August 2 Minor League Report
By Jay Blue
Blue Jays from Away
Guten tag from Germany! I’m back after my band’s tour. We played three successful shows in three cities and the beginning of a new album is in the can. And now back to baseball!

Buffalo Bisons 1, Pawtucket Red Sox 2
Jeff Francis lowered his Triple-A ERA to 1.41 with a stellar performance for the Bisons despite a loss for the club. Francis threw seven scoreless at Pawtucket, scattering six hits and two walks with four strikeouts. Joba Chamberlain was credited with the loss after walking two and giving up a hit, allowing both runs (one earned) in just 1/3 of an inning. Of the two runners on when Colt Hynes came into the game, one scored despite getting out of the inning. Bobby Korecky pitched a scoreless ninth. The Bisons mustered just four hits all games including an RBI single from Ty Kelly.

Player of the Game: Francis

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 2, Reading Fightin Phils 8
In another weak offensive outing for a Blue Jays affiliate, the Fisher Cats got all of their runs off Kevin Nolan’s first-inning home run. Taylor Cole gave up five runs (four earned) in six innings, allowing eight hits and three walks with four strikeouts. Danny Barnes had a rare poor outing, allowing a two run home run over his two innings. John Anderson gave up a run in the ninth.

Player of the Game: Nolan

Dunedin Blue Jays 1, Palm Beach Cardinals 4
The D-Jays managed just four hits in the first half of a double header, getting two hits from Richard Urena and a solo home run from Derrick Loveless. Sean Reid-Foley, still in the system after the “Great Pitching Drain” went 2 2/3 innings, giving up four runs on four hits (including a home run) and four walks, striking out three. Brad Allen, on the other hand, was Herculean, allowing just two hits over 3 1/3 innings while newly signed Chris Smith struck out two in his inning of work.

Player of the Game: Allen and Loveless

Dunedin Blue Jays 2, Palm Beach Cardinals 0
Alonzo Gonzalez was the hero in a spot start for the Blue Jays in the second half of the double header, throwing five scoreless innings at Palm Beach on his way to his second win of the season. Gonzalez allowed just two hits and no walks, striking out a pair while Ryan Cook allowed a hit and a walk in 2/3 of an inning before Wil Browning shut the door, throwing a perfect 1 1/3 innings to earn his 14th save of the season. The Blue Jays managed to win despite getting only two hits of their own, including a third hit of the double-header for Richard Urena and a single from Derrick Chung. Mitch Nay was 0/1 but walked and hit a sac fly.

Player of the Game: Gonzalez

Lansing Lugnuts 4, Bowling Green Hot Rods 1
The Lugnuts got a win in a four-run outburst, defeating Bowling Green thanks to an excellent performance from Starlyn Suriel. Suriel went seven innings and gave up just four hits, including a solo home run, while walking two. Tim Mayza and Jose Fernandez finished the game with a perfect inning, striking out one each.

The offense put together ten hits including two each from Jason Leblebijian (2/4, R, SB), Ryan McBroom (2/4, 2B, R, RBI) and Dawel Lugo (2/4, 2B, 2 RBI). Juan Kelly was on base twice with a double, a walk and an RBI.

Player of the Game: Suriel

Vancouver Canadians 13, Boise Hawks 9
For a real offensive outburst (as opposed to the slightly sarcastic one by the Lugnuts), we look to the Canadians, who slammed 20 hits and 13 runs off Boise pitching on their way to their 19th victory of the season (to go with 26 losses). Lane Thomas led the way, falling a triple shy of the cycle, going 4/6 with a home runs, a double and a single, driving in two runs and scoring one. Sean Hurley was also 4/6, falling just a triple shy of the cycle and hitting his ninth home run, driving in one and scoring three times. Justin Atkinson was 1/6 but hit his third home run of the season. James Lynch was 3/4 with a walk, two runs, two RBI and an outfield assist. Gunnar Heidt was 3/4 with a walk, a sac fly, three RBI and a run. Ryan Hissey was 2/6, scoring twice and Kevin Garcia was 2/4 with a walk, a run and two RBI.

While the offense was locked in, the pitching didn’t really get going until after the fifth inning. Jonathan Harris allowed five runs (four earned) over four innings while Sean Ratcliffe allowed three runs over an inning. Brandon Hinkle threw two innings, allowing one of the two inherited runners from Ratcliffe to score but was otherwise very strong, earning the win. Josh DeGraaf allowed a run in 1/3 of an inning while Jonathan Wandling stranded DeGraaf’s runner to get out of the inning. All-Star Andrew Case finished the game with a scoreless ninth.

Player of the Game: Thomas and Hurley

Bluefield Blue Jays 2, Johnson City Cardinals 4
Dalton Rodriguez had a solid outing for the Blue Jays, going six innings and allowing three runs on six hits and three walks with five strikeouts, taking the loss. Matt Smoral allowed a run on two hits and three walks over 1 2/3 innings while Zach Rodgers finished the game with 1/3 of an inning for the Blue Jays.

The offense picked up eight hits including Gabe Clark’s fifth home run of the season (1/3, BB, HR) and Rodrigo Orozco pushed his batting average to .338 with a 2/4 game, scoring a run.

Player of the Game: Orozco and Clark

GCL Blue Jays
Scheduled Off Day

DSL Blue Jays
Schedule Off Day

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