April 13, 2016 Minor League Report
By Jay Blue
Blue Jays from Away
One win in four tries was all the Blue Jays’ affiliates could manage in Wednesday’s minor league action.

Buffalo Bisons 2, Syracuse Chiefs 3
It appeared as if the Bisons didn’t want to finish their season-opening road trip, taking the Syracuse Chiefs into the 13th inning before falling and losing their fourth game of the year. Righty Drew Hutchison got off to a rough start, walking three and hitting a batter in the first inning but didn’t cave in to the pressure and only gave up one run in that frame. He ended up hitting his pitch count in the fifth and came out of the game without allowing a hit and striking out five in 4 1/3 innings. Pat McCoy finished the inning and added two more, giving up two hits and a walk with two strikeouts. Ryan Tepera came on and blew the save, allowing a run in the eighth but he pitched another inning, keeping the game tied. Dustin Antolin went 2 2/3 innings into extra frames, striking out four in his 2 2/3 innings, walking two and giving up two hits, leaving the bases loaded in the 12th for Ben Rowen who stranded the bases loaded. Rowen took the loss, giving up a run on three hits in the 13th inning, allowing the Chiefs to walk off with a win.

The offense provided only eight hits in 13 innings, getting two from Domonic Brown who drove in a run.

Player of the Game: Drew Hutchison and Pat McCoy

Roster Notes: Pat Venditte was called up to Toronto.

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 1, Hartford Yard Goats 3
The Fisher Cats squandered another strong outing from starter Jeremy Gabryszwski and could only get five hits to the home-team Hartford Yard Goats in their own park in Manchester, New Hampshire. Gabryszwski went six innings, allowing just two runs on six hits without walking anyone and striking out three while John Stilson threw a scoreless seventh and Danny Barnes gave up a run in the eighth on a solo homer.

The Fisher Cats scored one in the sixth when Dwight Smith, Jr. singled home Jon Berti’s double but they could have scored one more run but K.C. Hobson was thrown out at the plate on Wilkin Castillo’s double. Smith took a walk and had an outfield assist, throwing out a runner at second base and Roemon Fields had a single and a stolen base.

Player of the Game: Jeremy Gabryszwski

Dunedin Blue Jays 2, St. Lucie Mets 7
Dunedin got in a hole early and couldn’t come back in a 7-2 loss to the St. Lucie Mets. While starter Tom Robson had his second straight difficult outing, the bullpen was outstanding, carrying the club all the way until the end of the game without giving up a run of their own. Robson couldn’t find the zone much, walking three and throwing a wild pitch, getting just two outs and was victimized by an error by David Harris which prolonged the inning. After walking the first batter after the error, Robson was taken out with the bases loaded for Carlos Ramirez who walked a batter in and allowed two more runs to score on a single before getting a strikeout to finally put an end to a nightmarish first inning in which 12 batters came to the plate. Ramirez finished two more innings without giving up a run (but had three hits and three walks allowed in just those 2 1/3 innings) while Jose Fernandez was just what the doctor ordered, striking out a pair and giving up just a hit and a walk in four innings of relief. Chris Rowley finished the game with a perfect ninth.

The offense clawed a couple of runs back, with Ryan McBroom continuing to hit, going 2/4 with a double and a run while David Harris drove one run in and Danny Jansen drove in the other.

Player of the Game: Ryan McBroom and Jose Fernandez

Lansing Lugnuts 11, Dayton Dragons 6
The Lugnuts won their third game in a row, defeating the Dayton Dragons (now 1-6) by an 11-6 score. Ryan Cook pitched a gem in his first start of the season, needing just 70 pitches to get through six innings, allowing only one hit while striking out five and not walking a man. Daniel Lietz came in in the seventh and allowed the Dayton floodgates to open, retiring the first man he faced but then couldn’t get any of the next four batters, giving up a home run, a walk, a double and a batter getting on via an error. Josh DeGraaf took over and allowed all three of his inherited runners to score as well as two of his own and Dayton finished up the half inning leading 6-3, leaving Lietz with four runs (two earned) on two hits and a walk in 1/3 of an inning while DeGraaf allowed two runs on three hits and a walk with two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings. Evan Smith held the Dragons off the board, facing three batters in the ninth and striking out one.

The offense, however, was up to the task, responding to the six-run seventh by Dayton with a seven-run inning in the bottom half. Andrew Guillotte was 3/4 with a double, two RBI, three runs, two stolen bases and a walk while Gunnar Heidt was 3/5 with a triple and three RBI and Ryan Hissey was 3/4 with a run and an RBI.

Player of the Game: Ryan Cook and Andrew Guillotte

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