June 27 Minor League Report/June 28 Preview

Ben White
Ben White

 

A 5-4 loss by the Jays isn’t enough to dampen my spirits! Why? Dalton Pompey played in his first Double-A action with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, that’s why!

 

 

Buffalo Bisons 7, Columbus Clippers 1

 

After being whitewashed by the Clippers on Thursday, the Bisons fought back on Friday, getting a great pitching performance from P.J. Walters and a home run from Ryan Schimpf. Walters went seven innings and allowed just one run on four hits and two walks while striking out six and Steve Delabar and Luis Ayala each added an inning to complete the game. Schimpf launched his second Triple-A home run and added a walk while both A.J. Jimenez and Andy LaRoche drove in two runs. Kevin Pillar and Ryan Goins each had two hits for the winning side.

Player of the Game: Ryan Schimpf and P.J. Walters

 

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 3, New Britain Rock Cats 2

 

The first game of the double header took an extra inning but the Fisher Cats managed to catch up and then defeat the Rock Cats. Radhames Liz allowed two runs on four hits and four walks in five innings while Randy Boone was spotless in two innings, striking out three and Tyler Ybarra gave up two hits but didn’t allow a run to pick up the win, throwing the eighth inning. The Fisher Cats only had six hits, including a home run for Mike McDade in the seventh to tie the game and Jon Berti doubled home Kenny Wilson to score the walk-off run in the eighth. Berti also walked. Dalton Pompey made his New Hampshire debut pinch running for Derrick Chung in the seventh inning.

Roster Notes: Austin Bibens-Dirkx was promoted to Buffalo, Jonathan Jones was placed on the temporary inactive list, Dalton Pompey was promoted from Dunedin, OF/1B Cory Aldridge was signed to a minor league contract and assigned to New Hampshire and 1B Mike McDade and RHP Arik Sikula were activated off the suspended list (for their participation in the brawl that occured a couple of weeks ago.

Player of the Game: Jon Berti and Mike McDade

 

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 8, New Britain Rock Cats 0

 

In Game 2 of the twin bill, it was all New Hampshire as the Fisher Cats swept thanks to some great offense and an outstanding one-hit performance from starter Casey Lawrence who threw a complete game and struck out eight batters without walking any. Dalton Pompey went 0/3 in his first complete game in Double-A but scored a run. Jon Berti and Mike McDade both contributed again in the night cap. Berti went 2/4 with an RBI while McDade was 1/2 with two walks and two RBI. Matt Newman was 2/3 with a walk and two RBI and Jack Murphy was 2/2 with a walk and scored twice.

Player of the Game: Casey Lawrence

 

Dunedin Blue Jays 1, Tampa Yankees 2

 

Despite fine work from Ben White, the Blue Jays weren’t able to muster enough offense to overcome the Tampa Yankees on Friday. White was excellent, throwing 6 1/3 innings and allowing only one unearned run on three hits and three walks with six strikeouts. Wil Browning blew a save, coming in and allowing White’s inherited runner to score and Efrain Nieves allowed the other run, despite stranding the bases loaded in the seventh to pick up Browning. The hitters had just four hits: one each from Dwight Smith, Jr., Nick Baligod, Marcus Knecht and Jorge Saez.

Player of the Game: Ben White

 

Lansing Lugnuts 6, Great Lakes Loons 4

 

In a home run fest in Great Lakes, the Lansing Lugnuts rallied from being down 3-1 after two innings to eventually defeat the Loons 6-4 in 11 innings. Brad Allen made his first start after coming off the DL and allowed three runs in the first inning before settling down in the second. Matt Dermody took over for three innings of scoreless work and was followed by Roberto Espinosa (2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 3 K), Scott Silverstein (3 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 4 K) and Griffin Murphy (1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 K, 1 HR). Despite striking out 15 times, the Lugnuts hit three home runs, solo shots from Derrick Loveless and D.J. Davis and a two-run blast from David Harris (who’s swinging a hot bat and hitting .368) to cap off the three-run 11th inning for the Lugnuts. Loveless and Davis each added singles while Dawel Lugo was 2/5.

Roster Notes: RHP Brad Allen was activated off the DL and OF Ian Parmley was placed on the DL.

 

D.J. Davis
D.J. Davis

Player of the Game: D.J. Davis, Derrick Loveless and Scott Silverstein

 

Vancouver Canadians 6, Tri-City Dust Devils 7

 

In an afternoon tilt at The Nat, the Vancouver Canadians made a run at catching the Dust Devils, who had gotten out to a 7-2 lead going into the bottom of the ninth, and just came up short. Starlyn Suriel continues to be one of the brightest lights on the pitching staff and he went five innings without allowing a run, giving up two hits and two walks and striking out six. Joe Lovecchio (one run in one inning), Tim Mayza (three unearned runs in 1 1/3 innings) and Kamakani Usui (three runs in one inning) were the victims of the Tri-City bats. Franklin Barreto bashed his seventh double of the year and drove in two runs, adding a single and a walk while catcher Michael De La Cruz was 2/2 with two walks. Roemon Fields went 0/3 but walked twice and stole his 13th base of the season, getting caught once (his second CS).

