Jay Blue: Biggio, Case, Conine, Diaz, McGuire, Pardinho, Ramos, Spiwak

Eric Pardinho picked up his first professional win with the rookie-class Bluefield Blue Jays on Tuesday. Photo Credit: Jay Blue

July 3, 2018 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Report
By Jay Blue
Blue Jays from Away

The Toronto Blue Jays' affiliates played to an even 4-4 record with the Bluefield Blue Jays continuing their domination of the Appalachian League and getting an outstanding pitching performance from Brazilian teenager Eric Pardinho.

Buffalo Bisons 3, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders 6

Reese McGuire had another strong game but it wasn't enough to overcome the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders who handed the triple-A Buffalo Bisons a 6-3 loss.

McGuire was 2-for-4 with two triples while Rowdy Tellez and Danny Jansen each had an RBI.

Jon Harris made his second start in triple-A, giving up four runs on 10 hits (including a home run) and one walk with five strikeouts in six innings of work. Murphy Smith relieved him and allowed two more runs on three hits and two walks with four strikeouts in three innings.

L: Jon Harris (1-1)

Roster Notes: Gio Urshela was sent outright to the Bisons.

Player of the Game: Reese McGuire

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 4, Trenton Thunder 1

The double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats got four runs in the second inning on a couple of home runs and that was enough to hold off the Trenton Thunder, beating them 4-1.

Harold Ramirez hit a solo home run in the fourth inning and was 2-for-3 with a walk while Cavan Biggio hit a three-run blast, also going 2-for-3 with a walk. Juan Kelly was 2-for-4 with a run.

Josh DeGraaf had a strong start, allowing just one run on a solo home run among six hits with two walks and five strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. Kirby Snead finished off the sixth, giving up a hit and Travis Bergen allowed a hit but struck out five in two scoreless frames. Andrew Case (Saint John, N.B.) closed it with a clean ninth, getting three ground ball outs.

W: Josh DeGraaf (3-4)
S: Andrew Case (6)
HR: Harold Ramirez (5), Cavan Biggio (17)

Player of the Game: Cavan Biggio and Harold Ramirez

Dunedin Blue Jays 4, Tampa Tarpons 2

On the back of a strong pitching performance from the staff, the class-A Advanced Dunedin Blue Jays beat the Tampa Tarpons 4-2.

Yennsy Diaz struck out nine in six innings, giving up two runs on five hits and a walk, needing 88 pitches to do so. Ty Tice went 1 2/3 innings, giving up a hit and walking two with one strikeout. Jackson McClelland picked up his fifth save and reportedly hit 100 mph with his fastball, retiring all four batters he faced and striking out two.

Ivan Castillo continues to be hot, going 2-for-3 with a walk, a run and two stolen bases while Joshua Palacios was 2-for-5 with a double. Andres Sotillo hit his first home run with the D-Jays, driving in a pair and going 1-for-3.

W: Yennsy Diaz (1-2)
S: Jackson McClelland (5)
HR: Andres Sotillo (1)

Roster Notes: Brock Lundquist was promoted from Lansing to Dunedin.

Player of the Game: Ivan Castillo and Yennsy Diaz

Lansing Lugnuts 4, West Michigan Whitecaps 8

The low-A Lansing Lugnuts lost 8-4 to the West Michigan Whitecaps despite Jesus Navarro hitting his first career home run.

Navarro, in the Jays' system since 2015, hit his first dinger, going 2-for-4 with two runs. Brandon Grudzielanek was 3-for-4 with an RBI and Owen Spiwak (Mississauga, Ont.) was 1-for-3 with two RBI.

Maximo Castillo was solid on the mound, giving up only three runs despite allowing two home runs among five hits with three walks and five strikeouts over five innings. Yunior Hinojosa, making his Midwest League debut, allowing four runs on three hits and a walk with two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings. Orlando Pascual allowed a run on four hits with two strikeouts over the final 1 1/3 innings.

L: Yunior Hinojosa (0-1)
HR: Navarro (1)

Roster Notes: Brock Lundquist was promoted to Dunedin.

