Jay Blue: Abbadessa, Groshans, Heidt, Lopez, Palacios, Pompey, Romano, Taylor, Tellez

Rowdy Tellez had two home runs and a double for the triple-A Buffalo Bisons on Tuesday. Photo Credit: Jay Blue

August 14, 2018 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Report
By Jay Blue
Blue Jays from Away

The Toronto Blue Jays' affiliates had a rough day on Tuesday, going 2-6 in eight games in the minor leagues.

Buffalo Bisons 14, Charlotte Knights 5

International League Player of the Week Vladimir Guerrero Jr. didn't hit a home run (for a change) but the triple-A Buffalo Bisons hit six dingers on their way to a 14-5 victory over the Charlotte Knights. Rowdy Tellez had his best game, possibly since Opening Day 2017, hitting two home runs and going 3/5 with a double, three RBI and three runs. Dwight Smith Jr. was also 3/5 with a home run, a double, a walk, two RBI and two runs. Darnell Sweeney was also 3/5 with a home run, two RBI and two runs. Anthony Alford didn't go yard but he was 2/5 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs while Tim Lopes was 2/5 with a stolen base. Reese McGuire got on the home run train, going deep for his seventh of the year, going 2/5 with a double, two RBI and two runs and Billy McKinney was 1/4 with a home run and two RBI. Vlad was 1/5 with a walk and two runs.

Mike Hauschild allowed just two runs on six hits with a walk and two strikeouts in five innings to pick up his first Buffalo win while Taylor Guerrieri allowed a run on a solo home run, adding a walk with two strikeouts in two innings. Claudio Custodio gave up two runs on two hits and a walk with one strikeouts in two innings.

W: Mike Hauschild (1-0)
HR: Billy McKinney (15), Darnell Sweeney (8), Reese McGuire (7), Dwight Smith Jr. (5), Rowdy Tellez 2 (13)

Roster Notes: Dalton Pompey (Mississauga, Ont.) was placed on the 7-day DL retroactive to August 12 while Roemon Fields was activated off the DL.

Player of the Game: Rowdy Tellez

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 0, Altoona Curve 5

Despite getting on the board with 11 hits, the double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats were blanked by the Altoona Curve, losing 5-0. Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.) pitched through five scoreless innings before getting touched for a run in the sixth and then allowed three runs in the seventh, giving up a double, a walk and a home run before he was pulled from the game. In all, Romano allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits and a walk with three strikeouts over six-plus innings. Corey Copping struck out three batters in the seventh, allowing a hit and Josh DeGraaf finished off the game, pitching two innings, giving up a solo home run.

Gunnar Heidt was 3/4 with a double and was picked off and caught stealing and Max Pentecost (2/4) and Harold Ramirez (2/4) each had a pair of hits. Forrest Wall was 1/3 with a walk and a stolen base.

L: Jordan Romano (10-7)

Player of the Game: Gunnar Heidt

Dunedin Blue Jays 4, Jupiter Hammerheads 5

The class-A Advanced Dunedin Blue Jays lost once again to the Jupiter Hammerheads and once again lost by the same score, 5-4, this time in 10 innings. Yennsy Diaz had a solid start, giving up three runs on seven hits (including a home run) with four strikeouts in seven innings, getting a whopping 14 outs on the ground and just one on a fly ball. Jonathan Cheshire pitched a clean eighth and Jackson McClelland retired the side in order in the ninth but got into trouble in the 10th, starting the inning off with a walk. After getting an out, he allowed a single, had the next batter reach due to a throwing error, scoring a run and loading the bases and he walked Tristan Pompey (Mississauga, Ont.) to ultimately give the Hammerheads the winning run.

Joshua Palacios continued his hot streak, going 2/5 with a home run and three RBI, including driving in a run in the bottom of the 10th. Brock Lundquist was 1/4 with a double and Ivan Castillo was 1/4 with a walk, a triple and a stolen base. Logan Warmoth was 1/3 with a double and an RBI.

L: Jackson McClelland (1-4)
HR: Joshua Palacios (7)

Roster Notes: Joel Espinal was assigned to the Bluefield Blue Jays from Dunedin.

Player of the Game: Joshua Palacios

Lansing Lugnuts 7, Bowling Green Hot Rods 4

A five-run fifth inning gave the low-A Lansing Lugnuts enough runs to hold off the Bowling Green Hot Rods and beat the division leaders by a 7-4 score. The Lugnuts had just eight hits including two from Samad Taylor who was 2/3 with a double, a home run, two RBI, a walk and two runs. Chavez Young stole two bases, going 1/4 with an RBI and a run while Brandon Grudzielanek was 2/4 with two RBI. Freddy Rodriguez was 1/2 with a walk and two runs.

Jordan Barrett allowed three runs on five hits with four walks and four strikeouts in 4 2/ 3 innings and Brody Rodning came on with two runners on and allowed one to score, giving up one of his own on two hits (including a home run) and a walk with two strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings. Emerson Jimenez earned his first save of the season, walking one batter and striking out two in two innings.

