April 7, 2017 Minor League Report

Vladimir Guerrero

The Blue Jays’ minor league affiliates had a perfect day on Friday despite just two teams being in action. The Dunedin Blue Jays exacted a measure of revenge for their opening loss on Thursday while the Lansing Lugnuts swept their opening double header with the Great Lakes Loons.

 

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Buffalo Bisons, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders

 

Game postponed due to inclement weather.

 

 

New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Binghamton Rumble Ponies

 

Game postponed due to wet grounds.

 

Dunedin Blue Jays 7, Clearwater Threshers 4

 

Derrick Loveless

In the second game of their series with the Clearwater Threshers, the Dunedin Blue Jays broke things open with five runs on seven consecutive hits in the top of the eighth to defeat their hosts. Despite giving up five runs, the Dunedin pitching staff got 15 of the 27 outs via the strikeout, led by their starter. Jordan Romano had a strong debut for his season, throwing 4 2/3 innings and giving up two runs on four hits and two walks but struck out nine, leaving with the game tied. Josh DeGraaf followed Romano and gave up a two-run home run in 1 2/3 innings, totaling two hits against and one walk while striking out three. Andrew Case earned the win, adding to the Jays’ strikeout total by tossing 1 2/3 innings of two-hit ball, striking out a pair and Kender Villegas picked up his first save in a Blue Jays uniform, throwing a scoreless ninth, walking one and striking out one.

The D-Jays offense was spread right through the lineup but was led by Danny Jansen who continued his domination of the Clearwater Threshers, smacking three hits for the second consecutive game. Derrick Loveless also had a trio of hits, going 3/5 with two doubles, an RBI and a run. Juan Kelly was 2/5 with a double and an RBI while Andrew Guillotte was 1/3 with two walks and two stolen bases in the leadoff spot. J.C. Cardenas and Lane Thomas also had doubles, each driving in a run.

Player of the Game: Danny Jansen and Derrick Loveless

Roster Notes: In a late roster move, Canadian Andrew Case was promoted to the Dunedin Blue Jays.

 

Lansing Lugnuts 6, Great Lakes Loons 3

 

The Lansing Lugnuts could be the owners of  a new pair “Bash Brothers,” perhaps we should call Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. and Bo Bichette the “Sons of Smash” in honour of their big league lineages. They both went deep in the season’s first game as the Lugnuts beat the Great Lakes Loons by a score of 6-3. Bichette was 3/4 with the late solo home run and two RBI, scoring twice while Vlad the Younger was 2/4 with a two-run blast and two runs. Christian Williams added a single and a walk while Bradley Jones drove in a run, as did Nick Sinay.

On the mound, Justin Maese got the start and, though his command of the strike zone went in and out, he managed to pick up the win, holding the Loons to three runs (two earned) on three hits and four walks with four strikeouts in five innings. Maese had seven groundball outs to just three fly outs, a ratio that we can look forward to this season from the young Texan. Daniel Lietz earned the save, throwing two innings, walking one and giving up a hit.

Player of the Game: Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero, Jr.

 

Lansing Lugnuts 2, Great Lakes Loons 0

 

Geno Encina

In the night cap of the double header between the Lugnuts and the Loons, Lansing got some great pitching from their bullpen, shutting out the Loons by a score of 2-0. Lefty Tayler Saucedo got his season off to a great start by throwing 2 2/3 innings of one-hit, one-walk baseball, striking out a pair. For Saucedo, a strong start is going to important as he struggled to find consistency last year and found himself in the bullpen to finish the season after starting it in the rotation. Geno Encina relieved Saucedo with a stellar 4 1/3 innings of scoreless ball, giving up three hits and walking one, racking up four strikeouts to earn the win.

The offense was much quieter in Game Two, getting just three hits including a pair of singles from Christian Williams. Brad Jones and Yeltsin Gudino each drove in a run and Jake Thomas was 1/2 with a walk.

Player of the Game: Geno Encina

 

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