August 23 Minor League Report/August 24 Preview

Ryan Goins
Ryan Goins

 

The Blue Jays won a protested game in the 10th inning with a walkoff single by Jose Reyes that scored Colby Rasmus. However, all may be for naught as the game was played under protest when the umpires allowed John Gibbons to (what appears to be) incorrectly challenge a play (that was overturned in the Jays’ favour). We’ll have to wait and see if the protest is upheld. If it is, the Jays and Rays will play the game again from the point that it was protested.

 

 

Buffalo Bisons 15, Pawtucket Red Sox 2

 

It’s hard to know where to begin in a game like this. First you had a very good pitching performance from Kendall Graveman who went seven strong innings, allowing two runs and getting 14 outs via the ground ball. You could also talk about Kevin Pillar who went 2/4 with a double, a home run and five RBI. You could also discuss Dalton Pompey who was 3/5 with a double, a walk, a stolen base and two RBI. Cole Gillespie and Darin Mastroianni had three hits each and Matt Hague added a double and a home run for a very solid night. But extra-special praise should be heaped on Ryan Goins who went 4/5 with three doubles, two RBI and two runs. And he also did this. If that play doesn’t make your jaw drop, you don’t like baseball. The big bonus for the Bisons is that, with the win, the Buffalo club moves just one game back of the Wildcard-leading Red Sox.

Player of the Game: Ryan Goins

 

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 1, Portland Sea Dogs 7

 

As great as the Buffalo game was for fans of the Blue Jays’ affiliates, the Fisher Cats’ game was just as bad. The Fisher Cats were no-hit until Andy Burns went deep off Brian Johnson in the bottom of the sixth inning, breaking up the no-hitter and erasing the shutout. That was the only hit of the night for the Fisher Cats and Andy Burns had two of the club’s three walks while playing first base. Austin Bibens-Dirkx went four innings and allowed four runs. Justin Jackson had two scoreless innings but Scott Gracey allowed another three runs over 1 2/3 innings.

 

Andy Burns
Andy Burns

Player of the Game: Andy Burns

 

Dunedin Blue Jays 0, Tampa Yankees 2

 

Jesse Hernandez contributed a strong outing for the Blue Jays but the offense couldn’t get anythign going against Miguel Sulbaran and the Yankees. Hernandez allowed two runs on eight hits and no walks over 6 2/3 innings of work, striking out seven. Marcus Knecht had two of the Blue Jays’ three hits including a triple.

 

Marcus Knecht
Marcus Knecht

Player of the Game: Marcus Knecht and Jesse Hernandez

 

Lansing Lugnuts 3, South Bend Silver Hawks 7

 

Lugnuts starter Brent Powers was chased quickly, giving up five runs on six hits and two walks in just 1 2/3 innings. Alonzo Gonzalez was pretty solid in relief, going 3 1/3 innings and allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits and no walks with four strikeouts. Francisco Gracesqui was outstanding and threw 2 2/3 shutout innings (despite giving up five hits), striking out six. Jimmy Cordero electrified the crowd by posting several radar readings of 100 mph on the scoreboard (although there was only one on the players’ radar guns). He was effective through 1 1/3 innings, striking out two batters. The batters weren’t all that sharp. Rowdy Tellez had the only two hit game: the first was a soft liner that grazed the glove of the second baseman (who was already playing very deep) and the second was a hard ground ball to the left side on a two-strike pitch that he did very well to fight off. Dawel Lugo provided some fireworks (before the actual fireworks) by hitting the game’s only home run: a two-run blast in the fourth. D.J. Davis and Derrick Loveless each had a hit and a walk and Davis was especially solid at the plate despite striking out for the 155th time of the year, setting a new Lansing Lugnuts record. He was also picked off and caught stealing (on separate plays).

 

Rowdy Tellez
Rowdy Tellez

Player of the Game: Rowdy Tellez and Dawel Lugo

 

Vancouver Canadians 4, Boise Hawks 1

 

The Vancouver Canadians got the job done, thanks to a great outing from starting pitcher Chase Mallard. Mallard went six scoreless innings allowing four hits and two walks with six strikeouts. Michael Kraft allowed a run without actually giving up a hit, walking the first batter he faced in the ninth inning and Phil Kish couldn’t strand him on base. Roemon Fields had another big game, going 3/4 with a triple, a stolen base (his 43rd) and three runs. Franklin Barreto was 2/4 with an RBI and two stolen bases.

