August 25, 2018 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Report
By Jay Blue
Blue Jays from Away

The New Hampshire Fisher Cats clinched a playoff spot and the Toronto Blue Jays' affiliates went 4-3 in seven games with the Dunedin Blue Jays rained out.

Buffalo Bisons 5, Pawtucket Red Sox 8

The triple-A Buffalo Bisons couldn't muster quite enough offence and three errors helped the Pawtucket Red Sox beat them 8-5. Jonathan Davis keeps hitting, going 2/5 with his fifth home run in Buffalo and 10th of the season and scoring twice. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Montreal, Que.) saw his batting average fall to .372 in Buffalo, going 1/3 with two walks and an RBI. Darnell Sweeney was 2/3 with a triple and a run and Roemon Fields was 2/4 with an RBI and a run.

Mike Hauschild started for Buffalo, allowing three runs on four hits (including a home run) with two walks and three strikeouts over five innings. Luis Santos took the loss but all three of the runs he allowed were unearned, and he gave up two hits (including a home run) in 2/3 of an inning and left a runner on for Craig Breslow who gave up a run of his own, walking three and allowing three hits with a strikeout in 1 1/3 innings. Zach Stewart gave up a run on four hits with a walk and a strikeout in two innings.

L: Luis Santos (2-3)
HR: Jonathan Davis (5)

Roster Notes: Preston Guilmet was placed on the DL and Andrew Guillotte was promoted from New Hampshire.

Player of the Game: Jonathan Davis

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 9, Binghamton Rumble Ponies 7

On Saturday night, nine runs were enough, not only to defeat the Binghamton Rumble Ponies 9-7, but to clinch a playoff spot on Max Pentecost's three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning. Pentecost was 3/5 with the home run, four RBI and three runs while Connor Panas (Toronto, Ont.) also hit his ninth home run of the year, going 2/4 with two RBI and a stolen base. Harold Ramirez was 3/5 with an RBI and Santiago Espinal was 2/4 with an RBI. Forrest Wall was 2/5 with a triple, an RBI and two runs and Jon Berti, in the leadoff spot, was 1/4 with a walk and two runs.

Hector Perez struggled, lasting just 2 2/3 innings, giving up five runs on five hits and three walks with two strikeouts. Danny Young, coming in with the bases loaded, allowed one of three inherited runners to score but pitched 3 1/3 innings, giving up just a hit and a walk with one strikeout. Francisco Rios allowed two unearned runs, giving up a hit and a walk with one strikeout and leaving two runners for Travis Bergen after 1 2/3 innings. Bergen allowed both runners to score on a throwing error by Santiago Espinal and then he recovered from hitting the leadoff batter in the ninth to get the next three outs to clinch the playoff spot.

W: Travis Bergen (4-1)
HR: Connor Panas (9), Max Pentecost (9)

Roster Notes: Andrew Guillotte was promoted to Buffalo and Danny Young was activated off the DL.

Player of the Game: Max Pentecost

Dunedin Blue Jays, Bradenton Marauders

Game 1 of a doubleheader was cancelled and Game 2 was postponed because of rain.

Lansing Lugnuts 3, Dayton Dragons 4

The Dayton Dragons defeated the low-A Lansing Lugnuts 4-3 despite Brandon Grudzielanek's inside-the-park home run. For Grudzielanek, it was his only hit of the game and no one was on base. Vinny Capra was 3/4 with a double and Norberto Obeso was 2/4 with a double and a run. Ryan Noda pinch hit and was 1/1.

Maximo Castillo was strong on the mound, going six innings and allowing a run on four hits and two walks with three strikeouts before Matt Shannon took over, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits and a walk with two strikeouts in the final two innings.

L: Matt Shannon (3-5)
HR: Brandon Grudzielanek (3)

Player of the Game: Vinny Capra and Maximo Castillo

Vancouver Canadians 4, Boise Hawks 3

The class-A Short-Season Vancouver Canadians picked up another one-run win, beating the Boise Hawks 4-3. Three Canadians had two hits each with Christopher Bec (2/4, R, SB), Otto Lopez (Montreal, Que.) (2/4, RBI, R) and Nick Podkul (2/3, BB, 2 R) each having two singles. Griffin Conine was 1/3 with a walk, a double and an RBI, stealing a base.

