Jay Blue: Buffo, Groshans, Guerrero Jr., Jansen, Kirwer, Lantigua, Ramirez, Spanberger

Danny Jansen clubbed his team-leading 11th home run of the season for the triple-A Buffalo Bisons on Tuesday. Photo Credit: Jay Blue

July 31, 2018 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Report
By Jay Blue
Blue Jays from Away

There was a full slate of games for the Toronto Blue Jays' minor league affiliates on Tuesday and the clubs went 6-2.

Buffalo Bisons 8, Lehigh Valley IronPigs 11

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs came out swinging against Nick Tepesch, spoiling Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s Buffalo debut as The Herd lost 11-8.

Guerrero Jr. was 0-for-1, taking three walks and hitting a sacrifice fly, scoring twice and driving in a run. Gift Ngoepe was 3-for-4 with a run and Billy McKinney was 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI, registering two outfield assists. Rowdy Tellez was 2-for-5 with a double and two RBI, scoring once and Danny Jansen hit his team-leading 11th home run, driving in three and going 2-for-5 with a run. Anthony Alford, batting in the number-two spot in the order, in front of Guerrero Jr., was 1-for-3 with two walks, scoring twice and picking up an outfield assist but he also committed an error in centre field.

Nick Tepesch took the loss, allowing three home runs in two innings, giving up eight runs on eight hits with a walk and a strikeout. Conor Fisk tossed three scoreless innings, giving up two hits and striking out three. Taylor Guerrieri allowed another home run, giving up two runs on three hits and two walks with two strikeouts in the sixth. Craig Breslow threw two innings, giving up a hit and walking two with two strikeouts and Tim Mayza finished it, allowing a run on three hits with a walk and a strikeout in the ninth.

L: Nick Tepesch (1-6)
HR: Danny Jansen (11)

Roster Notes: Brandon Cumpton and Darnell Sweeney were recalled by the Blue Jays. Jacob Waguespack, picked up in a trade for Aaron Loup, was assigned to the Bisons, coming over from the Lehigh Valley clubhouse earlier in the day. Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. (Montreal, Que.) was promoted to Buffalo from New Hampshire, as was Roemon Fields.

Player of the Game: Danny Jansen

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 11, Richmond Flying Squirrels 7

Bolstered by a seven-run third inning that included a grand slam from Harold Ramirez, the double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats never looked back, beating the Richmond Flying Squirrels 11-5.

Ramirez was 2-for-4 with the home run, a walk and two runs, stealing two bases. Eduard Pinto was 3-for-5 with a double and two runs and Santiago Espinal was 3-for-4 and was just a home run short of the cycle, driving in three and scoring twice. Max Pentecost was 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI and a run and Bo Bichette was 1-for-4 with a walk, an RBI and a run.

Tayler Saucedo allowed four runs in the second inning but that was it over six innings as he picked up his third win with the Fisher Cats, giving up eight hits and striking out three. Danny Young allowed a run on two hits in the seventh, walking one and Dusty Isaacs tossed a scoreless eighth, giving up a hit and striking out one. Travis Bergen pitched a clean ninth.

W: Tayler Saucedo (3-1)
HR: Harold Ramirez (8)

Roster Notes: Roemon Fields and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. were promoted to Buffalo. New acquisitions Hector Perez and Corey Copping were assigned to New Hampshire.

Player of the Game: Harold Ramirez and Santiago Espinal

Dunedin Blue Jays 8, Lakeland Flying Tigers 0

Maverik Buffo outdueled 2018 top draft pick Casey Mize, sort of, as the class-A Advanced Dunedin Blue Jays cruised to an 8-0 victory.

While Buffo threw six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and a walk with five strikeouts to pick up his third win with the D-Jays, Mize, in his Florida State League debut (and his second professional start) was limited to just three innings and he allowed only one hit and struck out four. Angel Perdomo tossed 1 2/3 innings following Buffo, giving up two hits and a walk with two strikeouts and Juliandry Higuera finished the eighth, getting one out. Jackson McClelland had an uneventful ninth, striking out one.

Brock Lundquist was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run while Kacy Clemens was 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run. Kevin Smith was 1-for-3 with a walk, an RBI and a run and Riley Adams was on base three times, going 1-for-2 with two walks and a run. Ivan Castillo drove in two runs, going 1-for-4 with a double and a run and Rodrigo Orozco was 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run. Joshua Palacios was also on base twice, going 1-for-4 with a walk and an RBI.

W: Maverik Buffo (3-2)

Player of the Game: Maverik Buffo

Lansing Lugnuts 8, Dayton Dragons 7

When the low-A Lansing Lugnuts scored their eighth run in the eighth inning, making the score 8-2, they didn't know just how important that run would be as the Dayton Dragons rallied for five runs in the bottom of the eighth to come within a run that would ultimately be the margin of victory for Lansing in an 8-7 win.

Chad Spanberger hit his first home run in a Lugnuts uniform, going 3-for-5 with a homer and two RBI, scoring twice and stealing a base. Reggie Pruitt had a big game, going 3-for-5 with a triple, an RBI, two runs and a stolen base. Chavez Young stole his 24th base, going 2-for-5 with a run and Norberto Obeso was 2-for-5 with a double and a run. Samad Taylor had just one hit but it was a bases-loaded double that drove in three runs.

