Bruce Yari (Waterloo, Ont.) during his Okotoks Dawgs days, earned Canadian Baseball Network Player of the Week honours. Photo: Amanda Fewer.

By George Farelli
Canadian Baseball Network
The Beach Boys used to have a song entitled 409 ... as in

“She’s real fine, my 4-0-9
She’s real fine, my 4-0-9
My 4--0--9”

The song was not about a woman who lived at 409 Main Street, but an engine for a Chevy muscle car.

Well, Bruce Yari’s batting average for the week was pretty fine too.

Yari (Waterloo, Ont.) hit two homers and four RBIs batting .409 for the class-A Dayton Dragons going 9-for-22 with two homers and four RBIs.

The real fine week earned Yari his first Canadian Baseball Network minor leaguer of the week honours. His week was deemed the best of the 50 Canucks playing affiliated ball, independent and in foreign lands.

Yari played his last amateur ball for the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds and Ontario Terriers. He was drafted in the 24th round of the 2016 last year by scouting director Chris Buckley, former Toronto Blue Jays scouting director, and Bill Byckowski (Georgetown, Ont.) former Ontario Blue Jays Canuck scout.

Reds assistant GM Nick Krall was discussing all the Canucks in the Cincy system when he was at the Rogers Centre this week. RHP Alex Webb (Surrey, BC) is also at Dayton but he is injured.

When the short season teams begin after this month’s draft we’ll likely see INF Malik Collymore (Mississauga, Ont.), OF Miles Gordon (Oakville, Ont.), C Morgan Lofstrom (Kelowna, BC), LHP Isaac Anesty (Guelph, Ont.), INF J.D. Salmon-Williams (Brampton, Ont.) and RHP Darren Shred (Brampton, Ont.).

How was the week that was for Yari as he:

_ Hitting fifth and playing first, he was 1-for-2 and singled as Dayton fell 2-1 to the Great Lakes Loons in 16 innings before 1,263 fans at Dow Diamond. All runs were scored in the 16th. Yari singled to centre in the second.

_ DHing and hitting sixth, he was 2-for-3 in a 14-6 win over Great Lake before 5,469 at Dow Diamond. He singled to centre in the second knocking in a run to make it 1-0 and singled to centre in the fourth. He walked the second time he came to the plate in the six-run fourth.

_ Hitting fifth and playing first, he was 2-for-6 in a 7-5, 12 inning loss to the
West Michigan Whitecaps in front of 8,487 at Fifth Third Field. Six of the 12 combined runs were scored in the 12th. Yari singled to left fielder Cole Bauml (Meunster, Sask.) in the seventh and hit a two-run homer to right with two out in the 12th in second. DHing and batting third, Jacob Robson (Windsor, Ont.) went 4-for-5 with a double. Batting sixth, Bauml had a pair of hits with a double and two RBIs. Batting ninth, SS Daniel Pinero (Toronto, Ont.) singled.

_ Playing first and hitting fifth, Yari singled in a 5-2 victory against West Michigan in front of 7,826 fans at Fifth Third Field. Yari singled in the sixth.
Bauml had a pair of hits, including a double, his 10th of the season, while Robson and Pinero were hitless.

_ Hitting fifth and playing first, Yari hit a solo homer in 4-2 win over West Michigan playing at Fifth Third Field in front of 7,648. His third homer in the fourth put the Dragons up 3-0. Robson and Bauml were hitless for the Whitecaps, while Pinero had the night off.

_ DHing and batting fifth he had two more hits in an 8-2 loss to the South Bend Cubs before 7,650 fans at Fifth Third Field. He singled to left in the second and doubled to left in the ninth. South Bend scored eight times in the top of the ninth to win.

Langley Blaze grad Wes Darvill (Langley, BC) earned American Association-IND player of the week honours for Winnipeg.

Another highlight
3B Wes Darvill (Richmond, BC), of the Winnipeg Goldeyes, earned Player of the Week honours in IND American Association. Darvill had more hits than out going 13-for-25 (.520) with a homer and three RBIs.

BEST OFFENSIVE PERFORMANCES
Player AB R H HR RBI AVG
Bruce Yari - A Dayton 22 7 9 2 4 .409
Jacob Robson - AA West Michigan 24 3 8 - 2 .333
Connor Panas - A Dunedin 15 4 5 1 2 .333
Jesse Hodges - A Myrtle Beach 19 3 6 - 3 .316
Josh Naylor - A Lake Elsinore 20 3 6 1 3 .300

Wes Darvill - IND Winnipeg 25 8 13 1 3 .520
Jordan Lennerton - IND Quebec 18 1 7 - 1 .389
Phil Craig-St. Louis - IND Quebec 13 3 5 - - .385
Larry Balkwill - IND Windy City 22 3 8 1 7 .364
Maxx Tissenbaum - IND Quebec 20 3 7 1 5 .350
Michael Crouse - IND New Britain 18 3 6 - 2 .333
Jamie Romak - KBO SK Wyverns 20 7 6 4 5 .300
(Minimum of 10 At Bats required.)

