April 11, 2018 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Report
By Jay Blue
Blue Jays from Away

The Toronto Blue Jays minor leaguers played their way to a 3-2 record in five games thanks to the class-A Advanced Dunedin Blue Jays playing a doubleheader to make up their postponed game from Tuesday.

Buffalo Bisons 14, Pawtucket Red Sox 8

It was a back-and-forth game for the triple-A Buffalo Bisons as they played on Wednesday afternoon to finish their series against the Pawtucket Red Sox before coming home, but a big, eight-run sixth inning broke the game open and led to a 14-8 victory for The Herd.

Six different players had two hits each but the big blow in the sixth came from Dwight Smith Jr. who, after a walk, three singles and a walk, hit a grand slam home run. Smith was 2-for-6 with five RBI on the day while Danny Espinosa was 2-for-5 with a double, a walk and two runs. Tim Lopes was 2-for-3 with two walks, an RBI and two runs and Jason Leblebijian hit his first home run of the season, going 2-for-4 with a walk, two RBI and two runs. Ian Parmley got his first two hits of the season with a 2-for-5 day that included a double, an RBI and two runs while newly signed Darnell Sweeney was 2-for-3 with two walks, a home run, two RBI, two runs and a stolen base. Danny Jansen, while only going 1-for-4 with a walk, an RBI and a run, also picked a runner off at first base. Teoscar Hernandez also hit a home run, going 1-for-6 with two RBI and two runs.

Deck McGuire started and, in his first outing back in the Blue Jays' system, allowed six runs on five hits and three walks over five innings with four strikeouts. Murphy Smith made his season debut, giving up two unearned runs on three hits and two walks with a strikeout over 1 2/3 innings. Al Alburquerque allowed two hits and a walk in 1 1/3 innings and Matt Dermody struck out two in the ninth to finish it off.

W: Deck McGuire (1-0)
HR: Darnell Sweeney (1), Teoscar Hernandez (1), Jason Leblebijian (1), Dwight Smith Jr. (2)

Player of the Game: Dwight Smith Jr.

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 4, Trenton Thunder 0

The double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats rediscovered their winning ways, pushing their record to 6-1 with a 4-0 victory on the back of Jordan Romano's stellar outing. The Markham, Ont., native tossed seven innings, needing only 86 pitches (58 strikes) to get 21 outs and allowed just three hits while striking out seven batters (with no walks). Justin Shafer allowed a hit and a walk in a scoreless eighth and Andrew Case (Saint John, N.B.) preserved the shutout by pitching a 1-2-3 ninth, getting two of three outs on the ground.

The offence needed only six hits to get their four runs (taking advantage of two errors by the Thunder). Vladimir Guerrero was 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI while Harold Ramirez also had two hits, an RBI, a stolen base and a run. Cavan Biggio, Andrew Guillotte and Patrick Cantwell all walked twice, with Biggio stealing a base.

W: Jordan Romano (1-0)

Player of the Game: Jordan Romano

Dunedin Blue Jays 1, Palm Beach Cardinals 2

The Dunedin Blue Jays lost the first game of their doubleheader with the Palm Beach Cardinals by a 2-1 score despite a solid start from T.J. Zeuch. Zeuch threw six strong innings, allowing only one run on four hits but hit the second batter of the seventh inning and after Stefan Trosclair stole second, he gave up a two-out single to former Dunedin Blue Jay J.B. Woodman to give the Cardinals a walk-off victory. Over the course of the game, Zeuch allowed two runs on five hits with four strikeouts, getting eight ground outs to five fly outs over 6 2/3 innings.

The Dunedin offence was sluggish, getting just four hits including a single and an RBI from Anthony Alford. Replacing Alford, Joshua Palacios was 1-for-1 while Eduard Pinto was 1-for-2 with a run and D.J. Davis was 1/4.

L: T.J. Zeuch (1-1)

Player of the Game: T.J. Zeuch

Dunedin Blue Jays 2, Palm Beach Cardinals 0

The Dunedin Blue Jays turned the tables in the second game of their doubleheader with the Palm Beach Cardinals winning 2-0. The Blue Jays two hits and one RBI apiece from Joshua Palacios (giving him three hits on the day) and Nash Knight while Alberto Mineo was 2/2 with a walk.

Tayler Saucedo went 3 2/3 innings, striking out four and walking one with two hits against before Connor Eller tossed 1 1/3 innings, giving up two hits to earn the win. Jackson McClelland earned the save, throwing the final two innings, giving up a pair of hits and striking out three.

W: Connor Eller (1-0)
S: Jackson McClelland (1)

Player of the Game: Tayler Saucedo, Connor Eller and Jackson McClelland

Lansing Lugnuts 4, Fort Wayne TinCaps 9

In an 11:00 am start, the low-A Lansing Lugnuts got out to a 3-1 lead until a huge seventh inning collapse in which the Fort Wayne TinCaps scored eight runs and got their first win of the season by a 9-4 score.

Yennsy Diaz had a very solid start, giving up only one run through six innings on only one hit (a solo home run) and four walks with four strikeouts. Dany Jimenez came in and was hammered to the tune of eight runs (seven earned) on five hits and two walks with one home run allowed and two strikeouts in just 2/3 of an inning. Orlando Pascual arrived on the scene to get out of the inning and the game, throwing the final 1 1/3 innings, allowing two walks and striking out one.

Samad Taylor had his best game as a Lugnut, going 2-for-4 with a triple and a home run, driving in one and scoring twice but he also made two errors in the field. Kevin Smith also had two hits, hitting a single and a double and scoring a run. Matt Morgan got his first hit of the season, coming in for Ridge Smith (who was 1-for-1), a double while all of the other starters with the exception of Reggie Pruitt all had singles and Kacy Clemens (1-for-4, BB, RBI) and Ryan Noda (1-for-4, BB) both added a walk.

L: Dany Jimenez (1-1)
HR: Samad Taylor (1)

Roster Notes: Dalton Rodriguez was placed on the DL.

Player of the Game: Samad Taylor

Jay's Jay of the Day: Dwight Smith Jr. and Jordan Romano

If you like us here, like us on Facebook!Â

The 2018 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook is now available! Visit the Handbook page for more information!