May 5, 2018 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Report
By Jay Blue
Blue Jays from Away

Playing five games on Saturday, the Toronto Blue Jays' affiliates won four of them, with just the low-A Lansing Lugnuts coming up short in their match with Quad Cities.

Buffalo Bisons 7, Syracuse Chiefs 6

The triple-A Buffalo Bisons amassed a 7-1 lead after five innings and managed to get it to hold up as they held on for a 7-6 win over the Syracuse Chiefs, exploding for 16 hits in the victory.

Dwight Smith Jr. had three of those hits, just missing the cycle by a home run and driving in a run and scoring once. Devon Travis was 2-for-5 with a double and a run while Darnell Sweeney (2-for-4, 2B, 2 R), Jason Leblebijian (2-for-4, 2 RBI, R, E), Ian Parmley (2-for-4, RBI, R) and Roemon Fields (2-for-3, BB, 2B, 2 RBI) each had two hits.

Chris Rowley had a strong start, giving up just one unearned run on seven hits and a walk with four strikeouts to move his record to 3-1 with seven innings of work. Connor Eller wasn't greeted kindly in his triple-A debut as he allowed five runs on five hits and a walk in 1 1/3 innings. Murphy Smith allowed both inherited runners to score getting the final two outs, giving up a hit and an intentional walk.

W: Chris Rowley (3-1)
S: Murphy Smith (1)

Roster Notes: Anthony Alford was promoted to Toronto and Jake Petricka was optioned to Buffalo.

Player of the Game: Dwight Smith Jr. and Chris Rowley

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 6, Binghamton Rumble Ponies 5

The double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats opened their doubleheader with a big comeback win over the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, scoring five runs in the top of the seventh to roll to a 6-5 win.

The Fisher Cats sent 10 men to the plate in that seventh inning which was highlighted by an RBI single by Jonathan Davis and a two-RBI double by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Montreal, Que.). Davis was 2-for-4 with the RBI and Guerrero was 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI and two runs. Harold Ramirez was 2-for-3 with an RBI and Juan Kelly was on base twice, going 1-for-3 with an RBI double and a walk.

Francisco Rios went four innings, giving up four runs on five hits (including a home run) and three walks with three strikeouts. Jose Fernandez walked three but only gave up one hit and one run in two innings of work, allowing a home run and striking out one. Andrew Case (Saint John, N.B.) earned the save, pitching a scoreless seventh with a walk.

W: Jose Fernandez (2-0)
S: Andrew Case (2)

Player of the Game: Vladmir Guerrero Jr.

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 4, Binghamton Rumble Ponies 2

Vladimir Guerrero (Montreal, Que.) figured prominently in the second game of the doubleheader, as the Fisher Cats swept the twin bill with a 4-2 win over the Rumble Ponies.

Guerrero was 2-for-4 with an RBI as his batting average settled to .398 after the game (although he was up to .407 after going 2-for-2 in his first two at bats). Harold Ramirez also had a pair of hits including a double and a run. Bo Bichette was on base three times, going 1-for-2 with a double, a walk, an RBI and a run. Jonathan Davis was on twice, going 1-for-3 with a walk and a run. Canadian Connor Panas (Toronto, Ont.) was 1-for-3 with an RBI.

Another Canadian, Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.), got the start and struck out six in 5 1/3 innings, moving his record to 5-0, allowing two runs on two hits (including a home run) and four walks. Kirby Snead tossed a scoreless inning in relief and Justin Shafer finished it off, getting the save by retiring both batters he faced.

W: Jordan Romano (5-0)
S: Justin Shafer (1)

Player of the Game: Bo Bichette

Dunedin Blue Jays 7, Clearwater Threshers 3

The class-A Advanced Dunedin Blue Jays made it two wins in a row, defeating the Clearwater Threshers by a 7-3 score.

Nash Knight was on base four times, going 1-for-2 with three walks, an RBI and a run while Eduard Pinto was 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI and a run. Ivan Castillo was 2-for-5 with an RBI and Joshua Palacios was 2-for-5 with a walk, a run and two stolen bases. Logan Warmoth (1-for-5) hit a double and Bradley Jones (1-for-3) took a walk, hit a double and hit a sacrifice fly. Riley Adams was 1-for-2 with a walk and a sac fly and Rodrigo Orozco was 1-for-4 with a walk, a triple, two RBI and a run.

Angel Perdomo threw just 44 pitches, getting through three innings with two hits against and four strikeouts. Andy Ravel, making his Dunedin debut, allowing three runs (two earned) over two innings, giving up a pair of hits and a walk with two strikeouts. Jonathan Cheshire earned the win, tossing 2 2/3 innings of perfect ball, striking out three. Travis Bergen finished it, striking out three and allowing a hit in 1 1/3 innings.

W: Jonathan Cheshire (1-0)

Player of the Game: Nash Knight

Lansing Lugnuts 2, Quad City River Bandits 9

The low-A Lansing Lugnuts got owned by the Quad City River Bandits, losing 9-2 on Saturday evening.

Yennsy Diaz, the Midwest League's Player of the Month, had his phenomenal run end, giving up eight runs on six hits (including two home runs) and three walks, striking out two. Dany Jimenez was solid through three innings, allowing three hits and a walk but no runs with one strikeout. Kyle Weatherly allowed a run in his second inning of work, allowing three hits with two strikeouts and Ty Tice got some work at the end of the game, surrendering just one hit with a strikeout in the ninth.

Kevin Smith continues to hit, however, stroking a single and a double and taking two walks, driving in a run and scoring once. Norberto Obeso was 2-for-4 and Christian Williams drove in a run with a double.

Player of the Game: Kevin Smith

Jay's Jay of the Day: Kevin Smith

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