July 2, 2018 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Report
By Jay Blue
Blue Jays from Away

With a full slate of games, the Toronto Blue Jays' minor league organization was 3-5 on Monday, July 2.

Buffalo Bisons 2, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders 6

The triple-A Buffalo Bisons returned home to face the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders and fell in their series opener 6-2.

Chris Rowley was on the mound, allowing five runs on seven hits (including a home run) and three walks with three strikeouts over five innings. Conor Fisk pitched two scoreless innings, allowing a hit and a walk with one strikeout and Craig Breslow, making his first appearance with Buffalo this season, gave up a solo home run in the eighth, striking out one. Justin Shafer finished it off, striking out one in the ninth.

The Bisons' offence was quiet with Danny Jansen returning to the lineup but going 0-for-4. Reese McGuire was 2-for-4 with an RBI and Dwight Smith Jr. drove in a run, going 1-for-4. Roemon Fields and Tim Lopes each had a hit with Lopes adding a walk and Fields scoring a run.

L: Chris Rowley (5-5)

Roster Notes: Darnell Sweeney was optioned back to Buffalo and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. was promoted in his stead. Al Alburquerque was released and Craig Breslow was promoted from New Hampshire.

Player of the Game: Reese McGuire

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 6, Trenton Thunder 8

The double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats mounted a ninth-inning comeback against the Trenton Thunder but it wasn't enough as they fell 8-6.

Thomas Pannone made his second start for the Fisher Cats, highlighted by seven strikeouts and allowing just two runs on four hits in five innings but he's still showing rust, walking four batters. Dusty Isaacs took the loss, allowing two runs on a hit (a home run) and a walk with three strikeouts in the sixth. Danny Young gave up four unearned runs in the seventh, allowing two hits and a home run with two strikeouts and Zach Jackson struck out one, allowing a hit and a walk in the eighth.

Connor Panas had his third consecutive two-hit game, driving in a run and Juan Kelly was 1-for-4 with a three-run home run, his 10th of the season. Gunnar Heidt was on base twice, going 1-for-3 with a walk.

L: Dusty Isaacs (2-2)
HR: Juan Kelly (10)

Roster Notes: Craig Breslow was promoted to Buffalo.

Player of the Game: None

Dunedin Blue Jays 2, Tampa Tarpons 7

The class-A Advanced Dunedin Blue Jays dropped their series opener to the Tampa Tarpons 7-2. Angel Perdomo allowed five runs on six hits and two walks with five strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings and Jonathan Cheshire also struck out five over 2 1/3 innings, allowing a run on two hits. William Ouellette allowed the Tarpons' final run (unearned) over two innings, giving up just one hit with one strikeout.

Ivan Castillo was 2-for-4 with his first home run of the year and two runs while Yeltsin Gudino also had two hits including a double. Coming off being named the Florida State League Player of the Week, Kevin Smith struck out four times, going 0-for-4.

L: Angel Perdomo (1-5)
HR: Ivan Castillo (1)

Roster Notes: John La Prise retired.

Player of the Game: Ivan Castillo

Lansing Lugnuts 4, West Michigan Whitecaps 0

The West Michigan Whitecaps have a large foam lugnut that someone hits with a sledgehammer when they score against Lansing but they never had a chance to use it as the Lugnuts shut out the Whitecaps 4-0 on Monday.

Donnie Sellers was on the mound to start and was outstanding, giving up just three hits and a walk with four strikeouts in five innings. Brody Rodning followed with two hitless frames, walking one and striking out one. Kyle Weatherly finished with two innings, picking up his third save, allowing one hit and one walk with two strikeouts over the final two innings.

Four Lugnuts had two hits each with Samad Taylor going 2-for-5 with two RBI and a run, stealing his 27th base of the season, Chavez Young going 2-for-5 with his 19th stolen base, Ryan Gold going 2-for-5 with a run and Freddy Rodriguez going 2-for-3 with a walk. Ryan Noda was on base three times, going 1-for-3 with two walks and an RBI and Norberto Obeso was 1-flr-2 but walked three times, hit a double and scored twice.

W: Donnie Sellers (6-1)
S: Kyle Weatherly (3)

Roster Notes: Emerson Jimenez was placed on the DL along with Colton Laws while Yunior Hinojosa and Orlando Pascual were promoted to Lansing, Pascual from Vancouver and Hinojosa from the GCL.