 

Franklin Barreto
Franklin Barreto

Player of the Game: Franklin Barreto and Starlyn Suriel

 

Bluefield Blue Jays 6, Pulaski Mariners 5

 

The Bluefield Blue Jays got back into the win column, holding off a late charge by the Pulaski Mariners to emerge with a one-run victory. Miguel Burgos went four innings and was charged with three unearned runs thanks to an error by Richard Urena. Oscar Cabrera picked up the win with three innings of relief in which he allowed one run on two hits and three walks and Dusty Isaacs earned the save with two innings of relief, allowing the final run on three hits. Urena made sure to make up for his error by going 2/5 with a double and his first (North American) professional home run and driving in four runs. Josh Almonte and Trent Miller also had two hits each for the home team Blue Jays.

 

Richard Urena
Richard Urena

Player of the Game: Richard Urena

 

GCL Blue Jays 9, GCL Braves 10

 

Well, the professional debut of 2014 second-round pick Sean Reid-Foley could have gone better. SRF pitched to six batters and got two of them out, allowed two walks and a double, threw a wild pitch and another batter reached on an error. Both runs allowed were earned. Angel Perdomo relieved Reid-Foley in the first, struck out the first batter he faced and added five more Ks to the tally in four innings despite allowing two runs on five hits and two walks. Joe Claver was hammered for six runs in two innings before Brandon Hinkle finished the game off. The offense got their nine runs on 11 hits and 10 walks including the newest Blue Jays’ super star Juan Tejada. Tejada launched his third home run of the year and added a triple and a walk to the two RBI he hit. Also hitting a triple was Juan Kelly who went 1/4 with a walk but is hitting .429 so far this season. Freddy Rodriguez, a big international free agent signing last year was 2/3 with a double while Canadian Nathan DeSouza (in his third year in the GCL) was 3/4 with two RBI and a walk.

Player of the Game: Juan Tejada and Nathan DeSouza

 

DSL Blue Jays 9, DSL Brewers 1

 

The DSL Blue Jays got plenty of offense to support the solid pitching. Jose Nova started but walked three in three innings. Jose Diaz, Guillermo De La Cruz and William Zambrano ganged up to finish the last six innings without allowing another run. Bryan Lizardo and Francisco Rodriguez broke out with three hits each and both hit a double. Lizardo added a triple to his tally for the day.

Player of the Game: Bryan Lizardo and Francisco Rodriguez

 

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June 28 Preview

 

Buffalo Bisons (41-38)

 

The Bisons head to Syracuse to face the Chiefs and will send Esmil Rogers up against an undetermined opponent. In three starts this year with the Bisons, Rogers is 1-1 with a 5.56 ERA but was excellent, going five scoreless innings in his last outing. This game is at 7:00 PM on MiLB TV.

 

New Hampshire Fisher Cats (35-44)

 

At 7:05 PM on MiLB TV, the Fisher Cats take on the Rock Cats yet again with Richard Bleier on the mound to face Virgil Vasquez. Bleier has a 3.93 ERA in 52 2/3 innings with the Fisher Cats and has made only two starts out of his 19 appearances.

 

Dunedin Blue Jays (49-29)

 

For the Dunedin Blue Jays, it will be Taylor Cole who is looking to rebound from a lackluster start his last time out in which he allowed seven runs (four earned) against the Brevard County Manatees.. He goes against the Tampa Yankees’ Rafael De Paula at 6:00 PM.

 

Lansing Lugnuts (37-40)

 

The Lugnuts continue their series against the Great Lakes Loons at 7:05 PM on MiLB TV and send Jeremy Gabryszwski to the mound. Gaby has a 5-2 record with a very strong 3.35 ERA this season and, I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before, has been the most consistent starter for the Lugnuts this year.

 

Vancouver Canadians (8-7)

 

The Canadians have another late night game (10:05 PM start time in the East) with Jairo Labourt on the hill to face Helmis Rodriguez of the Tri-City Dust Devils. Rodriguez, 20, has a 2-0 record with just two runs allowed in 17 1/3 innings while Labourt is looking to build on a couple of solid performances so far this year for Vancouver since getting sent down from Lansing.

Bluefield Blue Jays (4-5)

 

Finally, the Bluefield Blue Jays will head out on the road to Danville to face the 6-3 Braves. There could very well be a Matt Smoral sighting today; Smoral struck out eight batters in just three innings in his first appearance of the season for Bluefield last week.

 

Don’t forget that the GCL and DSL Blue Jays are in action today too!

 

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