August 27, 2018 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Report
By Jay Blue
Blue Jays from Away

The GCL and DSL Blue Jays have finished their seasons and the rest of the Toronto Blue Jays' minor league clubs were in action, putting together a 2-4 record in six games.

Buffalo Bisons 2, Pawtucket Red Sox 4

The triple-A Buffalo Bisons lost their final home game of the season 4-2 to the Pawtucket Red Sox despite some fireworks from the game's top prospect. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Montreal, Que.) was 1/4 with a two-run home run in the fifth inning while Dwight Smith Jr. was 2/3 with a walk and a run and Anthony Alford was 2/4 with an outfield assist. Dalton Pompey (Mississauga, Ont.) and Darnell Sweeney were 1/4 and Gunnar Heidt was 1/4 with a double but struck out three times.

Zach Stewart gave the club three solid innings, allowing a run on three hits and a walk with three strikeouts. Juliandry Higuera allowed two runs on a hit and two walks with a strikeout in 2 1/3 innings and Craig Breslow struggled to get two outs, letting the two inherited runners from Higuera to score, allowing two hits and two walks. Andrew Case (Saint John, N.B.) finished the game, tossing three innings and giving up a run on two hits with one strikeout.

L: Juliandry Higuera (0-1)
HR: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (5)

Roster Notes: Danny Barnes and Murphy Smith were promoted to Toronto while Justin Shafer and Jake Petricka were both optioned to Buffalo. Also coming up to Buffalo were Juliandry Higuera, from the Dunedin Blue Jays and Andrew Case (Saint John, N.B.), from New Hampshire. Dalton Pompey was activated off the DL.

Player of the Game: Dwight Smith Jr.

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 6, Portland Sea Dogs 12

The double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats couldn't quite get things going enough to come back against the Portland Sea Dogs, losing 12-6. Harold Ramirez, who leads the Eastern League with a .314 batting average, went 3/5 with a double and three RBI, scoring once and three Fisher Cats had a pair of hits each. Jon Berti was 2/5 with a run, Bo Bichette was 2/5 with his 40th double of the year, an RBI and a run and Juan Kelly was 2/4 with a double and two runs. Cavan Biggio was 1/5 with a double and two RBI and Patrick Cantwell was 1/3 with a walk.

Tayler Saucedo was hit around, giving up 10 runs (nine earned) on nine hits (including a home run) and two walks, striking out three in 4 2/3 innings. Kirby Snead allowed both inherited runners to score and threw an inning, giving up four hits with one strikeout. Jackson McClelland allowed two runs on three hits and a walk in 1 1/3 innings, striking out three, stranding two inherited runners. Corey Copping struck out three batters in the eighth.

L: Tayler Saucedo (4-4)

Roster Notes: Andrew Case (Saint John, N.B.) was promoted to Buffalo.

Player of the Game: Harold Ramirez

Dunedin Blue Jays 6, Palm Beach Cardinals 0

The class-A Advanced Dunedin Blue Jays' pitching dominated the Palm Beach Cardinals, beating them 6-0 to open their series. Yennsy Diaz allowed only two hits and a walk in seven shutout innings, striking out four and Claudio Custodio and Ty Tice each pitched a scoreless inning with Custodio allowed a hit and a walk and Tice picking up one strikeout.

The Blue Jays went deep three times, getting 14 hits on the night with Chad Spanberger leading the way, falling a triple short of the cycle and going 3/4 with a double, home run, two RBI and two runs. Kevin Smith hit his 17th home run with the Blue Jays, going 2/4 with the solo shot and Joshua Palacios was 1/5 with his eighth home run of the year. Ivan Castillo was 2/4 and Kacy Clemens was 2/4 with an RBI while Brock Lundquist was 2/4 with two doubles and an RBI and Logan Warmoth and Rodrigo Orozco each had a single and a walk.

W: Yennsy Diaz (5-4)
HR: Kevin Smith (17), Joshua Palacios (8), Chad Spanberger (3)

Roster Notes: Juliandry Higuera was promoted to Buffalo.

Player of the Game: Yennsy Diaz and Chad Spanberger

Lansing Lugnuts 3, Dayton Dragons 1

The low-A Lansing Lugnuts and Dayton Dragons were locked in a 1-1 tie for eight innings before the Lugnuts scored twice in the top of the ninth to break the deadlock and go on to win the game 3-1. In the ninth, it was Ryan Noda's RBI double that proved to be the winning run and Andres Sotillo added a single to score the third run later that inning. Noda was 1/4 with a double, an RBI and a run while Sotillo was 2/4 with an RBI. Samad Taylor was 1/4 with a double and Chavez Young was 1/3 with a walk, a stolen base and a run. Reggie Pruitt was also 1/3 with a walk but was caught stealing.

Kyle Weatherly had one of his strongest outings of the year, going six innings and allowing just one run on five hits and a walk with two strikeouts. Brayden Bouchey (White Rock, BC) provided two scoreless innings, walking one and striking out two and Dany Jimenez earned his 13th save, despite giving up a pair of hits in the ninth, striking out one.

W: Brayden Bouchey (2-0)
S: Dany Jimenez (13)

Player of the Game: Kyle Weatherly

Vancouver Canadians 0, Boise Hawks 2

The class-A Short-Season Vancouver Canadians could only muster four hits against the Boise Hawks in a 2-0 loss. Nick Podkul had two singles while Jake Brodt had a double and Mc Gregory Contreras was 1/4.

Joey Murray allowed just two hits with four strikeouts in two innings before Joey Pulido went one inning, allowing only one hit. Sean Wymer struck out seven in three innings, giving up a solo home run among two hits and a walk and Fitz Stadler allowed a hit with one strikeout in two innings. Marcus Reyes gave up a hit and a walk leading to a run in the ninth.

L: Sean Wymer (4-3)

Player of the Game: None

Bluefield Blue Jays 0, Burlington Royals 1

Despite holding the Burlington Royals to just two hits, the rookie-class Bluefield Blue Jays had just four of their own and couldn't score, losing 1-0. Nathanael Perez pitched more than well enough to win, throwing five innings without giving up a hit, walking one and striking out seven. Andy McGuire took the loss, giving up an unearned run on a D.J. Neal fielding error, allowing two hits and striking out two in two innings. Cre Finfrock struck out two in the eighth.

Cal Stevenson was 1/4 with a double and D.J. Neal was 2/4. Alejandro Kirk was 1/3, adding a walk.

L: Andy McGuire (1-2)

Roster Notes: There were several moves on Sunday as Joe DiBenedetto and Matt Harris were assigned to the GCL Blue Jays and Gage Burland and Ryan Thurston were promoted to Bluefield from the GCL.

Player of the Game: Nathanael Perez

Jay's Jay of the Day: Nathanael Perez and Yennsy Diaz

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