Jay Blue: Diamond, Fisk, Gudino, Guerrero, Guillotte, Lebelbijian

Conor Fisk pitched eight innings, allowing one run on five hits striking out seven batters as class-A Dunedin fell 1-0. Photo: Jay Blue. 

July 21, 2016 Minor League Report
By Jay Blue
Blue Jays from Away
Thursday wasn’t the best day for the Blue Jays’ minor leaguers. The clubs dropped five of seven games with one postponement in the cards in the Dominican Republic.

 
Buffalo Bisons 2, Gwinnett Braves 3
The Bisons went back and forth with the Gwinnett Braves over the course of their Thursday night match but it was the Braves who scored the last run to win the ballgame. Scott Diamond started, throwing seven innings of solid ball, allowing two runs on 10 hits and one walk with two strikeouts. Danny Barnes continued his excellence in Buffalo, retiring all three batters he faced, two by strikeout. Ryan Tepera gave up a run on two hits and two walks in the ninth, before being lifted with two outs for Ben Rowen who stranded the bases loaded.

Casey Kotchman had two hits including a double for the Bisons while Dalton Pompey was 1/3 with a walk and a run. Domonic Brown was 1/3 with a double, a walk and an RBI. A.J. Jimenez made his return to the lineup, catching and going 1/4.

Player of the Game: Scott Diamond

Roster Note: A.J. Jimenez was activated off the DL.

 
New Hampshire Fisher Cats 2, Trenton Thunder 11
The Fisher Cats opened their series against the Trenton Thunder with a big loss, dropping the game 11-2. Jeremy Gabryszwski couldn’t get out of the first inning, throwing 35 pitches and giving up two hits and three walks before coming out of the game, being charged with four runs in just 1/3 of an inning. Jason Berken stranded the runner that Gaby left on and went 3 2/3 innings, allowing one run on five hits with one strikeout. John Anderson had a rough outing, allowing six runs (four earned) on seven hits and two walks with one strikeout over two innings. Murphy Smith worked two innings, allowing just one hit and striking out three while Wil Browning finished the game with a 1-2-3 ninth, striking out two.

The offense rattled off only six hits including another home run (his sixth) for Jason Leblebijian and two singles for Roemon Fields while Ryan Lavarnway and Derrick Loveless each had a single and a walk.

Player of the Game: Jason Lebelbijian, Roemon Fields and Jason Berken

Roster Notes: Ryan McBroom was promoted from Dunedin to New Hampshire and Seth Conner was placed on the DL.

Dunedin Blue Jays 0, Jupiter Hammerheads 1
Conor Fisk pitched a strong game, going the distance for Dunedin but the offense couldn’t muster a run as they fell to the Jupiter Hammerheads 1-0. Fisk went eight innings, allowing just the one run on five hits without walking anyone and striking out seven batters.

Anthony Alford was 2/4 with a double for the Blue Jays and only Richard Urena, Jonathan Davis, L.B. Dantzler and Michael De La Cruz had singles.

Player of the Game: Conor Fisk

Roster Notes: Ryan McBroom was promoted to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats and D.J. Davis was activated off the DL.

 
Lansing Lugnuts 7, Clinton Lumberkings 5
The Lugnuts snapped their losing streak with a big win over the Clinton Lumberkinds. Ryan Borucki had one of his lesser starts of the year but still only allowed three runs on six hits with two walks over five innings, striking out four. Tom Robson relieved him and had one of his best outings of the year, going three scoreless innings with just one hit and one walk allowed, striking out three. Andrew Case ran into trouble in the top of the ninth, allowing two runs on three hits but managed to finish out the game.

Andrew Guillotte came up with three of the Lugnuts’ 15 hits, hitting a double, driving in a run and scoring twice. Ryan Metzler was 2/4 with a triple and three stolen bases and Jake Thomas also had a triple, going 2/4 with two runs and an RBI. Justin Atkinson (2/4, 2B, R), Juan Kelly (2/4, 3B, RBI) and John La Prise (2/5, RBI, R) also had two hits each.

Player of the Game: Andrew Guillotte

 
Vancouver Canadians 7, Eugene Emeralds 8
The Canadians made a comeback but were unable to take enough advantage of five Eugene errors as they dropped their series opener with the Eugene Emeralds. 8-7 Nate Abel started for the Canadians and allowed the first five Eugene runs on nine hits and two walks with three strikeouts over four innings. Gabe Noyalis relieved him and allowed another three runs on five hits (including a solo home run) and two walks over two innings. Grayson Huffman took over in the seventh, allowing a hit and a walk in 2 1/3 innings before Jackson McClelland pitched the final two outs.

The Canadians had 13 hits as a club, getting two each from Cavan Biggio (2/4, 2 BB, RBI), Lance Jones (2/5, 2B, BB, 2 R), J.B. Woodman (2/4, BB, R), Jacob Anderson (2/5, RBI, R, SB), Christian Williams (2/4, BB, R), and Yeltsin Gudino (2/3, 3B, 2 BB, RBI).

Player of the Game: Yeltsin Gudino and Cavan Biggio

Roster Notes: Josh Palacios and Travis Bergen were promoted from the GCL Blue Jays to Vancouver.

 
Bluefield Blue Jays 2, Bristol Pirates 5
The Bristol Pirates defeated Bluefield by an 8-5 score. Yennsy Diaz went six innings, allowing three runs on six hits and two walks to take the loss while Angel Alicea struck out four in two innings but gave up two runs (one earned) on two hits and a walk.

The Blue Jays had only five hits, getting a single and three walks (and two stolen bases) from Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. and a single and two walks from Nash Knight. Jesus Severino was 1/3 with a double and a walk.

Player of the Game: Vladimir Guerrero and Nash Knight

GCL Blue Jays 3, GCL Braves 2
Despite getting behind early in the game, the Blue Jays chipped away at a two-run Braves lead and ended up scoring late to win 3-2. Starter Guadalupe Chavez allowed two runs on six hits and a walk in three innings before coming out of the game in the fourth inning but Yonardo Herdenez was more than up to the task of righting the ship. Herdenez threw six scoreless innings, allowing only one hit with seven strikeouts and no walks to earn his second win of the year.

The offense was not all that strong, getting three runs on five hits with only Javier Monzon (1/4, 2B, R) getting an extra-base hit. Kevin Vicuna was 1/4 with a run, an RBI and a stolen base and Sterling Guzman drove in another run. Bo Bichette came out of the game after the first inning.

Player of the Game: Yonardo Herdenez

Roster Notes: Josh Palacios and Travis Bergen were promoted to the Vancouver CAnadians.

DSL Blue Jays, DSL White Sox
Game Postponed

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