run on one hit with a strikeout.

Juan Kelly was 3/4 with a double, a walk and an RBI while Justin Atkinson contributed a single and a double, bringing his season’s batting average up to .200. Andrew Guillotte hit a solo home run, also adding a walk.

Player of the Game: Juan Kelly

Roster Notes: Jon Harris was promoted to the Dunedin Blue Jays and Alex Maldonado was activated off the DL.

Vancouver Canadians 4, Eugene Emeralds 11
The Canadians got beaten up a bit against the Eugene Emeralds, losing 11-4 on Saturday evening. J.B. Woodman had himself a game, going 3/3 with two walks, a double, two runs, a stolen base and an RBI. Yeltsin Gudino was 2/4 and is showing signs of coming around with the bat.

Dalton Rodriguez had a start that he probably would like to forget. He surrendered nine runs (eight were earned) in just 1 2/3 innings. Stuart Holmes allowed a run on three hits and a walk in five innings, striking out three before Matthew Smoral took over, walking two and giving up two hits, resulting in a run over 1 1/3 innings with two strikeouts. Travis Bergen threw a perfect ninth, striking out two.

Player of the Game: J.B. Woodman
 

Bluefield Blue Jays 5, Burlington Royals 3
Bluefield walked off with a win, thanks to a ground rule double off the back of Nash “Mash” Knight, the Appalachian League’s leading hitter. Knight was 2/5 with a double and three RBI but that lowered his batting average to .420. Lance Jones was 3/4 with a double, a home run and an RBI, scoring three times in his first game since his demotion to Bluefield. Bradley Jones was 2/3 with a walk, a double, and three stolen bases while Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. was 1/4 with a walk and a run.

Osman Guiterrez started the game and struck out seven batters over six innings, giving up two runs on six hits and two walks. Christian Cox allowed a solo home run and a walk over two innings while Conner Eller got the win, walking one in the ninth inning.

Player of the Game: Lance Jones

 
GCL Blue Jays 11, GCL Yankees East 8
The GCL Yankees continued to hit the ball hard against the Blue Jays but on Saturday morning, the Jays got enough offense to overwhelm the Yanks in an 11-8 victory. Alfredo Bohorquez and Kevin Vicuna had three hits each in the victory. Bohorquez also walked twice, stole a base, hit a double and scored four times. Vicuna drove in a pair, hit a double and scored a run as part of his excellent day. Ryan Gold was 2/5 with a home run, three RBI and two runs while D.J. Daniels, subbing in for Norberto Obeso, was 1/2 with a two-run home run. Obeso was on twice, going 1/1 with a walk, a stolen base and an RBI while David Jacob was 1/4 with a walk, two stolen bases, an RBI and a run.

On the mound, things weren’t as pretty with Travis Hosterman starting and giving up two unearned runs (despite allowing a home run) in an inning. Juan Meza allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits with a strikeout in three innings and Randy Pondler, despite getting the win, allowing three runs (one earned) on seven hits with two strikeouts in four innings. Jairo Rosario (2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR) and Jared Carkuff (S, 1/3 IP, 1 K) finished the ninth inning.

Player of the Game: Alfredo Bohorquez and Ryan Gold

 
DSL Blue Jays 4, DSL D-backs 3
The DSL Blue Jays scored a run in an inning four times to edge out the DSL D-backs in Dominican Summer League action. Elio Silva struck out seven in 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits and a walk while Anderson Nunez made his second appearance, allowing a run on three hits with a strikeout, finishing the game with 3 2/3 innings and earning the win.

Jose Theran was 3/4 with a triple, an RBI and a run while Jose Briceno was 2/3 with two runs. Mc Gregory Contreras hit his first professional home run, going 1/4 with the solo shot.

Player of the Game: Jose Theran and Elio Silva

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