JB: Alford, Dawson, Holmes, McBroom, Redmond, Schimpf, Tejada

Ryan Tepera pitched three innings of relief for the triple-A Buffalo Bisons in a win over Syracuse. Photo: Jay Blue. 

    
Aug. 16 Minor League Report
By Jay Blue
Blue Jays from Away
On a Sunday in which the Blue Jays won a big game from the New York Yankees, their affiliates went 4-2 with a couple of high-scoring games and lots of long ball action.

Buffalo Bisons 3, Syracuse Chiefs 1
The Herd are trying to make a charge for the International League Wildcard playoff spot and after Sunday’s 3-1 win over Syracuse, the Bisons are now 4 1/2 games back of Columbus with just Gwinnett in between. The Bisons got an excellent effort from Todd Redmond, who allowed the one run on a solo home run (among just four hits) over six inning with one walk and five strikeouts. Ryan Tepera finished the game with three innings of relief, relieving the Bisons’ under-manned bullpen and allowing just one hit with three strikeouts.

With Dalton Pompey nursing an ankle injury, Josh Thole was the one leading hte offense, driving in two runners with a two-out double. Andy Burns was 1/3 with an RBI and Jon BErti had two hits.

Roster Notes: Aaron Loup was optioned to the Buffalo Bisons after the big league game on Sunday.

Player of the Game: Redmond and Tepera.

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 8, Erie SeaWolves 3
The New Hampshire bats came out in the bottom of the sixth, jumping out to an 8-1 lead over Erie and holding on the rest of the way. The fireworks were handled by the red-hot Ryan Schimpf who was 2/3 with a walk, a home run, an RBI and two runs scored. K.C. Hobson also went deep, hitting his 13th home run of the season, going 2/4 with two RBI and a run. Derrick Chung (2/3, 2B, BB, R), Emilio Guerrero (2/4, 2B, R), and Jorge Flores (2/4, 2 RBI, 2 R) also had two hits each and Kevin Nolan drove in a pair, going 1/4 with a stolen base.

On the mound, Austin Bibens-Dirkx had a stellar outing, going seven innings and giving up just one run on six hits and one walk with seven strikeouts. John Anderson finished up, allowing two runs on two hits (including a two-run home run) and a walk with two strikeouts in two innings.

Player of the Game: Schimpf and Bibens-Dirkx

Dunedin Blue Jays 10, Clearwater Threshers 2
Shane Dawson got plenty of help from his friends as the D-Jays broke out of an offensive funk to score 10 runs in support of the Canadian lefty. Dawson didn’t need much offense, however, as he threw six innings of one-run, five-hit ball, striking out five batters along the way. Griffin Murphy continues to impress as he returns from injury, retiring all six batters he faced including two by strikeout. Brady Dragmire allowed one more run over an inning, walking one and giving up two hits.

Anthony Alford led the offense from the leadoff spot in the lineup, going 3/5 with two doubles and two runs. Mitch Nay also had a pair of hits, slugging a single and a double, driving in one and scoring once. Derrick Loveless and L.B. Dantzler each drove in two runs while Mike Reeves was 1/3 with a walk and two runs. Dickie Joe Thon his his second home run as a D-Jay, driving in a pair.

Player of the Game: Dawson and Alford

Lansing Lugnuts 10, Kane County Cougars 11
In a see-saw battle that saw the Lugnuts and Kane County slug it out, leaving both pitching staffs in tatters, the Lugnuts’ late rally fell short resulting in a one-run loss. The damage was done early as starter Clinton Hollon allowed six runs over 1 2/3 innings and Dusty Isaacs allowed another five runs over two innings. From then on, the bullpen held the Cougars scoreless getting 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief from Tim Mayza (2 H, 1 K), one inning from Mark Biggs and another inning from Carlos Ramirez (1 IP, 2 H, 2 K).

Like the Fisher Cats’ Ryan (Schimpf), the Lugnuts’ Ryan McBroom has been sizzling of late and he continued his run, going 3/5 with a home run, two runs and four RBI. Chris Carlson is also hot and he was 2/5 with a triple, two runs and an RBI. Alex Maldonado, coming in for Richard Urena who left the game in the bottom of the third inning for unknown reasons, was 2/2 with two walks and a stolen base. Josh Almonte drove in a pair, going 1/4 with a double and an stolen base. Lane Thomas was 1/4 with a double, a walk, an RBI and a run.

Player of the Game: McBroom

Vancouver Canadians 7, Hillsboro Hops 6
In another high-scoring, close game, the Canadians got the win, this time besting Hillsboro who had beaten them one night earlier. This time, the Cs got a run in the ninth inning thanks to the Canadian connection of Justin Atkinson hitting a double that scored Connor Panas. Atkinson had come in for Gabriel Cenas and was 1/1. Ryan Hissey hit his first home run for the Canadians and drove in two runs while Carl Wise his a home run, going 2/4 and driving in two. J.C. Cardenas also hit a home run, going 1/4 and driving in a pair.

Ryan Cook got the start for Vancouver, going 4 1/3 innings and allowing two runs on four hits and one walk, striking out seven. Bob Wheatley gave up four runs in just 2/3 of an inning and also allowed an inherited runner from Cook to score. The bullpen took over with Stuart Holmes throwing three hitless innings with one walk and one strikeout and Brandon Hinkle picking up the save with a perfect inning of relief.

Player of the Game: Wise and Holmes

Bluefield Blue Jays 2, Bristol Pirates 9
Juliandry Higuera took the loss, giving up three runs over 4 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and four walks. Zach Rodgers continued off night for the pitchers, allowing four runs in one inning while Grayson Huffman allowed two runs in two innings, bringing his season’s ERA to 10.54. John Kravetz finished the game, going 1 2/3 innings, stranding two of Huffman’s runners.

The club just had four hits including solo home runs from Juan Tejada (his sixth) and Freddy Rodriguez (his second).

Player of the Game: Tejada and Rodriguez

GCL Blue Jays
Scheduled off day

DSL Blue Jays
Scheduled off day

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