Jay Blue: Guerrero, Orozco, Pompey, Smith, Thon

Aug. 21, 2016 Minor League Report
By Jay Blue
Blue Jays from Away
Only six of the Blue Jays’ eight affiliates were in action on Sunday and the clubs went 3-3 for another even split on the day.

Buffalo Bisons 5, Charlotte Knights 8
The Bisons got beaten 8-5 by the Charlotte Knights despite home runs from two of the younger Bisons. Dalton Pompey was 2/4 with a solo home run and a walk, scoring twice while catcher A.J. Jimenez hit a two-run blast, going 1/4. Darrell Ceciliani was 2/5 with two doubles and an RBI while Matt Dominguez (2/4) and Chris Colabello (2/4, RBI, R) also had two hits each.

Scott Diamond got the start and was hammered for eight runs on 12 hits in four innings. Bobby Korecky made a rare appearance and was excellent throwing three innings and allowing one hit and two walks with three strikeouts before Danny Barnes finished it off with two strikeouts in the eighth.

Player of the Game: Dalton Pompey

Roster Notes: Aaron Loup was promoted to Toronto while Melky Mesa was placed on the DL and Bobby Korecky was activated off the DL.

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 5, Altoona Curve 11
John Straka’s second start for the Fisher Cats was not greeted kindly by the Altoona Curve as the Curve galloped to an 11-5 win on Sunday. Straka only lasted 1 2/3 innings, givig up eight runs on eight hits and two walks. John Anderson took over, and after allowing the two inherited runners to score, settled in with 4 1/3 innings of solid work, giving up one run of his own on four hits and a walk with four strikeouts. Colton Turner surrendered another run on a hit and two walks in two innings and John Stilson gave up a solo home run among two hits with two strikeouts in the ninth.

Dwight Smith, Jr. missed out on a cycle by a double, going 3/4 with two runs, a triple, a home run and three RBI while also contributing defensively with an outfield assist. Jon Berti and Jason Leblebijian were each 2/4 with a double and Roemon Fields was 1/2 with a triple and a walk.

Player of the Game: Dwight Smith.

Dunedin Blue Jays 12, Lakeland Flying Tigers 7
For the second game in a row, Dunedin and Lakeland Flying Tigers combined for 19 runs and on Sunday, the wealth was redistributed so that the Blue Jays had 12 and the Flying Tigers 7. Dickie Joe Thon was the brightest star for the D-Jays, going 2/4 with two home runs, three runs and three RBI. Kevin Pillar, rehabbing his injured thumb went 2/2 before David Harris took his spot in the lineup and Max Pentecost (2/5) and Matt Dean (2/3, 2B, BB, 2 R, 2 RBI) had two hits each. Catcher Michael De La Cruz was on base three times with two walks, a double, two runs and a stolen base. Aaron Attaway drove in two runs, going 1/3 with a walk and a run.

Conor Fisk struck out nine over six innings but was tagged for four runs, three of which came on a three-run home run by Ben Verlander. Fisk gave up just four hits but walked four in his outing. Ryan Cook gave up three more runs (two earned) on three hits with a strikeout in the seventh inning and Justin Shafer retired all six batters he faced, striking out four (including the side in the eighth inning) over two innings.

Player of the Game: Dickie Joe Thon

Roster Notes: Aaron Sanchez was optioned to Dunedin.

Lansing Lugnuts 3, South Bend Cubs 2
The Lugnuts scored just enough to make a winner out of Ryan Borucki who was excellent in a 3-2 win over the South Bend Cubs. Borucki earned his ninth victory with the Lugnuts, going five innings and allowing five hits and a walk with six strikeouts and needing just 70 pitches (50 for strikes). Tom Robson gave up a run on four hits and two walks in two innings with three strikeouts while Jackson Lowey got his four save, giving up one more run over two innings on three hits with two strikeouts.

The offense was mostly quiet, getting the three runs on five hits. Justin Atkinson had the only RBI, going 0/1 with a sac fly, and a walk. Lane Thomas was 1/3 with a double and a walk.

Player of the Game: Ryan Borucki

Vancouver Canadians 0, Boise Hawks 7
The Canadians were victims of shoddy offense and poor fielding, losing 7-0 to the Boise Hawks and getting just four hits and committing three errors. Rodrigo Orozco had two of the hits while Cavan Biggio, Patrick Murphy and Yeltsin Gudino made the errors.

Murphy was hit for four runs (three earned) on eight hits and two walks over five innings while Zach Jackson didn’t give up a hit but allowed two runs (one earned) on two walks with a strikeout in 1 2/3 innings. Evan Smith finished the game with 2 1/3 innings, allowing three hits and a walk, culminating in one run with two strikeouts.

Player of the Game: Rodrigo Orozco

 
Bluefield Blue Jays 7, Danville Braves 4
Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. hit his eighth home run of the year to spur Bluefield on to a 7-4 win to beat the Danville Braves in the opening game of their series. Guerrero was 2/4 with a walk and three RBI while Juandy Mendoza also hit a solo home run and Lance Jones, coming in for Reggie Pruitt was 1/1 with a double, two walks, three RBI, two stolen bases and two runs. Nick Sinay continues to do a good job in the leadoff spot, going 1/3 with a walk, a stolen base and a run.

Osman Gutierrez started and gave up four runs on five hits and two walks but had only given up one run through six innings, Gutierrez didn’t get any of the three batters he faced in the seventh out and Stuart Holmes allowed all three runners to score. Homles didn’t allow a run of his own, walking one and striking out one in one inning. Angel Alicea earned the save, going two perfect innings and striking out three.

Player of the Game: Vladimir Guerrero 

 
GCL Blue Jays
Scheduled Off Day
 

DSL Blue Jays
Scheduled Off Day

 
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