JB: Burl, Cole, Copeland, Lugo, Tejada, Severino

RHP Taylor Cole struck out nine, walking just one, picking up a complete game shutout for double-A New Hampshire. Photo: Jay Blue. 

July 4 Minor League Report
By Jay Blue
Blue Jays from Away
We hope you had a happy July 4 if you were celebrating it. Taylor Cole certainly was as he dominated for Double-A New Hampshire.

Buffalo Bisons 4, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders 2
While the offense wasn’t exactly on fire (getting only seven hits as a team), Scott Copeland was excellent, holding Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to just two runs over seven innings, giving up eight hits and two walks with three strikeouts and getting 12 ground ball outs. Rob Rasmussen walked two but didn’t give up a run in his inning of work while Greg Infante picked up his fifth save with a clean ninth. Matt Hague got two more hits, going 2/3 with an RBI while Jonathan Diaz, Melky Mesa and Brad Glenn also drove in runs.

Player of the Game: Copeland

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 1, New Britain Rock Cats 0
Both pitchers went the distance in a terrific duel but the Fisher Cats finally got on the board with two outs in the ninth inning, making Taylor Cole the winner in a shutout. Cole was on his game, getting nine strikeouts and walking just one while giving up seven hits to pick up the complete game shutout. He also got 12 outs via the ground out, showing the ability to command the ball down in the zone that he has sometimes struggled with. The winning run came in on a Dwight Smith sacrifice fly, scoring Roemon Fields who had reached by grounding into a bunt fielders choice. Jon Berti had two hits and Ryan Schimpf hit a double while Dalton Pompey was 1/4.

Player of the Game: Cole

Dunedin Blue Jays 2, Lakeland Flying Tigers 6
Conner Greene made his Dunedin debut and was hit consistently, giving up four runs on nine hits over six innings. On the bright side, he didn’t walk anyone and struck out four. Brad Allen, allowed two runs over 2/3 of an inning while Arik Sikula stranded two of Allen’s inherited runners and finished off the game with 1 1/3 innings of one-hit ball with two strikeouts.

Anthony Alford, Mitch Nay and Richard Urena had two hits each with Nay hitting a double. Christian Lopes and Derrick Loveless were each 1/4 with an RBI.

Player of the Game: Alford, Urena and Nay

Lansing Lugnuts 1, Lake County Captains 5
The Lugnuts fell to Lake County, getting only six hits with Jesus Tinoco getting nicked for three runs on nine hits and two walks. Colton Turner turned in a very solid outing, throwing three scoreless innings with one hit allowed, striking out three and Phil Kish made his return to Lansing, giving up two runs on three hits in his inning of work. On the offense, Dawel Lugo was the only star, going 2/4 with a solo home run to account for the Lugnuts’ only run.

Player of the Game: Lugo

Vancouver Canadians 5, Eugene Emeralds 4
Evan Smith got the start for the Canadians but it was the bullpen that kept the team in the game after Smith allowed two runs on five hits and three walks in 3 2/3 innings. Sean Ratcliffe came through with 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, giving up just one hit and striking out one. Joe Claver, Joey Aquino and Michael Kraft threw 2/3 of an inning each with Aquino giving up two runs (one earned) while Andrew Case picked up the save with a scoreless inning.

Carl Wise was 3/5 with a double and two runs scored, driving in another while Earl Burl III also had three hits and a walk, driving in a run and getting caught stealing. Gunnar Heidt walked twice and stole a base.

Player of the Game: Burl and Wise

Bluefield Blue Jays 4, Pulaski Yankees 7
Jake Brentz got the start but only pitched one inning thanks to walking three batters and allowing two unearned runs. Miguel Burgos got on the BB train, walking another four batters over 3 2/3 innings but only giving up one run and striking out three. Alberto Guzman ultimately took the loss, allowing four runs on seven hits in 2 2/3 innings while Tyler Burden finished teh game with 2/3 of an inning.

The batters got eight hits with two of them coming from the bat of Juan Tejada who was 2/4 with two stolen bases and two runs. Deiferson Barreto drove in a run with a double and Nick Sinay was 1/3 with a double, two RBI and a walk.

Player of the Game: Sinay and Tejada

GCL Blue Jays 7, GCL Astros 6
The GCL Jays pushed their record over .500 with a come-from-behind win over the GCL Astros. The Astros jumped all over Osman Gutierrez, scoring six runs (four earned) on five hits and two walks in four innings. Gutierez struck out four batter in his stint but it was the bullpen that really came to the rescue, shutting down the Astros the rest of the way. Ryan Cook threw three one-hit innings, striking out six while Griffin Glaude picked up the save with two perfect innings, striking out three.

The offense got on the board with one run in the fourth and then a barrage of six more in the fifth to take the lead. Five Blue Jays had two hits apiece: Kalik May (2/5, 2 2B, RBI), Cliff Brantley (2/5, R), Ryan Hissey (2/3, 2B, BB, R, RBI), Jesus Severino (2/3, 2B, R, SF, 2 RBI) and Juandy Mendoza (2/4, 2 2B, R, RBI).

Player of the Game: Cook, Hissey and Severino

DSL Blue Jays 9, DSL Reds 12
The DSL Blue Jays probably gave this game away with their defense, making four errors while the Reds only committed one. Yonardo Herdenez made the start, giving up six runs (three earned) in 3 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and three walks. Jairo Rosario had a better strikeout to walk ratio, whiffing five batters and walking only one but the defense accounted for three of his five charged runs and he allowed six hits in 2 2/3 innings. Joel Espinal allowed a solo home run in his two innings of work.

Kevin Vicuna and Antony Fuentes had three hits each with Vicuna scoring twice and driving in a run and Fuentes taking a walk, driving in two runs and scoring twice while making a double one of his three hits. Sterling Guzman (2/4, 3B, BB, RBI), Norberto Obeso (2/5, 3 RBI) and Francisco Rodriguez (2/5, 2B, 2 R, SB) all contributed to the 16-hit, nine-run attack.

Player of the Game: Fuentes and Vicuna

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