Jay Blue: Alford, Berti, Bichette, Lopez, Kirwer, Panas, Pondler, Warmoth

Connor Panas (Toronto, Ont.) went 2-for-6 with two RBI in two games for the double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats on Saturday. Photo Credit: Jay Blue

August 18, 2018 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Report
By Jay Blue
Blue Jays from Away

While the GCL Blue Jays had the day off, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats played a doubleheader and the Toronto Blue Jays' affiliates had a 4-4 record on Saturday.

Buffalo Bisons 1, Gwinnett Stripers 5

The triple-A Buffalo Bisons couldn't come up with much run support for Shawn Morimando's first start with The Herd as they lost 5-1 to the Gwinnett Stripers. Morimando allowed two runs on four hits and a walk with three strikeouts in three innings and Jacob Waguespack finished it off, allowing three runs on four hits (including a home run) and two walks with two strikeouts in five innings.

Anthony Alford had a big day, going 3/4 with a double and an RBI while Gunnar Heidt was 2/4 with a double. Dwight Smith Jr. was 1/3 with a walk and a run.

L: Shawn Morimando (1-4)

Roster Notes: Shawn Morimando was activated off the DL.

Player of the Game: Anthony Alford

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 4, Trenton Thunder 5

Losing 2-1 in the top of the seventh in the first game of their doubleheader with the Trenton Thunder, the double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats struck for a run in the top to tie it. The two teams were deadlocked through the eighth inning but Trenton managed to score two in the bottom of the ninth to finally seize the victory, winning 5-4. The Fisher Cats only had two hits through six innings and Jon Berti had both including a solo home run in the fifth. He also singled in the top of the seventh and scored the tying run, going 3/4 with two runs. Connor Panas (Toronto, Ont.) drove Berti home in the seventh and was 1/3 with that RBI double. Bo Bichette brought Santiago Espinal home in the top of the eighth, cashing him with his only hit of the day and Espinal himself drove in the Fisher Cats' run in the top of the ninth with a single, scoring Forrest Wall. Andrew Guillotte walked twice.

Jon Harris had a strong start, going six innings and giving up just two runs on six hits (including a two-run home run to former Blue Jays minor leaguer Jorge Saez) with one walk and two strikeouts. Travis Bergen pitched a scoreless bottom of the seventh to get the game to extra innings, giving up a walk and a hit with two strikeouts. Corey Copping gave up the final three runs (one earned) on a hit and three walks with one strikeout in 1 1/3 innings.

L: Corey Copping (0-1)
HR: Jon Berti (4)

Roster Notes: Lourdes Gurriel was sent to New Hampshire to begin a rehab assignment.

Player of the Game: Jon Berti

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 2, Trenton Thunder 3

The Trenton Thunder swept their doubleheader with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, scoring in the bottom of the seventh two walk off with their second walkoff win on Saturday. Bo Bichette hit two doubles, going 3/4 and scoring a run and breaking the Fisher Cats' record for doubles in a season, sitting at 38 so far. Andrew Guillotte was 2/3 and Connor Panas (Toronto, Ont.) drove in a run, going 1/3.

Josh DeGraaf got the start, tossing four innings and allowing two runs on a two-run home run, the only hit he allowed. He had one hit and two walks with six strikeouts in four innings. Zach Jackson walked three and allowed a hit in two innings but didn't give up a run, striking out one and Dusty Isaacs only got one out, giving up a run on three walks and a hit batter, giving up the winning run.

L: Dusty Isaacs (3-3)

Player of the Game: Bo Bichette

Dunedin Blue Jays 4, St. Lucie Mets 1

Zach Logue held the St. Lucie Mets to just a run and the bullpen kept the quality innings going as the class-A Advanced Dunedin Blue Jays emerged with a 4-1 win. Logue allowed just the one run on six hits with two walks and seven strikeouts to pick up his eighth win for Dunedin. Jonathan Cheshire allowed a hit in the seventh and Angel Perdomo walked one and struck out three in two innings for the save.

Logan Warmoth was 3/4 with a double and a run while Joshua Palacios was 2/5 with an RBI and a run and Kevin Smith was 2/4 with a double and an RBI. Kacy Clemens walked twice and scored a run and both Rodrigo Orozco and Yeltsin Gudino were 1/4 with an RBI with Orozco stealing a base and scoring a run.

