July 1, 2018 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Report
By Jay Blue
Blue Jays from Away

With the two lowest level clubs off for Sunday, the Toronto Blue Jays’ organization was 4-2 in the minor leagues.

Buffalo Bisons 4, Syracuse Chiefs 1

The Buffalo Bisons got behind a strong start by Sean Reid-Foley to beat the Syracuse Chiefs 4-1. Reid-Foley picked up his fourth International League win, giving up just two hits and a walk in six innings, striking out five and getting seven ground outs to just two fly outs. Jose Fernandez gave up the only Syracuse run, allowing a solo home run among two hits and a walk with two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings and Rhiner Cruz finished the game, walking one in 1 1/3 innings.

Lourdes Gurriel (who will probably be called up to Toronto on Monday) went 3/5 with a double, two RBI and a run while Dwight Smith Jr. was 2/4 with an RBI and a stolen base. Anthony Alford was 1/3 with a walk and a stolen base and Rowdy Tellez was 1/5 with a double while Michael De La Cruz drove in the Bisons’ first run with a double, going 1/4.

W: Sean Reid-Foley (4-2)
S: Rhiner Cruz (1)

Player of the Game
Sean Reid-Foley

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 4, Trenton Thunder 0
 
A day after being shut out for the first time all season, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats turned around and shut out the Trenton Thunder, behind seven scoreless frames from T.J. Zeuch in a 4-0 win. Zeuch, picking up his sixth win with New Hampshire, allowing five hits and two walks with four strikeouts, getting 11 outs on the ground and five on fly balls. Kirby Snead allowed a hit with one strikeout in the eighth and Andrew Case closed it, giving up a walk and striking out two in the ninth.

Eduard Pinto hit his first New Hampshire home run, going 2/5 with the solo blast and a double. Max Pentecost was 3/4 with a double, an RBI and a run and Connor Panas was 2/5. Cavan Biggio walked twice and Gunnar Heidt was 2/4 with an RBI.

W: T.J. Zeuch (6-3)
HR: Eduard Pinto (1)

Roster Notes: Matt Tracy was activated off the DL and assigned to Buffalo.

Player of the Game
T.J. Zeuch

Dunedin Blue Jays 8, Bradenton Marauders 12

Against the Pirates-affiliated Bradenton Marauders, the Dunedin Blue Jays mounted a “too-little, too-late” comeback that saw them score six runs in the seventh and one in the bottom of the ninth to lost 12-8. Joshua Palacios went 3/4 with a grand slam in the seventh, driving in four runs in the losing cause and Kevin Smith was 2/5 with a home run, one RBI and two runs. Alberto Mineo was 2/3 with a walk, an RBI, a run and a sac fly and Ivan Castillo made it his second consecutive two-hit game with a single, a double, a walk and two RBI. Yeltsin Gudino was 2/4 as well and Rodrigo Orozco was 1/4 with a walk and a run.

Zach Logue started for Dunedin and allowed five runs on five hits (including two home runs) and three walks with four strikeouts. Juliandry Higuera allowed six more runs on five hits and two walks in two innings, striking out three. Connor Eller allowed a run on three hits in the eighth and Jake Fishman continued his strong season, allowing a hit and striking out one in the ninth.

L: Zach Logue (3-2)
HR: Kevin Smith (6), Joshua Palacios (5)

Player of the Game
Joshua Palacios

Lansing Lugnuts 8, Great Lakes Loons 4
 
The Lansing Lugnuts doubled up the Great Lakes Loons, beating them 8-4 thanks to a strong effort from Ryan Noda. Noda was 3/4 with a walk, a double, an RBI and two runs while Ryan Gold hit a three-run triple, going 1/5. Samad Taylor was 0/3 but walked, drove in two runs and scored, stealing four bases. Brandon Grudzielanek was 1/4 with a double, a walk and two runs and Chavez Young was 1/4 with a double, a walk and a run.

Matt Gunter started, allowing two runs on three hits and four walks with three strikeouts in three innings. Dalton Rodriguez provided two innings of relief, allowing two more runs on five hits with three strikeouts. Dany Jimenez picked up the win, giving up two hits and two walks but no runs with four strikeouts in two innings and B.C.-born Brayden Bouchey finished it off on Canada Day, keeping the Loons off the scoreboard in the final two frames, allowing two hits and a walk.

W: Dany Jimenez (4-1)

Player of the Game
Ryan Noda

Vancouver Canadians 4, Salem-Keizer Volcanoes 5
 
Taking the game into 10 innings after scoring two runs in the bottom of the eight, the Vancouver Canadians lost on Canada Day when they couldn’t answer the run the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes scored in the top of the 10th in a 5-4 game. Griffin Conine drove in two runs, going 2/5 with a double and Christopher Bec was 2/5 with a triple and two runs. Canadian Tanner Kirwer was 2/4 with two stolen bases and Brandon Polizzi was 1/3 with a walk and a stolen base. Yorman Rodriguez was 1/5 with a double, an RBI and two runs.

Elio Silva started, giving up three runs on six hits and three walks with four strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. Denis Diaz came in, allowing a run on a solo home run among three hits and struck out one in 2 2/3 innings. Connor Law (1 IP, 2 BB, 2 K) and Juan Nunez (1 IP, 1 R 0 ER, BB) each pitched an inning to finish the game.

L: Juan Nunez (0-1)

Roster Notes: 2B Otto Lopez was promoted from Bluefield to Vancouver and Andy McGuire was assigned to Vancouver after signing his initial contract.

Player of the Game

Griffin Conine and Christopher Bec

Bluefield Blue Jays 12, Burlington Royals 2

The Bluefield Blue Jays offensive machine kept churning, defeating the Burlington Royals 12-2 to push their record to 10 wins and just two losses. Dominic Abbadessa continues to hit .500 after going 2/4 with a double, a hit by pitch and two runs. Luis De Los Santos drove in three, hitting two triples in five at bats and scored twice while deuces were wild for Alejandro Kirk who was 2/5 with two doubles and two RBI and two runs. D.J. Daniels was 2/5 with a double, an RBI and a run while Hagen Danner was 1/2 with two walks, an HBP and two RBI. John Aiello was on base three times, getting hit by a pitch, hitting a single and taking a walk and scored three times.

As potent as the offense was, so was the pitching as Cre Finfrock allowed an unearned run on two hits with four strikeouts in three innings. Troy Watson gave up an earned run on one hit over three innings, striking out two and Joey Pulido allowed two hits and a walk with no runs in 1 2/3, striking out a pair. Joe DiBenedetto struck out two, stranded one and didn’t allow a run in 1 1/3 innings.

W: Troy Watson (1-0)

Roster Notes: Otto Lopez was promoted to Vancouver.

Player of the Game

Luis De Los Santos and Alejandro Kirk

GCL Blue Jays
Scheduled off day.

DSL Blue Jays
Scheduled off day.

Jay’s Jay of the Day
Sean Reid-Foley, Joshua Palacios and T.J. Zeuch

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The 2018 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook is now available!