JB: Bibens-Dirkx, Dean, Kawasaki, McBroom, Panas, Perez, Schimpf

RP Luis Perez pitched five hitless innings for double-A New Hampshire. Photo: Jay Blue.

Aug. 22 Minor League Report
By Jay Blue
Blue Jays from Away
On Saturday, the Blue Jays’ minor league affiliates had a great day, going 7-2 and seeing some great performances on the mound and at the plate.

Buffalo Bisons 1, Syracuse Chiefs 3
Todd Redmond was strong for the Bisons but the fifth and sixth innings did him in as he allowed three runs and took the loss. Redmond pitched six and gave up three runs (two earned) on five hits (including a home run) and two walks with four strikeouts. Colt Hynes, Ben Rowen and Aaron Loup pitched in with a scoreless inning each, keeping The Herd in the game. Munenori Kawasaki had two of the Bisons’ six hits, driving in their only run.

Roster Notes: C Josh Thole was (or will be) called up to the Blue Jays while C Jorge Saez was promoted from the Dunedin Blue Jays. C Sean Ochinko was sent down to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats and RHP Phillippe Aumont was released.

Player of the Game: Kawasaki

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 0, Binghamton Mets 3
In Game 1 of a double header, the Fisher Cats were blanked by the Mets, getting just four hits. Austin Bibens-Dirkx was solid, throwing six innings and allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits and two walks with five strikeouts. Chad Girodo did nothing other than offer his usual stellar relief, giving up a hit and nothing more in his inning. Dwight Smith, Jr. had two of the club’s four hits.

Roster Notes: Sean Ochinko was sent down to New Hampshire from Buffalo.

Player of the Game: Bibens-Dirkx

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 3, Binghamton Mets 0
Luis Perez was pressed into starting duty for the Fisher Cats and delivered five hitless innings, walking three and striking out three. Blake McFarland earned the save, allowing the Mets’ only hit over two innings with three strikeouts. Ryan Schimpf unloaded again, going deep as part of a 2/2 game that saw him add a walk and score twice. Kevin Nolan hit a double and Derrick Chung was 1/1 with two RBI.

Player of the Game: Schimpf and Perez

Dunedin Blue Jays 6, Lakeland Flying Tigers 4
The Blue Jays picked up a win after getting big games from L.B. Dantzler and Matt Dean. Dean went deep for his 12th home run of the season, a two-run blast, while Dantzler added two RBI, going 2/4 with a double. Christian Lopes also drove in two, going 1/4 with a walk and two RBI. Mike Reeves was 2/4 with a run.

Conor Fisk didn’t get out of the fifth inning, allowing four runs on six hits and two walks but Arik Sikula (2 2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 K), Chris Smith (1 IP, 2 K) and Wil Browning (S, 1 IP, K) added 4 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing the Blue Jays to come back and get the win.

Roster Notes: Jorge Saez was promoted to the Buffalo Bisons and Chris Schaeffer was activated off the DL.

Player of the Game: Dantzler and Dean

Lansing Lugnuts 11, Bowling Green Hot Rods 3
The Lugnuts found their bats and pulverized Bowling Green 11-3 on Saturday. Ryan McBroom drove in five runs thanks to a two-run home run, a two-run double and a sac fly, adding a walk. Richard Urena seems to be finding his stroke again, going 3/5 with a single, a double and a triple and three runs scored. David Harris also had three hits, going 3/5 with a triple, an RBI and a run. Alex Maldonado was 2/4, as was Christian Vazquez who had a double and an RBI. D.J. Davis also added two hits, driving in two and scoring twice despite getting thrown out stealing second.

All of this offense went to support spot-starter Tim Mayza who was filling in for the just-suspended Clinton Hollon. Mayza was terrific, throwing five innings and giving up just one hit and one walk while striking out five. Dusty Isaacs relieved for two innings, allowing a run on two hits with four strikeouts while Phil Kish finished the game with two innings, allowing two runs on five hits.

Roster Notes: Clinton Hollon was placed on the restricted list.

Player of the Game: McBroom and Mayza

Vancouver Canadians 11, Spokane Indians 3
The Canadians jumped out to a seven-run lead in the first inning against Spokane and just kept piling on the pain, much like their big brothers, the Blue Jays did to the Angels down in Anaheim. Canadian Connor Panas led the offense, hitting two home runs and driving in four in a 3/4 game that included a walk and two runs. Gunnar Heidt was 2/5 with a double, two RBI and two runs while Andrew Guillotte was the only other hitter with more than one hit, going 2/6 with a triple and an RBI. Sean Hurley was 1/3 with a walk and two RBI and Ryan Hissey was 1/4 with a double and a walk with two runs.

On the mound, Tayler Saucedo continued to dominate, throwing six scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and striking out seven. Ryan Cook picked up a three-inning save, giving up three runs.

Player of the Game: Saucedo and Panas

Bluefield Blue Jays 3, Kingsport Mets 2
The Blue Jays turned the tables on Kingsport, beating them on Saturday by the exact same score by which they were defeated on Friday. Juliandry Higuera allowed both runs on eight hits over five innings while Joe Claver (2 IP, 2 K), and Jackson Lowery (S, 2 IP, 3 H, BB, K) kept Kingsport off the board to finish the game.

The offense only had six hits including two RBIs from Christian Williams who was 1/3. Deiferson Barreto had an off night, going 1/3 but making three errors in the field, playing third base.

Player of the Game: Lowery, Claver and Williams

GCL Blue Jays 3, GCL Phillies 1
In a low scoring game on a Saturday morning, the Blue Jays beat the Phillies to go to 34-18 on the season and take a two-game lead on the Phillies in the Northwest division. Osman Gutierrez struck out seven in a one-hit, two-walk performance over 5 2/3 innings while Griffin Glaude struck out three in 2 1/3 innings, allowing just one unearned run on one hit. Mike Estevez picked up his seventh save with a scoreless ninth.

The offense had seven hits, including a duoble from Nash Knight while Jesus Severino was 1/2 with two walks and an RBI.

Player of the Game: Gutierrez

DSL Blue Jays 5, DSL Reds 4
The DSL Blue Jays powered their way to another win thanks to some good pitching and timely offense. Juan Meza had a very good start, not walking anyone through four innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits with three strikeouts. Alvaro Galindo picked him up with three innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits and a walk while Wilton Mueses almost finished the game, pitching 1 2/3 of one-hit, one-walk ball and Luis Mendoza got the final out.

Yorman Rodriguez led the offense, pushing his batting average to .335 with a 3/4 game, scoring twice and stealing a pair of bases. Antony Fuentes drove in two with a single and Norberto Obeso was 1/3 with a walk, a run and an RBI.

Player of the Game: Rodriguez