Jay Blue: Dean, Maese, McKnight, Mier, Sanchez, Smith

June 17, 2016 Minor League Report
By Jay Blue
Blue Jays from Away
The Vancouver Canadians opened their season up with a bang, in the form of a comeback win in the ninth inning. They were the only Blue Jays affiliate to win on Friday.

 
Buffalo Bisons 4, Lehigh Valley IronPigs 5
With some back-and-forth scoring early in the game, the score stabilized from the seventh until the 11th inning when the Lehigh Valley IronPigs were able to score a run off of Chad Jenkins for a walk-off, 5-4 win over the Bisons. Chris Leroux started and kept the Bisons in the game with 5 2/3 innings of four-run ball, allowing eight hits while striking out seven and not walking anyone. Aaron Loup threw 1 1/3 of perfect baseball, striking out two batters while Ben Rowen went three innings keeping the IronPigs off the board with a walk, a hit and a strikeout. It was Chad Jenkins who took the loss, allowing a run on two hits in the bottom of the 11th.

The Bisons only had six hits on the day including home runs from Tony Sanchez and Jio Mier who each drove in a pair of runs. Junior Lake was 1/2 with two walks.

Player of the Game: Tony Sanchez and Jio Mier

Roster Notes: Scott Diamond was sent to Buffalo outright while Darrell Ceciliani was recalled by the Blue Jays to take the roster spot of the injured Jose Bautista. The Blue Jays also promoted Colt Hynes from New Hampshire and put Luis Hurtado on the DL.

 
New Hampshire Fisher Cats 4, Akron RubberDucks 7
With five runs in the second inning, the Akron RubberDucks built up a big enough lead to keep the Fisher Cats at bay in a 7-4 defeat for the Blue Jays’ Double-A squad. Dawson was charged with all five of those early runs (four earned) on four hits and three walks in 1 1/3 innings. Chris Smith inherited the bases loaded with one out but only allowed one to score, throwing 2 2/3 innings of relief, striking out four with two hits and a walk. Brady Dragmire allowed two more runs, walking three and giving up four hits with one strikeout in two innings and John Stilson threw two hitless innings with a walk to finish the game.

Matt Dean was 2/4 with a double and two runs scored while Dwight Smith, Jr. was 1/3 with a triple, a walk and an RBI. Christian Lopes drove in a pair with a single and a sac fly.

Player of the Game: Matt Dean and Dwight Smith, Jr.

Roster Notes: Colt Hynes was promoted to Buffalo and Chris Schaeffer was assigned to New Hampshire.

 
Dunedin Blue Jays
Scheduled Off Day

 
Lansing Lugnuts 0, West Michigan Whitecaps 7
The Lugnuts were handed their hats in a 7-0 whitewashing by the West Michigan Whitecaps. Starter Tom Robson allowed six of those runs, allowing seven hits and four walks in five innings with two strikeouts. Josh DeGraaf allowed just one more run in three innings while Danny Young pitched a scoreless ninth.

The Lugnuts had only four hits including doubles from Andrew Guillotte and Max Pentecost.

Player of the Game: None

Roster Notes: Patrick Murphy was sent to Vancouver and Alex Maldonado was assigned to the Lansing Lugnuts.

 
Vancouver Canadians 5, Spokane Indians 3
The Canadians opened their season on the road in Spokane where the offense charged back to win after the bullpen let a one-run lead get away. 19-year-old Justin Maese got the Opening Day start, throwing a stellar five innings, giving up one run on two hits without walking anyone and striking out six while getting six ground outs and just two fly outs. Griffin Glaude got into some control trouble, walking three in 1 2/3 innings but also struck out three and didn’t allow a run. Stuart Holmes finished the seventh but got into trouble in the eight, allowing two runs on two hits and two walks. Jackson Lowery got the win, stranding two runners left on by Holmes and pitching the ninth, allowing just one hit over 1 2/3 innings with one strikeout.

D.J. McKnight led the offense, getting on base four times with two hits (including a double) and two walks. Christian Williams also had two hits including a double which tied up the game in the top of the ninth. Gabe Clark drove in a pair (including the winning run), going 1/4 with a double and a walk while Jacob Anderson was 1/4 with a walk and a run. Bryan Lizardo was 1/5 with a double and Deiferson Barreto was 1/4 with a double and two RBI.

Player of the Game: Justin Maese and DJ McKnight

Roster Notes: Patrick Murphy was sent from Lansing to Vancouver.

DSL Blue Jays 2, DSL D-backs 3
In a low-scoring game, the Blue Jays were outscored in the late innings by the D-backs, resulting in a 3-2 loss. Starter Jose Dominguez was excellent, throwing five innings of one-run ball, giving up five hits with five strikeouts. Two unearned runs were scored off of Luis Mendoza, who took the loss, giving up four hits and striking out one.

Victor Figuereo had two hits and an RBI for the Blue Jays while Yorman Rodriguez hit a double, the club’s only extra-base hit. Luis De Los Santos and Yhordegny Kelly each walked twice.

Player of the Game: Jose Dominguez

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