Player of the Game: Donnie Sellers and Norberto Obeso

Vancouver Canadians 5, Salem-Keizer Volcanoes 0

The class-A Short-Season Vancouver Canadians scored five times and got a great pitching performance to defeat the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes 5-0 on Monday.

Sean Wymer went three scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out one and Justin Watts got the win, striking out six batters in just three innings, allowing a hit. Joey Murray struck out five in two innings, giving up three hits and Will McAffer (North Vancouver, B.C.) finished the game, getting a strikeout in one inning.

Otto Lopez (Montreal, Que.) made his Vancouver debut, going 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run while Christopher Bec hit his first professional home run, driving in a pair. Brett Wright also hit a home run, his second of the season, going 1-for-3.

W: Justin Watts (1-0)
HR: Brett Wright (2), Christopher Bec (1)

Roster Notes: Andy McGuire was sent to the Bluefield Blue Jays and Mitch McKown was promoted from Bluefield to Vancouver. Orlando Pascual was sent back to Lansing.

Player of the Game: Justin Watts and Joey Murray

Bluefield Blue Jays 6, Burlington Royals 2

The rookie-class Bluefield Blue Jays pushed their record to 11-2 with a 6-2 victory over the Burlington Royals.

Alejandro Kirk led the offense, going 2-for-3 with a home run, a walk and two RBI. Dominic Abbadessa's batting average dropped to .488 with a 2-for-5 game that included two RBI and Andy McGuire, making his professional debut as a first baseman, was 1-for-2 with two walks, an RBI and two runs. Cal Stevenson was 1-for-3 with two walks and a run.

Alvaro Galindo went five innings, giving up two runs on four hits (including a home run) while striking out six. Fitz Stadler also struck out six, allowing just one hit over three innings and Brad Wilson finished it off, striking out one in the ninth.

W: Fitz Stadler (2-0)
HR: Alejandro Kirk (1)

Roster Notes: Rafael Lantigua was promoted to Bluefield from the GCL and Andy McGuire was assigned to Bluefield from Vancouver.

Player of the Game: Alejandro Kirk and Fitz Stadler

GCL Blue Jays 3, GCL Tigers West 11

As the Toronto Blue Jays lost on Monday to the Detroit Tigers, the GCL Blue Jays lost 11-3 to the GCL Tigers West.

Yhordegny Kelly had his first home run of the year in a losing cause, going 2-for-4 with three RBI and Joseph Reyes was on base twice, going 1-for-3 with a walk. Troy Squires was also 1-for-3 with a walk and a run. Jordan Groshans was 1-for-4 at shortstop.

Alejandro Melean took the loss, allowing five runs (three earned) on eight hits (including a home run) and three walks with one strikeout over three innings. Anderson Nunez went two scoreless innings, giving up just a hit and striking out three. Alexander Molina only got one out, giving up six runs on four hits (including a home run) and two walks while Ryan Thurston went 1 2/3 innings, allowing two hits and two walks and letting both inherited runners score but not giving up any of his own runs Gaudy Ramirez pitched two perfect innings to close out the game.

L: Alejandro Melean (0-2)
HR: Yhordegny Kelly (1)

Roster Notes: Rafael Lantigua was promoted to Bluefield and Mitch McKown was promoted to Vancouver and Yunior Hinojosa was promoted to Lansing.

Player of the Game: Yhordegny Kelly

DSL Blue Jays 2, DSL White Sox 3

The DSL Blue Jays lost by just one run to the DSL White Sox, giving up the third run in the bottom of the ninth as the White Sox walked it off in a 3-2 win over the Blue Jays.

Geyber Jimenez had a pair of hits for the Blue Jays and Jose Rivas was 1-for-4 with a double and a walk, scoring twice and stealing two bases and Jose Zepeda was 1-for-3 with a walk.

Santos Moreno had a strong start, allowing an unearned run on three hits and two walks with six strikeouts in five innings. Jhoan Dominguez allowed a run on three hits and two walks with two strikeouts in three innings and Jeison Contreras took the loss, allowing a run on two hits and a walk with one strikeouts in 2/3 of an inning.

L: Jeison Contreras (1-1)

Player of the Game: Santos Moreno

Jay's Jay of the Day: Alejandro Kirk and Donnie Sellers

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