May 18, 2016 Minor League Report
By Jay Blue
Blue Jays from Away
The Toronto Blue Jays minor league affiliates pulled off a rare sweep, winning all four games on Wednesday, getting stellar performances from several hitters and their top draft pick from 2015.

Buffalo Bisons 7, Toledo Mud Hens 5
In a matinee, the Bisons tacked on runs in the fifth and seventh to add to their early lead and come out on top of the Toledo Mud Hens by a 7-5 score. A.J. Jimenez was the biggest bopper in a Bisons batting order that banged out 14 hits. Jimenez was 4/4 with two doubles, four RBI and two runs on the day. Junior Lake swatted another three hits, driving in two and walking once. Darrell Ceciliani was 2/5 with a double and an RBI, scoring twice and Alexi Casilla was 2/4. Andy Burns added a triple and Matt Dominguez was 1/3 with a walk and two runs.

Roberto Hernandez got the start and allowed five runs on seven hits and a walk in five innings with three strikeouts. Chad Jenkins walked two and gave up a single but didn’t allow a run in 1 2/3 innings while Pat McCoy finished the seventh by stranding the two runners left on by Jenkins. Ryan Tepera picked up his third save, pitching two scoreless innings and allowing a hit and a walk with a strikeout.

Player of the Game: A.J. Jimenez

Roster Notes: Bobby Korecky was placed back on the 7-day DL.

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 8, Portland Sea Dogs 2
The New Hampshire evened their record at 19-19 thanks to a solid, 8-2 win over the Portland Sea Dogs. Jason Berken was back in the starting rotation, going four innings and giving up both Portland runs on three hits (including a solo home run) and a walk with three strikeouts. Danny Barnes picked up the win thanks to two perfect innings with three strikeouts that lowered his ERA to 0.93 while Murphy Smith lowered his ERA to 0.44 with two perfect innings of his own, striking out a pair. Wil Browning finished the game with a scoreless ninth, walking one and striking out one, lowering his ERA to 0.57.

The Fisher Cats scored their eight runs on 10 hits and seven walks, getting a three-run home run and a walk from Matt Dean who drove in three and scored twice. K.C. Hobson also drove in three with a single and a triple, going 2/5 while Dwight Smith, Jr. was also 2/5 with a single and a double and a run. Rowdy Tellez was on twice with a single, a walk and an RBI while Roemon Fields scored twice, going 1/3 with two walks.

Player of the Game: Matt Dean and K.C. Hobson

 
Dunedin Blue Jays 5, Fort Myers Miracle 3
Dunedin followed up an excellent performance from Francisco Rios with a solid one from Kyle Westwood who allowed three runs on four hits and a walk with two strikeouts over five innings. The bullpen was really the hero of this one, adding four scoreless innings with Conor Fisk getting the win, throwing two perfect innings with a strikeout. Adonys Cardona threw a scoreless frame, striking out two and giving up a hit while Matt Dermody ran into some trouble in the ninth, giving up three hits and striking out one before Carlos Ramirez came in to get the final two outs (earning the save) and stranding the bases loaded.

The batters knocked 14 hits including two from Anthony Alford who hit a single and a double and drove in three. Derrick Loveless was 2/5 while Jason Leblebijian was 2/4 with a double and a walk, scoring twice. Ryan McBroom was 3/4 with a double and a run and L.B. Dantzler was 2/4 with a double, an RBI and a run.

Player of the Game: Anthony Alford

Lansing Lugnuts 1, Fort Wayne TinCaps 0
In an epic pitching battle, the Lugnuts finally got to the Fort Wayne TinCaps in the top of the 10th, with Ryan Hissey pinch hitting a single to drive home Gunnar Heidt’s double to go ahead, eventually winning 1-0. Heidt was 2/4 with the double while Josh Almonte was 1/3 with a double, a walk and a stolen base.

The real showcase for the Lugnuts was the performance of the Blue Jays’ #1 draft pick in 2015, Jon Harris who threw seven scoreless innings, giving up four hits and a walk with 11 strikeouts. Josh DeGraaf got the win with two innings of two-hit ball, striking out two and walking one and Dusty Isaacs earned the save with a scoreless 10th, striking out two of the three batters he faced.

Player of the Game: Jon Harris

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