Graham Spraker had a solid outing, going five innings and giving up two runs on five hits with two strikeouts for the win. Brody Rodning was tagged for four runs on four hits and a walk with two strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings and he left two runners on for Dany Jimenez who allowed both to score and gave up a run of his own on two hits (including a home run) while striking out three in 1 2/3 innings.

W: Graham Spraker (2-2)
S: Dany Jimenez (8)
HR: Chad Spanberger (1)

Player of the Game: Chad Spanberger

Vancouver Canadians 6, Eugene Emeralds 3

Brandon Polizzi had a big game for the Vancouver Canadians as they defeated the Eugene Emeralds 6-3 on Tuesday. Polizzi was 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs, stealing two bases and added an outfield assist while Canadian Tanner Kirwer (Sherwood Park, Alta.) pushed his batting average to .320 with two singles in four at bats, driving in a run, scoring twice and stealing his 20th and 21st bases of the season. Griffin Conine was on base three times, going 2-for-3 with two doubles, a walk and an RBI. Jesus Severino was 2-for-4 with a double and a run.

Joey Murray started, giving up a hit with a strikeout in two innings and Sean Wymer went three innings, giving up two runs on four hits with a walk and three strikeouts. Will McAffer (North Vancouver, B.C.) allowed a solo home run among three hits in the sixth inning, striking out one and Marcus Reyes went two innings, giving up just a hit while striking out two. Cobi Johnson earned his sixth save, striking out two in the ninth.

W: Sean Wymer (3-2)
S: Cobi Johnson (6)

Player of the Game: Brandon Polizzi and Griffin Conine

Bluefield Blue Jays 6, Bristol Pirates 7

The rookie-class Bluefield Blue Jays worked hard to tie up the game at six in the top of the ninth inning but they lost when the Bristol Pirates walked it off in the bottom of the 10th inning, winning 7-6.

Nathanael Perez was solid, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks in five innings, striking out five. Mike Pascoe walked two in the sixth, striking out one and Josh Almonte gave up two runs in 2/3 of an inning, allowing two hits and a walk. Andy McGuire stranded Almonte's runner but gave up two runs (one earned) on a hit and two walks with a strikeout in 1 1/3 innings and Sean Rackoski pitched an effective ninth, retiring the side in order, striking out two but allowed a single and a fielder's choice and an error in the 10th, allowing Bristol to win.

Three Blue Jays had two hits each with Hagen Danner (2-for-4, 2B, R), Rafael Lantigua (2-for-5, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R) and Cal Stevenson (2-for-5, RBI, R) getting two knocks. Alejandro Kirk drove in two runs with a single.

L: Sean Rackoski (5-2)
HR: Rafael Lantigua (1)

Roster Notes: Jackson Rees was promoted from the GCL to Bluefield.

Player of the Game: Rafael Lantigua

GCL Blue Jays 11, GCL Tigers East 5

The GCL Blue Jays erupted for 11 runs on 11 hits (including two home runs) to beat the GCL Tigers East 11-5.

Yhordegny Kelly hit one of the home runs, going 3-for-5 with the solo blast and three runs while Jordan Groshans was 3-for-4 with a double, a three-run home run, a walk and six RBI. Adrian Ramos was 2-for-4 with two RBI, a double, two runs and a stolen base and Addison Barger drove in two runs, going 1-for-5 with a triple, a walk and two runs. Steward Berroa was 0-for-3 but walked twice and scored twice.

Emanuel Vizcaino allowed five runs on seven hits and three walks in four innings, striking out four but the bullpen held firm. Franniel Planco pitched three no-hit innings, striking out two and Alexander Molina pitched two no-hit frames, striking out one.

W: Franniel Polanco (1-0)
HR: Yhordegny Kelly (2), Jordan Groshans (4)

Roster Notes: Jackson Rees was promoted to the Bluefield Blue Jays.

Player of the Game: Jordan Groshans

DSL Blue Jays 7, DSL Orioles 3

The DSL Blue Jays put up a picket fence from the third inning to the seventh inning, scoring one run in five consecutive frames and then topping it with two runs in the eighth to beat the DSL Orioles 7-3.

The Blue Jays ran wild, stealing six bases and getting caught once in the game and were led by Miguel Hiraldo who was 3-for-5 with a triple, two RBI, a run and a stolen base. Jhon Solarte (2-for-4, BB, 2 RBI, 2 R, 2 SB), Jose Rivas (2-for-4, BB, RBI, R), Alberto Rodriguez (2-for-4, RBI, CS), Erickvi Celedonio (2-for-4, R, 2 SB) and Geyber Jimenez (2-for-3, BB, 3B, RBI, R) all contributed two hits to the 14-hit attack and Alonso Concepcion had the club's other stolen base.

Alexis Carmona went six innings, giving up just an unearned run on four hits with four strikeouts to get the win while Pedro Guzman threw two innings, giving up two unearned runs on three hits with three strikeouts. Jeison Contreras finished it, allowing two hits in the ninth.

W: Alexis Carmona (2-1)

Player of the Game: Alexis Carmona and Miguel Hiraldo

Jay's Jay of the Day: Jordan Groshans

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