April 17, 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Report
By Jay Blue
Blue Jays from Away
There were two one-run games in the Blue Jays’ system on Easter Monday (both losses) and two wild games with over 20-runs scored between them after the Lansing Lugnuts rallied to win their contest with the Dayton Dragons.

Buffalo Bisons
Scheduled Off Day

Roster Notes: Matt Dermody was sent back down to Buffalo while Blake McFarland was sent to New Hampshire.

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 0, Trenton Thunder 1
With only five hits, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats couldn’t expect to win on Monday but the Trenton Thunder got the only one that mattered, a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning which led to their 1-0 victory over the Fisher Cats. Just two players accounted for all five hits including two from Tim Lopes and three, including a double, from Anthony Alford. Both players added a stolen base.

On the mound, Shane Dawson was masterful, allowing no runs on just two hits and one walk through six innings, striking out five. Luis Santos gave up the home run to Mike Ford, taking the loss and Chris Rowley threw a perfect eighth to close the game.

Player of the Game: Shane Dawson

Roster Notes: Blake McFarland was sent to New Hampshire from Buffalo.

Dunedin Blue Jays 10, St. Lucie Mets 11
It was a wild one in Dunedin as the Blue Jays jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the bottom of the second inning but it took some time for the St. Lucie bats to get warmed up, getting three late home runs and scoring 10 runs combined from the fifth inning on, eventually overwhelming the Blue Jays’ pitching. Ryan Borucki started strongly, allowing just one run with six strikeouts through four innings. In the fifth, two errors and a walk led to two runs against Borucki and then the wheels completely fell off. Approaching his pitch limit in the sixth inning, Borucki gave up a home run, got a strikeout and surrendered a double and a single before being lifted for Josh DeGraaf who promptly gave up a home run before retiring the side. Borucki’s final line was 5 1/3 innings, six runs (five earned) on six hits and three walks with eight strikeouts. DeGraaf thew 2/3 of an inning and was charge with one run on the home run and struck out one. Tom Robson came in in the seventh inning and got a 1-2-3 inning with two strikeouts but couldn’t get an out in the eighth after surrendering a home run, walk and three singles. Case allowed one of his two inherited runners to score but tossed two complete innings, giving up one hit with two strikeouts. Robson was charged with the loss, giving up four runs on four hits and one walk with two strikeouts.

The offense tried its best but 10 runs wasn’t enough on this day. Danny Jansen led the way with another multi-hit game, setting a season high with four singles, driving in a run and scoring three times. Lane Thomas had a 2/4 game with a triple, a walk, an RBI, two runs, a stolen base and an outfield assist. Joining Thomas in the two-hit club were Andrew Guillotte (2/6, R), Matt Dean (2/4, BB, 2 RBI) and J.C. Cardenas (2/4, BB, R, 2 RBI). Derrick Loveless was 1/4 with the club’s only other extra-base hit, a double. Max Pentecost returned to action after getting some time behind the plate in extended spring training but was the DH in this one, going 1/6.

Player of the Game: Danny Jansen

Roster Notes: The Blue Jays sent Jared Carkuff and Conner Eller back to extended spring training while Danny Young and Josh DeGraaf rejoined the D-Jays’ roster. Max Pentecost was assigned back to Dunedin with Connor Panas going on the DL.

Lansing Lugnuts 13, Dayton Dragons 9
Instead of falling into despair when they went down 7-1 in the bottom of the first inning, the Lugnuts rallied slowly and surely, getting a strong performance from the bullpen to hold the Dragons down in compiling a 13-9 win. Starter Andy Ravel unravelled in the first inning, allowing six runs on four hits and a walk in just 1/3 of an inning but Griffin Glaude had an excellent outing in relieving him. Glaude went 3 2/3 innings out of the bullpen, giving up just one run on three hits with six strikeout. Kirby Snead struggled with the walk, giving up a run on four free passes and one strikeout in one inning. Philip Walby got his first win with the Lugnuts, tossing 2 2/3 innings of one-hit ball, allowing a run and walking two with two strikeouts and Jackson McClelland earned his second save with 1 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing a walk and nothing more, and striking out one.

Bradley Jones, the 2016 Appalachian League home run champ, was instrumental in the win, slamming two home runs and driving in six RBI on his way to a 3/5 night. The two home runs give Jones four on the season, moving him into the organizational lead for the time being. Edward Olivares also went deep, going 3/4 with the solo blast, a walk, three runs and two stolen bases. Joshua Palacios was activated off the DL to make his 2017 Lansing debut, going 2/4 with a walk, two RBI and two runs. J.B. Woodman, playing center field, also had two hits, going 2/5 with an RBI. Both Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. were 1/4 with a walk, an RBI and two runs each.

Player of the Game: Bradley Jones

Roster Notes: Joshua Palacios was activated off the DL and Nick Sinay went on the 7-day DL.

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