Player of the Game: Jesus Navarro

Vancouver Canadians 4, Salem-Keizer Volcanoes 5

Randy Pondler started for the Canadians and allowed three unearned runs on three hits including two home runs with two walks and one strikeout in three innings. Mitch McKown allowed a run on a hit and two walks in the fourth. Nick Allgeyer surrendered just one hit and struck out three in two innings and Marcus Reyes struck out four, giving up a run on four hits in three innings to finish the game.

Griffin Conine hit his second home run, going 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI while Vinny Capra was 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI and a run. Sterling Guzman was 2-for-4 and Otto Lopez (Montreal, Que.) was 1-for-5 with a triple and a run.

L: Marcus Reyes (0-1)
HR: Griffin Conine (2)

Player of the Game: Griffin Conine

Bluefield Blue Jays 9, Burlington Royals 2

The rookie-class Bluefield Blue Jays rolled to their 12th win, beating the Burlington Royals by a 9-2 score.

Eric Pardinho was the star, picking up his first professional win and allowing just one hit and no walks over five innings, striking out nine and needing just 68 pitches to get through the five innings. Andy McGuire, who had already played first base in a game, made his professional pitching debut, allowing a solo home run in one inning. Adams Cuevas struck out three in two perfect innings and Josh Almonte gave up two hits and a walk leading to a run in the ninth.

Alejandro Kirk had another great game, going 3-for-4 with a walk, two RBI and a run while Davis Schneider started out his game by getting half way to the cycle, hitting a home run and a triple in his first two at bats before finishing 2-for-4 with four RBI and two runs. Dominic Abbadessa was 2-for-5 with a run and a stolen base in two attempts while Luis De Los Santos was 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run. Rafael Lantigua was 2-for-5 in his Appalachian League debut. Cal Stevenson was on base twice, going 1-for-3 with two walks, a double, an RBI and two runs.

W: Eric Pardinho (1-2)
HR: Davis Schneider (2)

Player of the Game: Davis Schneider and Eric Pardinho

GCL Blue Jays 0, GCL Tigers East 5

The GCL Blue Jays' bats were held in check as they were shut out by the GCL Tigers East in a 5-0 loss.

Adrian Ramos was 2-for-3 while Leonardo Jimenez and Jordan Groshans (playing third) were each 1-for-3 with a walk. Yhordegny Kelly hit a double, going 1-for-4 as did Jose A. Hernandez who was signed in April after playing two years in the DSL with the Astros' organization.

Meliton Reyes pitched the first inning, allowing a run on a hit and a walk and Emanuel Vizcaino gave up a run on seven hits (including a solo home run) and two walks with two strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings. Brennan Price struck out four in 2 2/3 innings, giving up two hits and Jackson Rees surrendered the final three runs on three hits (including a home run) in the ninth, striking out one.

L: Meliton Reyes (0-1)

Player of the Game: None

DSL Blue Jays 8, DSL Padres 6

After playing to a 5-5 tie in nine innings, the visiting DSL Blue Jays rallied for three runs in the top of the 11th inning that featured a two-run home run from Alberto Rodriguez on their way to an 8-6 win over the DSL Padres.

Rodriguez was 1-for-4 with two RBI, a walk and two runs, adding two stolen bases while Pedro Hurtado was a home run short of the cycle, going 4-for-5 with two singles, a double, a triple and two RBI. Miguel Hiraldo was 1-for-5 with a double, two RBI, a run and a stolen base and Jhon Solarte was 2-for-6 with two triples and two runs.

Alexis Carmona was on the mound to start and he allowed three unearned runs, walking four and allowing one hit with two strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings. Franniel Polanco went 1 2/3, allowing all three inherited runners to score but none of his own, giving up a hit and a walk in 1 2/3 innings. Eliezer Bello gave up two runs on a hit and two walks in two innings, striking out three and Erick Teran was strong, walking one and giving up a hit in two innings with four strikeouts. William Gonzalez picked up the win, throwing two innings and allowing just one unearned run on one hit and one walk with two strikeouts.

W: William Gonzalez (2-2)
HR: Alberto Rodriguez (4)

Player of the Game: Pedro Hurtado

Jay's Jay of the Day: Eric Pardinho

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