Jay Blue: Biggio, Groshans, Kirwer, Sopko, Spraker

Graham Spraker allowed just one run in six scoreless innings for the class-A Advanced Dunedin Blue Jays on Wednesday. Photo: Jay Blue

May 8, 2019 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Report

By Jay Blue

Blue Jays from Away

The Dunedin Blue Jays gave the Jays' organization it's only win on Wednesday as the three other minor league clubs (and the major league club) all dropped their games.

Buffalo Bisons 2, Gwinnett Stripers (ATL) 9

The triple-A Buffalo Bisons were shellacked in the late innings as the Gwinnett Stripers broke a 2-2 tie in the sixth and never looked back, beating the Bisons 9-2.

Cavan Biggio had a big game, going 3/4 with two RBI while Reese McGuire was 2/4 with a double. Andy Burns and Jonathan Davis were each 1/4 with a double each and Davis added a walk and a run. Andrew Guillotte was 1/3 with a walk and a stolen base.

Jacob Waguespack went five innings, allowing six runs on seven hits (including two home runs) and two walks, despite striking out seven. He left two runners on for Zach Jackson who allowed both to score and allowed two runs (one earned) of his own, allowing two hits (including a home run) and three walks with three strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings. Francisco Rios made his triple-A debut, allowing a solo home run among three hits in 1 1/3 innings, striking out one.

L: Jacob Waguespack (2-4)

Player of the Game: Cavan Biggio

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 1, Portland Sea Dogs (BOS) 3

The double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats couldn't get much offence going again as they fell 3-1 to the Portland Sea Dogs.

The club had just five hits including two from Santiago Espinal who was 2/4 with an RBI and a stolen base. Riley Adams had his first double-A hit, going 1/4 while Vinny Capra was 1/3 with a run and a stolen base and Forrest Wall was on base twice, going 1/3 with a walk but he got picked off.

The Fisher Cats wasted a strong start by Andrew Sopko, who threw five scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and a walk with five strikeouts. Willy Ortiz took the loss, giving up three runs on four hits (including a home run) with one walk and four strikeouts in three innings.

L: Willy Ortiz (0-1)

Player of the Game: Andrew Sopko

Dunedin Blue Jays 1, Tampa Tarpons (NYY) 0

On a day when scoring was tough to find for the Blue Jays' minor league clubs, the class-A Advanced Dunedin Blue Jays got some dominant pitching to allow their one run to stand up and defeat the Tampa Tarpons 1-0.

Graham Spraker allowed just one hit and one walk over six innings (hitting two batters) and striking out five with a six-to-three groundout-to-flyout ratio to drop his ERA to 1.99 and pick up his fourth win of the season. Emerson Jimenez struck out two and walked one in the seventh while Brad Wilson and Dany Jimenez each struck out one in a scoreless inning of relief to finish the game.

The Blue Jays had six hits including two doubles from Alejandro Kirk who also walked and scored the club's only run. Demi Orimoloye (Orleans, Ont.) was 1/4 with the game's only RBI and Christian Williams had two singles. Samad Taylor added the game's only other hit.

W: Graham Spraker (4-0)
S: Dany Jimenez (2)

Player of the Game: Graham Spraker and Alejandro Kirk

Lansing Lugnuts 0, Quad Cities River Bandits (HOU) 6

The low-A Lansing Lugnuts were shut out again by the Quad Cities River Bandits in a 6-0 loss, the exact same score that they lost by on Tuesday.

The Lugnuts improved their offence slightly, getting seven hits instead of five the night before. Reggie Pruitt was 2/5 while Jordan Groshans, coming back off the IL, was 2/5. D.J. Neal was 1/3 with a walk and Tanner Kirwer (Sherwood Park, Alta.) was 1/2 with two walks. Rafael Lantigua was 1/3 with a walk.

Juan De Paula started, giving up five runs on eight hits with four walks and three strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings while Josh Hiatt followed and went 4 1/3 innings with an unearned run on two hits and a walk with three strikeouts.

L: Juan De Paula (3-3)

Player of the Game: Reggie Pruitt and Jordan Groshans

Roster Notes: Jordan Groshans was activated off the IL.

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