Player of the Game: Chase Mallard and Roemon Fields

 

Bluefield Blue Jays 6, Kingsport Mets 11

 

The Bluefield Blue Jays dug themselves a big hole in the first game of a double header against the Kingsport Mets on Saturday. Francisco Rios and Alberto Guzman combined to allow 10 runs in the first two innings, making life very difficult for the offense to get back in the game. Guzman pitched two more solid innings and Tim Mayza threw two almost perfect innings (only hitting a batter) before Dusty Isaacs allowed the 11th run to score in the seventh. Lane Thomas continues to hit the ball hard in the Appalachian League. Thomas pushed his batting average in Bluefield to .342 with a 3/3 game that included two doubles, a walk, a run and an RBI. Angel Rojas had three singles and a walk while Lydell Moseby was 2/3 with a walk, two runs and an RBI and Andres Sotillo was 2/3 with a triple, a walk, a run and an RBI.

Player of the Game: Lane Thomas

 

Bluefield Blue Jays 7, Kingsport Mets 3

 

The Blue Jays evened up the double header despite getting down to the Mets 3-0 after the first inning. The comeback was capped by a three-run home run by Lydell Moseby in the fifth inning but Josh Almonte had three hits, a stolen base and two runs scored while Lane Thomas added another two hits (to his three in the first game), driving in a run and scoring once. Everyone in the lineup had at least one hit with the exception of shortstop Aaron Attaway. Conner Greene was the victim of the three-run outburst in the first inning by the Mets but he recovered to throw 3 2/3 innings in total without allowing any further damage. Conor Fisk went 2 1/3 perfect innings and Chase Wellbrock threw yet another scoreless inning to finish out the game.

 

Josh Almonte
Josh Almonte

Player of the Game: Josh Almonte and Conor Fisk

 

GCL Blue Jays 1, GCL Phillies 2

 

In a low-scoring game that only had eight hits combined for both teams, the Blue Jays found themselves on the wrong side of this one. Kramer Champlin continues to work his way back to the upper levels of the minors after being injured with two innings of scoreless, one-hit relief. Sean Reid-Foley went three hitless innings, striking out one while Nick Wells went another three innings, allowing an unearned run on three hits and two walks. Of the Blue Jays’ three hits, Deiferson Barreto was 1/4 with a double.

Player of the Game: Sean Reid-Foley and Kramer Champlin

 

DSL Blue Jays: Game cancelled due to rain

 

[su_posts template=”templates/teaser-loop.php” posts_per_page=”3″ tax_term=”3″ tax_operator=”0″ order=”desc”][su_posts posts_per_page=”3″ tax_operator=”0″ order=”desc”][/su_posts]

 

 

August 24 Preview

 

Buffalo Bisons (72-61)

 

The Bisons try to tie up the Paw Sox in their race to the wildcard with Sean Nolin on the mound. Nolin had a rough outing in his last start but has been outstanding since returning from injury. The Bisons hope to have their powerful bats carry over to face Anthony Ranaudo who has been to “the other side” (the majors) and back this season and has been one of the International League’s best pitchers with a 14-4 record and a 2.46 ERA. Catch this one at 1:05 PM ET on MiLB TV.

 

New Hampshire Fisher Cats (63-69)

 

The Fisher Cats send Mike Lee to the mound to face the Portland Sea Dogs at 1:35 PM ET on MiLB TV.

 

Dunedin Blue Jays (75-56)

 

Taylor Cole heads to the mound to defeat the Tampa Yankees on the road at 1:00 PM.

 

Lansing Lugnuts (58-72)

 

Brad Allen takes on the Lake County Captains at home at 5:05 PM for the Lansing Lugnuts.

 

Vancouver Canadians (38-28)

 

Scheduled Off Day

Bluefield Blue Jays (27-32)

 

Bluefield plays just one game against the Greeneville Astros on the road with unannounced starters at 6:00 PM.

 

The GCL and DSL Blue Jays are both off today.

 

Who are these players? Find out in The 2014 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook, now available as an ebook at Smashwords.com for $7.99 US. It’s coming soon to Amazon, Apple iBooks, Kobo and other fine retailers. You can purchase and preview the book at our Smashwords.com page! If you like us here,“like” us on Facebook!

The All-Star Break Supplement to the Minor League Handbook is also available at Smashwords.com for only $2 US! Get an update on how your favourite players have been doing this season as well as a report on the 2014 draft!

All photos are copyright Blue Jays from Away (2013-2014) and may not be used without permission.