W: Zach Logue (8-3)
S: Angel Perdomo (1)

Player of the Game: Logan Warmoth and Zach Logue

Lansing Lugnuts 1, Fort Wayne TinCaps 3

After being shut out on Friday, the low-A Lansing Lugnuts could only score one run in a 3-1 loss to the Fort Wayne TinCaps. The Lugs had just four hits including an RBI single by Andres Sotillo and singles from Chavez Young (who added a walk), Norberto Obeso and Samad Taylor. Ryan Noda walked twice.

Matt Gunter gave up three runs on seven hits and three walks with four strikeouts in four innings while Andrew Deramo shut things down for three innings, giving up two hits and a walk with four strikeouts. Brayden Bouchey (White Rock, B.C.) walked one and gave up a hit with one strikeout in the eighth and Dalton Rodriguez struck out one in the ninth.

L: Matt Gunter (4-6)

Player of the Game: None

Vancouver Canadians 4, Spokane Indians 0

Randy Pondler and the class-A Short-Season Vancouver Canadians pitching staff held the Spokane Indians to just five hits, beating them 4-0 on Saturday. Pondler allowed just four hits with six strikeouts in five innings before Joey Pulido arrived to throw two shutout innings, striking out two and giving up a hit and two walks. Connor Law walked one and struck out three in two innings.

Otto Lopez (Montreal, Que.) (2/4, R, SB), Jake Brodt (2/4, RBI, 2 SB) and Jesus Severino (2/3, 2B, BB, R, SB) had two hits each while Christopher Bec did the most damage, going 2/3 with a home run, a walk and three RBI, adding a stolen base. Tanner Kirwer (Sherwood Park, Alta.) was 1/2 with a walk and a sac bunt.

W: Randy Pondler (4-4)
HR: Christopher Bec (3)

Player of the Game: Christopher Bec and Randy Pondler

Bluefield Blue Jays 4, Elizabethton Twins 3

The rookie-class Bluefield Blue Jays got some walkoff magic, scoring two runs in the bottom of the ninth and beating the Elizabethton Twins 4-3. The winning run was delivered by Cal Stevenson who hit an RBI single that followed after D.J. Neal had hit a home run to lead off the inning. Stevenson was 2/3 with two walks, a stolen base and the RBI while Neal was 1/4 with the solo home run. Hagen Danner was 2/4 with a double and Rafael Lantigua was 1/3 with an RBI and a walk. Dominic Abbadessa was 1/4 with a double and a run, adding an outfield assist and Gabriel Moreno was 1/4 with an double, an RBI and a run.

Adams Cuevas had a solid start, giving up two runs on five hits with five strikeouts in five innings. Jackson Rees (1 IP, 1 K), Cre Finfrock (1 IP, 1 K), Grant Townsend (1 IP, 1 K) and Sean Rackoski (1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 2 K, 1 HR) each threw an inning in relief with Rackoski getting the win.

W: Sean Rackoski (7-2)
HR: D.J. Neal (4)

Player of the Game: Cal Stevenson

GCL Blue Jays

Scheduled off day.

DSL Blue Jays 9, DSL White Sox 2

The DSL Blue Jays slammed 14 hits in a 9-2 win over the DSL White Sox. Anthony Rodriguez, playing first base, had three, going 3/5 with a double and two RBI, scoring once while newly signed catcher Brayan Rodriguez was 2/4 with a double, a walk, an RBI and a run. Rainer Nunez (2/4, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R), Alberto Rodriguez (2/5, RBI, 2 R), Pedro Hurtado (2/4, BB, R) and Jhon Solarte (2/6, 2 RBI) had a pair of hits each.

Ronald Govea allowed just one run on six hits with five strikeouts in five innings and Junior Guzman allowed another run on five hits with two strikeouts in two innings. William Gonzalez struck out one in the eighth and Pedro Padilla walked two, striking out one in the ninth.

W: Ronald Govea (4-0)

Roster Notes: Brayan Rodriguez was assigned to the DSL Blue Jays.

Player of the Game: Ronald Govea and Brayan Rodriguez

Jay's Jay of the Day: Jon Berti

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