March 14th, 2016

JNT Spring: Jays double-up on juniors

By Adam Morissette
Baseball Canada
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – A Canadian heavy prospects squad from the Toronto Blue Jays organization defeated the Canadian Junior National Team 4-2 as spring training continued this afternoon. In total, eight Canadians played in the game for the Jays

GAME INFORMATION
Event: Spring Training
Score: Toronto Blue Jays 4 Canada (U18) 2
Location: Walter Fuller Complex – St. Petersburg, Florida

Canada U18 Starting Lineup:
1. Cooper Davis – CF
2. Adam Hall – SS
3. Edouard Julien – 3B
4. Andrew Yerzy – DH
5. Clayton Keyes - RF
6. Michael Stovman - DH
7. Isaac Deveaux – LF
8. Carter Loewen – 1B
9. Luke Van Rycheghem – C
10. Dondrae Bremner – 2B
11. Robbie Holmes - DH

Starting Pitcher: LHP Jack DeCooman

HOW IT HAPPENED
- Three walks given up by JNT starter Jack DeCooman (North Vancouver, BC) came back to haunt him as Jeff Reeves (Peterborough, Ont.) knocked in a pair of runs for the Jays with a one out single.

- The Jays added to their lead in the fifth as reliever Carson Perkins (Bienfait, Sask.) walked the first two batters of the inning before Jays top prospect Reggie Pruitt doubled to bring both runners home.

- In the bottom of the inning, it was the juniors who were the beneficiaries of some control issues as three walks issued by JNT alum Sean Ratcliffe (Ajax, Ont.) loaded the bases for Clayton Keyes (Calgary, Alta.) who hit into a fielder’s choice that scored Adam Hall (London, Ont.) from third base.

- After hitting a single to lead off the bottom of the ninth, Cater Loewen (Abbotsford, BC) scored from third base on a Dondrae Bremner (Toronto, Ont.) RBI ground out to pull the juniors within two.

JNT HIGHLIGHTS
- After a shaky start in the first, DeCooman settled in nicely and retired eight in a row to conclude his three-inning outing. He allowed just one hit and fanned three.

- JNT reliever Jordan Balazovic (Mississauga, Ont.) turned in a solid outing over three innings of work that saw him retire eight in a row after issuing a one out walk in the seventh. He had three strikeouts

- The juniors only had two hits on the afternoon but were on the receiving end of eight walks issued by Jays pitching.

- Dondrae Bremner (Toronto, Ont.) had a double in the seventh and drove in a run in the ninth. Loewen had the other hit when he singled to lead off the ninth.

- The Blue Jays started Toronto 2015 gold medalist Shane Dawson (Drayton Valley, Alta.) on the mound and he faced the minimum over two innings of work, and struck out three. Dawson was followed by JNT alum Tom Robson (Ladner, BC) who allowed just one walk over two innings of work that included two strikeouts. Other Canadians that appeared in the game included Mike Reeves (Peterborough, Ont.), Mattingly Romanin (Burlington, Ont.), Justin Atkinson (Surrey, BC), Connor Panas (Toronto, Ont.) and Owen Spiwak (Mississauga, Ont.) and Ratcliffe.

TEAM LEADERS
Hits: 1, Loewen (1/3), Bremner (1/3)
Doubles: 1, Bremner
Runs: 1, Hall, Loewen
RBI: 1, Keyes, Bremner
Strikeouts: 3, DeCooman, Balazovic; 2, Perkins

UP NEXT
The juniors’ spring training schedule continues tomorrow at the Walter Fuller Complex when they welcome a group of minor league prospects from the New York Yankees organization for a 1:05pm ET first pitch … LHP Jaden Griffin (Lower Sackville, NS) is expected to start for the juniors… The game can be heard live by visiting radiostpete.com.