Jay Blue: Dominguez, Flores, Guerrero, Pompey

Emilio Guerrero, shown here doing a post-game interview playing winter ball with Licey, went 4-for-4 with a double and two RBIs for class-A Dunedin Blue Jays. 

April 17, 2016 Minor League Report
By Jay Blue
Blue Jays from Away
The Blue Jays’ affiliates lost all four of their games on Sunday, seeing some pitchers lose their control with some pretty high walk numbers.

Buffalo Bisons 4, Pawtucket Red Sox 7
The Bisons played a close game against the Pawtucket Red Sox, taking a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the eighth before the Paw Sox exploded for four runs in the top of the ninth to beat the Herd 7-4. Chris Leroux made his second start in a Bisons’ uniform, going four innings and allowing two runs on five hits and three walks with three strikeouts. Dustin Antolin gave up a run in 1 2/3 innings with two hits and a walk against and three strikeouts. Ben Rowen provided 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, stranding two runners inherited from Antolin while Ryan Tepera threw a scoreless eighth. In the ninth, closer David Aardsma walked two and gave up three hits, resulting in four runs charged to him in 2/3 of an inning. Pat McCoy gave up a hit (scoring one of the two inherited runners from Aardsma) but eventually got the final out of the game.

Dalton Pompey had another great game for the Bisons, going 2/3 with two walks, two runs and a stolen base at the top of the lineup while Matt Dominguez drove in a pair of runs with with his first home run of the year, adding a single on the day. Jesus Montero also had two RBI, going 1/4.

Player of the Game: Dalton Pompey and Matt Dominguez

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 4, Trenton Thunder 9
Shane Dawson couldn’t follow up his outstanding Double-A debut and the Trenton Thunder touched the Fisher Cats’ pitching staff for nine runs (only five were earned) in a 9-4 win on Sunday. Dawson lasted 4 1/3 innings and left the game with the bases loaded. Since Murphy Smith only allowed one of those runners to score, Dawson’s final line had him giving up four runs on six hits and four walks with three strikeouts. Smith allowed one run of his own on four hits and a walk in 2 1/3 innings with two strikeouts. Brady Dragmire threw 1 1/3 innings, stranding the only runner who was on, giving up just a walk and striking out a batter. Chris Smith was touched for four runs, all unearned, in the ninth inning on three hits and a walk.

The offfense had 11 hits and five walks but could only manage to turn that into four runs. Roemon Fields was 2/5 with a run but was also picked off. Jon Berti pushed his batting average to .333 with a pair of singles, driving in a run and stealing a base. Rowdy Tellez was 2/4 with an RBI and Jorge Flores was 2/3 with a double, a walk, an RBI and a run.

Player of the Game: Jorge Flores

Dunedin Blue Jays 6, Palm Beach Cardinals 7
Dunedin got down to the Palm Beach Cardinals early, eventually took a lead but couldn’t hold on to it in a 7-6 loss in 10 innings in which the Dunedin pitchers combined to walk 16 Cardinals. Conner Greene was on the mound for the D-Jays, tossing 4 1/3 innings (coming out of the game at the 80-pitch mark) and giving up a pair of runs on three hits and two walks with only one strikeout. Carlos Ramirez, who stranded two inherited runners from Greene, struggled mightily with his control, walking five batters and giving up three runs in one inning. Adonys Cardona stranded the bases loaded but also walked three batters in 1 1/3 innings while Jose Fernandez walked another five Cardinals in 2 1/3 innings, allowing one run while Matt Dermody took the loss, only giving up one walk but also three hits and one run in the 10th.

Emilio Guerrero, making his return from the DL was the star for the Blue Jays, going 4/4 with a double, two RBI, a walk and a run. Jason Leblebijian was 2/5 with a double, a walk and a run while Richard Urena was 2/6 but made an error. Derrick Loveless was 1/5 with his first home run of the year, driving in three runs on the game and picking up an outfield assist.

Player of the Game: Emilio Guerrero

Roster Notes: Emilio Guerrero was activated from the DL and Ryan Metzler was sent back to extended spring training.

Lansing Lugnuts 2, Bowling Green Hot Rods 5
The Lugnuts were the final team to get into action on Sunday evening but couldn’t prevent a clean sweep of the Blue Jays’ minor league affiliates with a 5-2 loss to the Bowling Green Hot Rods. On a day in which Blue Jays’ minor leaguers struggled with their control, Sean Reid-Foley was no different, walking four batters in 4 2/3 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits with four strikeouts. Evan Smith followed, giving up two more runs on a hit and two walks with one strikeout while Josh DeGraaf threw two scoreless innings, allowing one walk and one hit with two strikeouts.

The Lugnuts only had five hits, all singles, from Andrew Guillotte (1/4, RBI), Justin Atkinson (1/3, BB), Ryan Hissey (1/3, BB), Josh Almonte (1/4, R, SB) and J.C. Cardenas (1/3. R).

Player of the Game: None

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