BEST PITCHING PERFORMANCES
ANDREW CASE LHP - AA NEW HAMPSHIRE FISHER CATS
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
1 3.0 1 - - - - 1-0 - 0.33 0.00
Andrew Case seems to have adjusted quite well to his new team, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, and this week made another fine relief appearance. On May 26th in an 11-inning 4-3 win over Reading Fightin’ Phils he tossed three scoreless innings, allowing zero hits to earn his second win at the Double A level. His record with New Hampshire in four appearances, now stands at 2-0 with a 1.23 ERA.

DYLAN RHEAULT RHP - A SAN JOSE GIANTS
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
2 3.0 2 - - 2 2 1-0 - 1.33 0.00
Dylan Rheault made two more excellent relief appearances this week for the San Jose Giants, the first was on May 24th in an 11-7 victory over Lancaster JetHawks. He pitched one scoreless 1-2-3 inning and was credited with his first hold of the season. On May 28th in a 1-0 win over Modesto Nuts he tossed two more scoreless, allowing two base hits while striking out two Modesto hitters, earning the win. The two outings improved his Single A California League record in 19 appearances, to 1-0, with one save and a 1.99 ERA.

MIKE SOROKA RHP - AA MISSISSIPPI BRAVES
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
1 5.2 3 1 1 2 10 1-0 - 0.96 1.73
Reaching the Double A level in your third year as a pro pitcher is not as common as you might think, but 19 year old Braves prospect Mike Soroka has not only achieved that, he is also showing he belongs at this level. On May 24th in 2-1 win over Pensacola Blue Wahoos he pitched 5 2/3 innings, gave up three base hits and only one earned run while striking out 10 Pensacola batters, to earn his fifth win of the season. This outing improved his Southern League stats in nine starts with the Braves, to 5-3 with a 2.96 ERA.

ANDREW ALBERS LHP - AAA GWINNETT BRAVES
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
1 6.0 6 3 3 1 5 1-0 - 1.17 4.50
Another solid start this week by the veteran Andrew Albers on May 27th, in a 6-4 win over Syracuse Chiefs. He pitched six innings, gave up six base hits and three earned runs while striking out five Syracuse batters, to earn his fourth win of the year. In 10 starts with Gwinnett in the Triple-A International League, his record now stands at 4-1 with a 3.46 ERA.

PLAYER MOVES & TRANSACTIONS
LHP James Paxton (Ladner, BC) - Sent out on Re Hab Assignment by Seattle Mariners at Double A Arkansas Travelers.

OF Dalton Pompey (Mississauga, Ont.) - Sent out on Re Hab Assignment by Toronto Blue Jays at Single A Dunedin Blue Jays.

RHP Jameson Taillon (The Woodlands, Tex.) - Sent out on Re Hab Assignment by the Pittsburgh Pirates at Double A Altoona Curve.

RHP Dustin Molleken (Regina, Sask.) - Activated from Disabled List by the Detroit Tigers at Triple A Toledo Mud Hens.

INF T.J. Bennett (Lethbridge, Alta.) - Activated from the Disabled List by San Francisco Giants at Single A San Jose Giants.

RHP Rowan Wick (North Vancouver, BC) - Activated from the Disabled List by St. Louis Cardinals at Triple A Memphis Redbirds.

C Mike Blanke (Granby, Que.) - Free Agent signs with Cleburne Railroaders
IND American Association.

2017 Canadian Baseball Network Players of the Week

Week I _ INF Jamie Romak (London, Ont.) El Paso (Padres).

Week II _ RHP Nick Pivetta (Victoria, BC) Lehigh Valley (Phillies).

Week III _ INF Jamie Romak (London, Ont.) El Paso (Padres).

Week IV _ 1B Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) and RHP Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.) Lake Elisnore (Padres).

Week V _ OF Jacob Robson (Windsor, Ont.) West Michigan Whitecaps (Tigers).

Week VI _ OF Gareth Morgan (North York, Ont.) Clinton Lumberkings (Mariners).

Week VII _ 3B Vladimir Guerrero (Montreal, Que.) Lansing Lugnuts (Blue Jays).

Week VIII _ !B Bruce Yari (Waterloo, Ont.) Dayton Dragons (Cincinnati Reds).

Bruce Yari, CBN POW, Week VIII, plus transactions