April 9, 2018 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Report
By Jay Blue
Blue Jays from Away

The triple-A Buffalo Bisons finally got into action, winning their first game of the season while two of the other three affiliates picked up wins with several young players having games to remember.

Buffalo Bisons 4, Pawtucket Red Sox 3

The Buffalo Bisons finally got their season going, beating the Pawtucket Red Sox 4-3 in 12 innings to start the year on the right foot. Danny Jansen was primed to come out of the gate swinging, going 4-for-4 with a walk, two doubles and a home run and he just missed out on a cycle when he hit a triple but was standing on third base along with Rowdy Tellez and was tagged out. Tim Lopes had a pair of hits and an RBI while Dwight Smith Jr. was 1-for-5 with a solo home run. On a less positive note, both Reese McGuire and Jason Leblebijian struck out four times in the loss and Roemon Fields struck out three times going 1-for-4. Rowdy Tellez was 1-for-4 with a walk and was caught stealing. The Bisons were running wild on the bases, getting a pair of stolen bases from Teoscar Hernandez (1-for-5), a stolen base from Leblebijian and one more from Fields.

Joe Biagini was solid in his season debut, throwing five innings and giving up just one unearned run on two hits and a walk with four strikeouts. Luis Santos allowed a run in his inning, as did Al Alburquerque who walked two and struck out two. Matt Dermody didn't allow a run, giving up a hit and striking out two in one inning and Carlos Ramirez threw 2 1/3 hitless innings with one walk and two strikeouts. Sam Moll got the win, tossing the final 1 2/3 innings with a hit and a strikeout.

W: Sam Moll (1-0)
HR: Dwight Smith Jr. (1), Danny Jansen (1)

Player of the Game: Danny Jansen

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 11, Trenton Thunder 1

The New Hamsphire Fisher Cats went into Trenton with their guns blazing, beating up on the Yankees' double-A farm team by an 11-1 score and running their record to 5-0. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Montreal, Que.) led the way again, going 3-for-3 with a walk, a double, a home run, two sacrifice flies, six RBI and two runs. Bo Bichette followed the lead (actually, he was hitting ahead of Guerrero in the order so maybe it was the other way around) by going 3-for-5 with a double, a walk, a stolen base and three runs. Jonathan Davis was 2-for-4 with five runs scored and two stolen bases while Lourdes Gurriel (0-for-4, BB, 2 RBI) drove in two, hitting a sacrifice fly and Gunnar Heidt was 1-for-4 with a walk and two RBI. Connor Panas (Toronto, Ont.) was 1-for-4 with a walk and Harold Ramirez was 1/4 with a walk and a stolen base.

Jon Harris had a very solid debut, going five innings and giving up just one run on four hits and a walk with three strikeouts. Conor Fisk went two innings, allowing a hit and a walk while striking out four and Danny Young finished the game with 1 2/3 innings of perfect ball, striking out two.

W: Jon Harris (1-0)
HR: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (2)

Player of the Game: Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Dunedin Blue Jays 1, Palm Beach Cardinals 9

The class-A Advanced Dunedin Blue Jays fell to the Palm Beach Cardinals, surrendering nine runs and only scoring once. The offence spread the hits out with six different players having one each. Rodrigo Orozco was 1-for-3 with a double and a walk while John La Prise was 1-for-3 with a walk and a run but he also made three errors in the field. Anthony Alford, in his return since injuring his hamstring, was 1-for-3.

Justin Dillon started for the Blue Jays and gave up three solo home runs among four hits while striking out three. Juliandry Higuera came on in the fifth and gave up two runs (one earned) on two hits and two walks in 2/3 of an inning. Nick Hartman was charged with three more runs in 1 1/3 innings, giving up five hits with two strikeouts and Jake Fishman finished the game, tossing two innings and allowing a run on four hits.

L: Justin Dillon (0-1)

Roster Notes: Anthony Alford was sent to Dunedin for a rehab assignment.

Player of the Game: None

Lansing Lugnuts 10, Fort Wayne TinCaps 1

Despite scoring 10 runs on Monday, it was the Lansing Lugnuts' pitching that stole the show. Maverik Buffo was on the mound to start for the Lugnuts and, after the first batter hit an inside-the-park home run (although it was called a "double with an error" by pitcher Graham Spraker later on Twitter).

Buffo settled in and tossed four innings, throwing 81 pitches and giving up just five hits and two walks before Donnie Sellers took over for the rest of the game and completely shut the door on the TinCaps. Sellers tossed five innings with three hits and 12 strikeouts to finish the game and earn the win.

Kevin Smith led the offensive charge, going 3-for-4 with a home run, a walk, two RBI, three runs and a stolen base. Cullen Large also hit a home run, going 2-for-5 with a double, two RBI and two runs. Ryan Noda also scored twice, going 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI, adding a stolen base. Samad Taylor walked twice, going 1-for-3 with a stolen base and Reggie Pruitt swiped a pair of bags, going 1-for-3 with a walk. Kevin Vicuna also hit two singles, driving in a run.

W: Donnie Sellers (1-0)
HR: Kevin Smith (1), Cullen Large (1)

Roster Notes: Dalton Rodriguez and Brayden Bouchey were assigned to Lansing.

Player of the Game: Donnie Sellers and Kevin Smith

Jay's Jay of the Day: Danny Jansen, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Donnie Sellers

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