Josh Winckowski started, striking out six and giving up two runs in four innings, allowing four hits and three walks before Troy Miller threw two scoreless innings, with a hit against and just two strikeouts. Will McAffer (North Vancouver, B.C.) got the win, allowing a hit and a walk with two strikeouts in the seventh and Joey Pulido struck out two in the eighth before Orlando Pascual picked up the save, allowing a run on one hit with a strikeout in the ninth.

W: Will McAffer (6-2)
S: Orlando Pascual (2)

Player of the Game: Nick Podkul

Bluefield Blue Jays 5, Pulaski Yankees 3

The rookie-class Bluefield Blue Jays scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth to give them what turned out to be an insurmountable lead as they defeated the Pulaski Yankees 5-3. The Yankees managed to cut down their strikeout total from 20 on Friday night to 13 on Saturday as Eric Pardinho set down seven on strikes in just four innings, giving up a run on three hits and three walks. Nicolas Medina went two innings, giving up a hit and a walk with one strikeout and Jackson Rees struck out two in the seventh. Cre Finfrock was charged with a run on a hit and a hit batter with one strikeout in 2/3 of an inning, leaving two runners on for Brad Wilson who allowed one run of Finfrock's and another of his own over 1 1/3 innings, allowing two hits (including a home run) and two walks with two strikeouts, getting the win.

Dominic Abbadessa had three of the Blue Jays' eight hits, going 3/3 with a double, a walk, an RBI and a run, adding a stolen base but he was also caught stealing. Alejandro Kirk hit his team-leading 10th home run, going 1/3 with a walk and two RBI and Jordan Groshans hit his first home run as a Bluefield Blue Jay, going 1/4 with the solo shot. Andres Guerra was 2/3 with a double and an error.

W: Brad Wilson (3-0)
HR: Jordan Groshans (1), Alejandro Kirk (10)

Player of the Game: Dominic Abbadessa

GCL Blue Jays 5, GCL Phillies 3

Adam Kloffenstein was sighted on the mound, on his 18th birthday as the GCL Blue Jays beat the GCL Phillies 5-3 on Saturday morning. Kloffenstein threw the first inning, giving up a hit and a walk with two strikeouts. Emanuel Vizcaino took over, tossing three frames, allowing an unearned run on four hits with four strikeouts and Elixon Caballero allowed two runs on two hits with two walks and two strikeouts in two innings. Meliton Reyes got the win, striking out one in two innings and Yunior Hinojosa walked one but got the save with a scoreless ninth.

Jose Ferrer was 2/3 with two doubles, a walk and an RBI with two runs in the win while Jose Rivas (2/4, 3B, RBI, R, SB), Troy Squires (2/4) and Steward Berroa (2/3, 2 2B) each had two hits. Addison Barger was 0/3 but walked twice and drove in a run and Miguel Hiraldo was 1/2.

W: Meliton Reyes (1-3)
S: Yunior Hinojosa (2)

Player of the Game: Jose Ferrer

DSL Blue Jays 4, DSL Reds 6

The DSL Blue Jays lost 6-4 to the DSL Reds. Rainer Nunez had a pair of hits, scoring a run while Anthony Rodriguez was 1/2 with two walks. Jhon Solarte was 1/4 with a double, a walk and a run and Pedro Ventura was 1/3 with a walk and an RBI. Hanley Acevedo was 1/3 with a double and a run.

Jose Brito started, tossing two scoreless innings, walking two and striking out two. Sergio Leon allowed three runs in the third, giving up four hits and a walk with three strikeouts while Pedro Padilla gave up a run on three hits and a walk with two strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings. Pedro Guzman gave up a run on two hits (including a solo home run) in 1 1/3 innings and William Gonzalez struck out five in two innings, allowing a hit and an unearned run.

L: Sergio Leon (1-2)

Player of the Game: William Gonzalez and Rainer Nunez

Jay's Jay of the Day: Max Pentecost

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