April 22, 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Report

By Jay Blue
Blue Jays from Away
The Blue Jays’ minor league affiliates split their games on Saturday, getting wins at the top and bottom level teams that were in action while the middle two teams took close losses. There was also organizational movement in the middle infield thanks to Troy Tulowitzki going on the DL and the Blue Jays traded away the DFAed Ty Kelly.

Buffalo Bisons 5, Columbus Clippers 0
T.J. House continues to roll for the Buffalo Bisons as the Herd cruised to a 5-0 victory over the Columbus Clippers. House went 5 1/3 innings, tossing 91 pitches before coming out after giving up just four hits and four walks with eight strikeouts. Jeff Beliveau followed, stranding the runner he inherited from House, going 1 2/3 innings and allowing a walk with three strikeouts. John Stilson threw the final two innings, allowing two hits and striking out three.

The Bisons held a 1-0 lead until the sixth when they scored another four. Jake Elmore and Luke Maile each had two hits with Elmore hitting a triple and driving in two and Maile scoring twice. Christian Lopes hit a double and drove a run in while Dwight Smith, Jr. was 0/4 but walked, scored and drove in a run. Jason Leblebijian was 1/3 with a walk.

Player of the Game: T.J. House

Roster Notes: Casey Lawrence was promoted to Toronto along with Leonel Campos and Danny Barnes was optioned to Buffalo. Jonathan Diaz was also promoted to Buffalo from New Hampshire to take the spot vacated by Ty Kelly who was traded to the Phillies.

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 2, Hartford Yard Goats 3
Shane Dawson had his second strong outing in a row but three runs over seven innings wasn’t enough for a win on this day as the Fisher Cats (6-9) lost 3-2 to the Yard Goats. Dawson allowed just four hits and three walks over his seven frames, striking out only one. Justin Shafer allowed two hits in 2/3 of an inning and Tim Mayza finished the game, getting out all four batters he faced and striking out two.

Anthony Alford returned to lineup, going 2/5 and Harold Ramirez hit a solo home run, his first of the year. Tim Lopes was 1/4 with a walk and Emilio Guerrero was 1/3 with a walk. Reese McGuire was ejected for arguing with the umpire after striking out looking in the fifth inning and Raffy Lopez, taking over for him, was 1/1 with a walk.

Player of the Game: Shane Dawson

Roster Notes: Jonathan Diaz was promoted to the Buffalo Bisons from New Hampshire and J.C. Cardenas was promoted to New Hampshire from Dunedin.

Dunedin Blue Jays 1, Fort Myers Miracle 4
The Dunedin Blue Jays (8-9) squandered a strong start by Ryan Cook, falling behind to the Fort Myers Miracle in the late innings and losing 4-1. Cook, in his first start of the year, went four innings and scattered five hits and a walk but didn’t give up a run, striking out two. Jared Carkuff allowed a run on two hits and a walk a strikeout in 1 2/3 innings to allow the Miracle to tie the game and Danny Young kept the game tied, tossing 1 1/3 innings, stranding two runners from Carkuff. Adonys Cardona allowed three runs (two earned) in the eight, taking the loss while Kender Villegas walked one but otherwise was unscathed in the ninth.

Despite 10 hits, the D-Jays could only score one run. Andrew Guillotte (2/3) and Danny Jansen (2/4) each had two hits (with Jansen’s pair of singles bringing his batting average to .429 on the season). Derrick Loveless had the club’s only double, going 1/4 and D.J. Davis was 1/3 with a walk. Max Pentecost was 1/3, starting the game at catcher.

Player of the Game: Ryan Cook, Danny Jansen and Andrew Guillotte

Roster Notes: J.C. Cardenas was promoted to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats and Kevin Vicuna was sent to Dunedin from extended spring training.

Lansing Lugnuts 12, Bowling Green Hot Rods 10
The Bowling Green Hot Rods scored eight runs in the second and third innings but it wasn’t enough to keep the Sluggin’ Lugs down as they mounted a comeback that saw the Lansing Lugnuts (8-8) beat the Hot Rods 12-10. Andy Ravel was not effective but the defense behind didn’t always come through as he allowed eight runs (only three earned, thanks to a Bo Bichette error at second base) on 10 hits and two walks in just three innings. Geno Encina, in another Herculean effort of long relief, tossed 3 2/3 scoreless innings, giving up two hits and three walks with four strikeouts. Jackson McClelland got the win, throwing the last 2 1/3 innings, stranding the runner he inherited from Encina, but giving up two runs of his own.

J.B. Woodman had a three-hit day, going 3/5 with two runs but Bo Bichette was also on base three times, going 2/4 with a walk, an RBI and three runs. Christian Williams was 2/4 with a walk, three RBI and two runs and Edward Olivares drove in three, going 1/5 with the Lugnuts’ only extra-base hit, a double. Joshua Palacios was 1/4 with a walk, an RBI and a run and Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. was 1/4 with a walk and two runs. Jake Thomas drove in two but was 0/2 with two walks and a sacrifice fly.

Player of the Game: J.B. Woodman, Bo Bichette and Christian Williams

Roster Notes: Chris Hall was assigned to the Lansing Lugnuts out of extended spring training to take the spot of Osman Gutierrez who was put on the DL after the game on Friday.

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The 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook is now available! Check out the Handbook page for more information!