JB: Almonte, Burns, Claver, Dean, Kottaras, Thomas, Rios

Alonzo Gonzalez went five innings, allowing an unearned run on three hits and three walks for class-A Dunedin. Photo: Jay Blue.

Aug. 8 Minor League Report
By Jay Blue
Blue Jays from Away
Another split day for the Blue Jays’ minor league teams as they went 4-4 in their eight games on the schedule.

Buffalo Bisons 5, Gwinnett Braves 6
Gwinnett won the game in walkoff fashion, scoring in the bottom of the 10th to finish the game. Jeff Francis had another fine start, going six innings and allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits and two walks with three strikeouts. Chad Jenkins was charged with two runs in the seventh and Ryan Tepera blew the save, giving up another run in the inning he threw. Colt Hynes went 1 1/3 hitless innings, walking one and striking out two while Steve Delabar allowed the winning run in the 10th.

The offense had a strong game, getting 11 hits to go with seven walks. Matt Hague had three singles and an RBI while George Kottaras was 2/4 with a home run, a walk, three RBI and a run. Roemon Fields also had two hits and a walk, stealing a base while Dalton Pompey was 2/4 with a walk and a run.

Player of the Game: Kottaras

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 0, Bowie Baysox 2
Mike Lee made his return to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats and went five innings, scattering nine hits but didn’t walk anyone. Cory Burns was effective over three innings, not allowing a hit or walk and striking out five. The offense was quiet, getting just five hits including doubles from Derrick Chung and Ryan Schimpf.

Player of the Game: Burns

Dunedin Blue Jays 3, Brevard County Manatees 2
The Blue Jays got two in the fifth and one in the tenth to take a walk-off win against Brevard County. The club only had six hits with Matt Dean going 2/4 with an RBI. Alonzo Gonzalez went five innings, allowing only an unearned run on three hits and three walks with two strikeouts while Ryan Cook was credited with a blown save, giving up a run on three hits over two innings. Brad Allen picked up the win, going three scoreless innings, allowing two hits and a walk with two strikeouts.

Player of the Game: Gonzalez, Allen and Dean

Lansing Lugnuts 8, Beloit Snappers 5
The Lugnuts offense chugged to another win, getting Josh Almonte’s second home run in as many days. Almonte led the offense with three hits including the home run, a single and a double, driving in one, scoring twice and stealing a base. Jason Leblebijian (2/4, 2 2B, 3 RBI) and Chris Carlson (2/5, RBI, 2 R) also had multi-hit games while D.J. Davis was 1/5 with a solo home run.

Starlyn Suriel gave up just one run on a solo homer, allowing only two hits and one walk with a whopping 12 strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings. Colton Turner was tagged for three runs (two earned) in 1 1/3 innings while Carlos Ramirez earned the save with 1 1/3 innings of one-run ball.

Player of the Game: Almonte and Suriel

Vancouver Canadians 3, Spokane Indians 1
The Vancouver pitching staff held Spokane to one run for the second consecutive game, getting a tremendous outing from Francisco Rios who went six innings, allowing just one run on two hits and one walk with nine strikeouts. Daniel Young went 1 2/3 scoreless innings and Andrew Case got the win with 1 1/3 innings of shut-down ball to finish the game.

Carl Wise had all three RBI (and all three came with two outs), going 3/4 with a double. Gunnar Heidt was 2/4 with a run and a stolen base.

Player of the Game: Wise and Rios

Bluefield Blue Jays 4, Elizabethton Twins 10
The Blue Jays’ pitching was hammered on Saturday as Dalton Rodriguez gave up five runs in four innings and Daniel Lietz allowed four runs, walking all four batters he faced. Zach Rodgers was only charged with one run of his own but he allowed all three of Lietz’s inherited runners to score. Joe Claver pitched two perfect innings to end the game, striking out three.

On the offensive side, D.J. McKnight had two singes while Christian Williams had two doubles and an RBI. Rodrigo Orozco drove in a pair with a home run.

Player of the Game: Claver, McKnight and Williams

GCL Blue Jays 2, GCL Phillies 4
Patrick Murphy made his return to the mound, throwing two hitless, scoreless innings for the GCL Jays against the Phillies. Scott Silverstein also made a rehab outing, throwing a perfect inning in the third. Guadalupe Chavez threw three innings but was hit hard, giving up three runs on four hits with one walk and four strikeouts. Gunner Eastman (1 1/3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 4 BB) and Nate Abel (2/3 IP, 2 K) finished the game. The Blue Jays only had three hits including a two-RBI single from Bryan Lizardo. Jake Thomas was 1/1 with three walks.

Player of the Game: Thomas

DSL Blue Jays , DSL Orioles1
A five-run seventh inning powered the Blue Jays to their 37th win in the DSL on Saturday. Yorman Rodriguez had three hits (including a triple), three RBI and two runs while Sterling Guzman (2/4, BB, RBI, R, SB), Kevin Vicuna (2/5, R) and Francisco Rodriguez (2/5, 2B, RBI, SB) all had two hits each. Jairo Rosario got the start and went five innings, allowing two runs on two hits and three walks with four strikeouts while Jonathan Torres threw four shutout innings, giving up two hits and one walk with four strikeouts.

Player of the Game: Rodriguez and Torres

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