June 24, 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Report
By Jay Blue
Blue Jays from Away

Without the Blue Jays' short-season teams, they wouldn't have won at all on Saturday, going 0-5 with the full-season teams. The Vancouver Canadians, Bluefield Blue Jays and DSL Blue Jays all won, however, giving the organization a 3-5 day.

Buffalo Bisons 5, Syracuse Chiefs 6

The Buffalo Bisons and Syracuse Chiefs were locked into matching each other step for step until the bottom of the ninth inning when the Chiefs walked off with a 6-5 win over The Herd. Raffy Lopez led the club with his bat, going 3/4 with a double, two home runs and four RBI. Jason Leblebijian was 1/3 with a double and a walk.

Brett Oberholtzer went one inning but couldn't get anyone out in the second, despite pitching to six batters. Chris Rowley took over, tossing four scoreless innings but got into trouble in his fifth frame, ultimately allowing two runs on three hits and three walks with four strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings. Murphy Smith tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings, striking out three before John Stilson came on for the ninth and failed to get an out, walking two and giving up two hits to allow the Chiefs to walk off with the win.

Player of the Game: Raffy Lopez

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 3, Binghamton Rumble Ponies 4

The New Hampshire Fisher Cats dropped the first game of their doubleheader with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies 4-3. Jon Harris was the starter and walked six batters in 4 2/3 innings, struggling with his control as the Rumble Ponies scored four runs on seven hits. Justin Shafer came on with the bases loaded in the fifth, allowing just one to score and gave up one hit over 2 1/3 innings with two strikeouts to finish the game.

The Fisher Cats' offense was very spread with all of the starters getting one hit each except for the red-hot Harold Ramirez who was held hitless. Jonathan Davis was 1/2 with a walk and an RBI while Tim Lopes and Gunnar Heidt were each 1/2 with a walk and a double and Heidt drove in a run. Jake Thomas was 1/2 with a single and a walk and Derrick Loveless was 1/2 with a triple and a walk, scoring once.

Player of the Game: Gunnar Heidt, Derrick Loveless and Tim Lopes

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 0, Binghamton Rumble Ponies 2

The Fisher Cats couldn't get any offense going in the second half of the doubleheader, dropping the nightcap 2-0 to the Binghamton Rumble Ponies. Ryan McBroom hit a double and Andrew Guillotte hit a single and that was all for the offense.

Kender Villegas was on the mound, tossing four innings in a spot start, giving up a run on three hits and a walk with four strikeouts. Dusty Isaacs threw two scoreless innings, walking one and striking out two while Jose Fernandez gave up a run on two hits and a walk in the seventh inning.

Player of the Game: None

Dunedin Blue Jays 1, Tampa Yankees 3

The Dunedin Blue Jays lost another game to the Tampa Yankees, dropping a 3-1 game. Cavan Biggio hit his fifth home run, going 2/4 while just Juan Kelly (1/3, BB) and Josh Almonte (1/4, SB, CS, PO, E) had hits.

Conor Fisk allowed a run on three hits and three walks in 5 1/3 innings, striking out four while Tom Robson (Ladner, B.C.) allowed a run on a hit in his inning, despite striking out three batters. Kirby Snead finished off the seventh with 2/3 of an inning and Adonys Cardona gave up a run in the eighth on two hits but struck out two.

Player of the Game: Cavan Biggio

Lansing Lugnuts 1, West Michigan Whitecaps 16

The Lansing Lugnuts played a sloppy game, falling 16-1 to the powerhouse West Michigan Whitecaps. Starter Osman Gutierrez didn't set a good tone for the pitching staff, walking six of the eight batters he faced and only getting two outs before leaving the bases loaded for Geno Encina. Gutierrez was charged with five runs and Encina, who allowed two of his three inherited runners to score, gave up three runs (two earned) on eight hits and three walks in 3 1/3 innings. Jared Carkuff allowed three runs on four hits in 2 2/3 innings while Nick Hartman gave up four unearned runs in his inning. Nick Sinay finished the game, allowing a run on two hits in 1/3 of an inning.

Yeltsin Gudino had two hits including a double but the defense was troubled, getting two errors from Josh Palacios and two more from Vladimir Guerrero, Jr.

Player of the Game: None

Roster Notes: Juliandry Higuera was promoted from the Vancouver Canadians to the Lansing Lugnuts and Nick Hartman was activated off the temporarily inactive list.

Vancouver Canadians 10, Spokane Indians 4

The Vancouver Canadians got their bats going, scoring 10 runs on their way to a 10-4 win over the Spokane Indians. Bryan Lizardo drove in four runs, going 2/5 with a double while Kevin Vicuna was 2/3 with two walks, an RBI and a run and Cullen Large was 2/4 with a walk and two runs. Brock Lundquist was 1/4 with a walk, a triple, two RBI and two runs while Javier Hernandez was 1/4 with a double and an RBI. Riley Adams was 1/4 with a double and an RBI.

Donnie Sellers started the game, going two innings with a strikeout while WIlfri Aleton went five innings, allowing two runs on five hits and striking out three to pick up his first win. Bobby Eveld allowed two runs on four hits in two innings.

Player of the Game: Bryan Lizardo and Kevin Vicuna

Roster Notes: The Vancouver Canadians sent lefty Juliandry Higuera to Lansing and first baseman Francsico Rodriguez to Bluefield.

Bluefield Blue Jays 7, Greeneville Astros 6

The Bluefield Blue Jays blew a lead in the bottom of the eighth inning but managed to score a run in the 11th on their way to a 7-6 win over the Greeneville Astros. Ryan Noda hit his second home run in as many days, adding two singles for a three-hit day, scoring twice and driving in one. Antony Fuentes also hit a home run, going 2/5 with a double and two runs. Sterling Guzman was the third man going deep, going 2/3 with a homer, two walks and two RBI, scoring a run. Jesus Severino was 1/3 with a double and an RBI.

Maximo Castillo only went 3 2/3 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits and two walks with two strikeouts. Graham Spraker made his professional debut, tossing 1 1/3 innings of one-hit, one-walk ball, stranding both his inherited runners and striking out two. Joe DiBenedetto also made his pro debut, tossing two innings with just a solo home run to blemish his record, striking out two batters. Tyler Olander blew the save, allowing two runs on two hits and a walk in 2/3 of an inning but Ty Tice came on to rescue things, finishing the eighth and pitching the ninth without allowing a run and stranding two of Olander's runners. Mitch McKown started off his 2017 on a good note, tossing two scoreless innings, giving up two hits and a walk with two strikeouts to earn the win.

Player of the Game: Ryan Noda

Roster Notes: Francisco Rodriguez was sent from Vancouver to Bluefield.

DSL Blue Jays 4, DSL D-Backs 1

The DSL Blue Jays picked up their 15th win in a 4-1 victory over the DSL D-Backs squad. DH Andres Martinez was 3/4 with a run while Jose Briceno, the left fielder was 2/4 with a run. Warnel Valdez was 1/3 with a walk and an RBI.

Nathanael Perez was excellent in his five innings, allowing just four hits and striking out three. Emanuel Vizcaino threw two scoreless innings despite allowing three hits and striking out two. Geremy Jimenez allowed an unearned run on two hits and a walk in 2/3 of an inning and Nicolas Medina came in with two on and stranded them, striking out the only batter he faced. Elixon Caballero earned the save, walking one in the ninth.

Player of the Game: Nathanael Perez and Andres Martinez

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