Note: Broadcaster Jesse Goldberg-Strassler did his annual game re-recreation broadcast in which he called the Lugnuts' game on the radio by just getting updates on the goings on in the game (as opposed to actually watching the game), the way they used to do it back in the early days of radio baseball broadcasting. Kudos to Jesse!

W: Brody Rodning (4-3)
S: Emerson Jimenez (1)
HR: Samad Taylor (7)

Roster Notes: Orlando Pascual was sent to Vancouver from Lansing.

Player of the Game: Samad Taylor

Vancouver Canadians 1, Tri-City Dust Devils 4

The class-A Short-Season Vancouver Canadians couldn't come up with any offence to support Elio Silva and a couple of errors by the defence helped the Tri-City Dust Devils score three runs in the eighth inning to beat the Canadians 4-1. Silva lasted six innings, giving up just one hit (a solo home run) and one walk with four strikeouts and didn't get a decision for his efforts. Denis Diaz came on, allowing three unearned runs on three hits and two walks with one strikeout in 1 2/3 innings and Connor Law came on to strike out three despite allowing all three inherited runners to score in 1 1/3 innings of relief as Nick Podkul made an error that allowed the bases to clear.

Otto Lopez (Montreal, Que.) was 2/4 with a triple and a run while Christopher Bec was 1/3 with a walk. Mc Gregory Contreras, Nick Podkul and Brandon Polizzi had a single each.

L: Denis Diaz (0-2)

Roster Notes: Orlando Pascual was sent down to Vancouver from Lansing.

Player of the Game: Elio Silva

Bluefield Blue Jays 4, Kingsport Mets 10

The rookie-class Bluefield Blue Jays blew up in the third, allowing seven runs to the Kingsport Mets and losing 10-4 on Tuesday. Felipe Castaneda allowed six runs in total, giving up just three hits and walking four with one strikeout in 2 2/3 innings. Joel Espinal gave up another three runs on four hits and two walks with two strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings. Brennan Price surrendered an unearned run on a walk in the seventh and Mike Pascoe gave up a hit and a walk with one strikeout in the eighth.

Dominic Abbadessa had a pair of hits, a run and a stolen base while Cal Stevenson was on base twice, going 1/2 with a walk, an RBI and a run. Gabriel Moreno drove in a run, going 1/4 while Jose Theran was 1/4 with a double and a run.

L: Felipe Castaneda (1-1)

Roster Notes: Joel Espinal was assigned to Bluefield from Dunedin.

Player of the Game: Dominic Abbadessa and Cal Stevenson

GCL Blue Jays 2, GCL Pirates 3

The GCL Pirates needed to wait until the eighth inning before they could get enough runs to overcome the GCL Blue Jays, ultimately winning 3-2 over the Jays. Jordan Groshans was 2/4 for the Blue Jays and Addison Barger was 1/3 with a walk and a run while Joseph Reyes was 1/1 with two walks, an RBI and a run. Aldo Ovando was on base twice, going 1/3 with a walk.

Juan Diaz allowed just a run on four hits and a walk in five innings, striking out three and Elixon Caballero gave up two hits and a walk but no runs with two strikeouts in two innings. Brayan Mejia took the loss, giving up two runs (one earned) on a hit and two walks with one strikeout in 1 2/3 innings.

L: Brayan Mejia (1-1)

Player of the Game: Joseph Reyes and Juan Diaz

DSL Blue Jays 8, DSL Reds 9

The DSL Reds outlasted the DSL Blue Jays in a game that took two days to complete and 14 innings as the Reds won 9-8. Erickvi Celedonio was 2/6 with a double, two RBI and two runs with a stolen base and Rainer Nunez was 2/6 with a run and a stolen base. Jhon Solarte was 1/4 with a double, a walk and an RBI (on a sacrifice fly), scoring a run and Kenny Mauricio was 1/5 with a walk and an RBI. Hanley Acevedo hit his first professional home run, going 1/4 with a walk, the solo shot and two runs.

Starter Ronald Govea tossed five innings with two runs (one earned) against him while giving up five hits and two walks with three strikeouts in five innings. Junior Guzman threw 3 2/3 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits (including a home run) and three walks with three strikeouts. Jhoan Dominguez tossed 1 1/3 innings, allowing an unearned run on two hits with two strikeouts while Jose Brito allowed an unearned run on a walk in 1/3 of an inning. William Gonzalez took a loss, allowing an unearned run on two walks with two strikeouts in 1 1/3 innings.

L: William Gonzalez (2-4)
HR: Hanley Acevedo (1)

Roster Notes: On August 13, the DSL Blue Jays sent Miguel Hiraldo and Jose Ferrer to the GCL club.

Player of the Game: Erickvi Celedonio and Rainer Nunez

Jay's Jay of the Day: Rowdy Tellez

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