JB: Copeland, Hoffman, Labourt, Mallard, Wheatley

RHP Scott Copeland picked up his seventh win for triple-A Buffalo, one unearned run n 6 2/3 innings. striking out five . Photo: Jay Blue.

    
July 23 Minor League Report
By Jay Blue
Blue Jays from Away
Bullpens were a theme in Friday’s games for the Blue Jays’ minor league system. Some pitched well, some didn’t, leading to several games that hung in the balance.

Buffalo Bisons 3, Syracuse Chiefs 1
Like clockwork, the Buffalo Bisons picked up a win during a Scott Copeland start. Copeland picked up his seventh win of the season, limiting Trea Turner and the Syracuse Chiefs to just six hits and two walks, resulting in one unearned run over 6 2/3 innings while striking out five. Greg Burke finished the seventh and Aaron Sanchez came in for the eighth, giving up a walk without striking out anyone. Greg Infante earned his sixth save of the season with a scoreless ninth.

The Bisons scored three runs despite only having three hits. Dalton Pompey was 1/3 with a double, a walk, two runs and a stolen base. Matt Hague and Alex Hassan both drove in runs with a double each.

Roster Notes: Jeff Francis was activated off the temporarily inactive list, returning from the Pan-Am Games while Bobby Korecky was placed on the 7-day DL.

Player of the Game: Copeland

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 3, Portland Sea Dogs 4
Colt Hynes and Danny Barnes allowed another July victory to slip through his and the Fisher Cats’ fingers, squandering a strong start from Jeff Hoffman on Thursday. Hoffman went 5 1/3 innings, allowing four hits and two walks but no runs and struck out five. Dustin Antolin walked three but didn’t allow a run in 1 1/3 innings and Wil Browning was efficient through his 1 1/3 innings, retiring all four batters he faced. Colt Hynes was charged with all four runs in the ninth inning but Danny Barnes allowed the go-ahead run to score, left on by Hynes.

Matt Newman was 2/3 with a double and a walk while Martin Medina was 1/2 with a home run, a walk and two RBI.

Player of the Game: Hoffman and Medina

Dunedin Blue Jays 3, Bradenton Marauders 6
In what is becoming a recurring theme for Friday’s action, the Dunedin bullpen and defense squandered a strong start from Jairo Labourt, leading to a 6-3 loss to the Bradenton Marauders. Labourt allowed eight hits over five innings but only two runs (one earned) without walking anyone and striking out seven. Alberto Tirado had a rare rough outing, giving up a two-run home run in the seventh inning. Brady Dragmire allowed two unearned runs in his inning. Jonathan Davis (J.D.) was 2/4 with a double while Rowdy Tellez hit his seventh home run of the season, driving in a pair of runs.

Roster Notes: Joba Chamberlain was assigned to the Dunedin Blue Jays.

Player of the Game: Labourt

Lansing Lugnuts 5, Bowling Green Hot Rods 0
The Lugnuts took another win against Bowling Green, keeping them off the scoreboard with a great pitching performance from Chase Mallard. Mallard went seven innings, allowing only two hits and one walk with two strikeouts and getting 13 ground outs to just four fly outs. at the plate, Jason Leblebijian was 2/3 with a walk, two RBI, a run and a stolen base while D.J. Davis was 2/4 with a run and a stolen base. Leadoff man Chris Carlson was 1/3 with a triple, an RBI and two runs, adding a stolen base.

Player of the Game: Mallard

Vancouver Canadians 4, Tri-City Dust Devils 6
The Canadians chalked up another loss after Jon Wandling allowed six runs on eight hits and two walks over three innings and the offense couldn’t close the gap despite stellar work from the bullpen. Bob Wheatley and Michael Kraft each threw three scoreless innings without giving up a free pass, allowing just three hits between the two of them. Carl Wise had a good game at the plate, going 2/4 with a double, two RBI and a run. Ryan Hissey was 1/3 with a walk and an RBI, also scoring.

Player of the Game: Wheatley and Kraft

Bluefield Blue Jays 1, Greeneville Astros 8
Bluefield pitchers were hit hard after Dalton Rodriguez left the game and the offense didn’t get much going in an 8-1 loss to Greeneville. Rodriguez allowed two runs (one earned) over five innings, giving up just two hits but three walks with three strikeouts. Grayson Huffman was tagged for three runs and Tyler Burder was also tagged for three (all unearned) over 1 1/3 innings each. Joe Claver finished the game with 1/3 of an inning. The batters had six hits including two from a red-hot Gabe Clark who was 2/4. Christian Williams hit a triple and drove in a run for the club’s only extra-base hit.

Player of the Game: Rodriguez

GCL Blue Jays 6, GCL Phillies 3
Completing a game suspended in the first inning, the Blue Jays scored off the bullpen and beat the GCL Phillies 6-3. Cliff Brantley was 2/4 with a double and a run while Nash Knight scored twice, going 1/3 with an RBI. Reggie Pruitt was 1/3 with a stolen base, a run and an RBI. On the mound, Mike Lee made a rehab start, going only one inning and allowing an unearned run. Luis Sanchez got four innings in and allowed two runs but struck out five before Griffin Glaude threw three scoreless innings, walking three and striking out three. Mike Estevez picked up the save with a scoreless ninth.

Player of the Game: Glaude and Brantley

GCL Blue Jays 8, GCL Phillies 2
The Blue Jays turned it into a sweep kind of day, playing their regularly scheduled game and beating up on the Phillies 8-2. Osman Gutierrez allowed two runs over six innings, giving up seven hits but no walks and Kelyn Jose finished it off, walking one and giving up a hit in the seventh. Lance Jones had three of the club’s five hits, going 3/4 with a triple and an RBI while Levi Scott was 1/2 with a double and and two walks.

Player of the Game: Gutierrez and Jones

DSL Blue Jays 4, DSL D-backs 6
The Blue Jays’ pitchers got hit with Yonardo Herdenez giving up four runs on four hits and two walks over four innings and Jairo Rosario allowing two runs on four hits in three innings. Guillermo De La Cruz pitched a perfect eighth.

Yorman Rodriguez was 4/5 with an RBI while Sam Buelens (2/4, R, SB), Jean Almanzar (2/4, 2B, RBI), Sterling Guzman (2/4, HR, RBI, BB, 2 R), Andres Guerra (2/4, 2B, BB) and Jesus Navarro (3/5, R) all had a multi-hit games in a 16-hit attack that still only scored four times.

Player of the Game: Rodriguez

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