May 4 Minor League Report/May 5 Preview

 

John Stilson
John Stilson

 

While it wasn’t a great weekend overall for the Blue Jays’ minor league teams, they did manage to pull out a couple of wins in close games on Sunday. As always, check out the Jays Journal Minor League Report for more.

 

 

Buffalo Bisons 5, Charlotte Knights 3

 

The Buffalo Bisons are one of the hottest teams in the International League and completed a four-game sweep of the Charlotte Knights. While Kyle Drabek struggled through five innings, allowing three runs on three hits and four walks, John Stilson had his best performance of the year, going three innings perfect innings and striking out six. Offensively, Dan Johnson was the stud on offense, going 3/4 with a home run and two RBI while Kevin Pillar brought his batting average up to .275 with a 2/5 game that extended his hitting streak to 16 games. Brett Carroll was also 2/4 for Buffalo.

Player of the Game: John Stilson and Dan Johnson

 

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 2, New Britain Rock Cats 5

 

Deck McGuire had a rocky first inning, allowing four runs to the New Britain Rock Cats and the offense couldn’t must enough to catch them. McGuire recovered well and only allowed one run the rest of the way but his final line was 6 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 1 BB, 3 K, and he ended up taking the loss. Brad Glenn had a two-hit game and that was about all the offense the club got outside of RBI singles from Kevin Nolan and Jonathan Jones.

Player of the Game: Brad Glenn

 

Dunedin Blue Jays 4, Tampa Yankees 3

 

The Dunedin Blue Jays walked one off after Derrick Chung and Emilio Guerrero drew walks and Gustavo Pierre singled home Chung in the bottom of the ninth. Jesse Hernandez started and allowed three runs (including two solo home runs) on six hits but struck out seven Yankees. Wil Browning, Efrain Nieves, Kramer Champlin and Arik Sikula combined for three and a third shutout innings to nail down the victory. Adam Lind was rehabbing and went 0/3 with a walk while Dwight Smith, Jr. went 1/4 with a two-run home run and Derrick Chung contributed two hits on top of his ninth-inning walk.

 

Derrick Chung
Derrick Chung

 

Player of the Game: Derrick Chung

 

Lansing Lugnuts 1, West Michigan White Caps 2

 

On Star Wars Day in Lansing, the Lugnuts dropped a heart breaker 2-1 to the West Michigan White Caps, dropping their record below .500 again. It was a pitcher’s duel to be sure as Chase De Jong was excellent through five innings, spotting his fastball very well and, aside from in the first inning, keeping it down in the zone. While he didn’t throw his trademark curveball very much, his changeup was working well and he finished with a line of 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K. Alonzo Gonzalez was outstanding, going three innings and giving up just a hit and a walk while striking out five. The 6-foot-5 lefty has been excellent this year, showing far greater command, increased velocity and sharper offspeed stuff than he did last season before his demotion to Vancouver. The offense was very quiet with D.J. Davis getting two hits (although one was a dropped fly ball by the center fielder) and Justin Atkinson getting another two to run his batting average to .354. L.B. Dantzler had an RBI single, going 1/2 with two walks for the Lugnuts.

 

Alonzo Gonzalez
Alonzo Gonzalez

 

Player of the Game: Chase De Jong and Alonzo Gonzalez

 

 

May 5 Preview

 

Buffalo Bisons (17-10)

 

Austin Bibens-Dirkx

 

The Bisons are riding a hot streak and have moved into first place in the North Division of the International League by a game over the Pawtucket Red Sox. They’ll send Austin Bibens-Dirkx to the mound for his first Buffalo start against the Gwinnett Braves at 6:35 PM ET on MiLB TV. Bibens-Dirkx has allowed five runs (four earned) in eight innings in Buffalo after making two starts and going 13 innings in New Hampshire.

 

New Hampshire Fisher Cats (12-16)

 

Losing several close games, the Fisher Cats are now down to four games under .500 and send Scott Copeland to the hill to face the Binghamton Mets (and an undisclosed starter). Copeland has been strong this year but has seen a few meltdowns that have contributed to his 2-3 record and 4.88 ERA. His last outing was a relief appearance in which he allowed a run in 1 1/3 innings but his last start (on April 26) was very strong as he went seven shutout innings. Catch the game on the radio at 6:35 PM ET.

 

Dunedin Blue Jays (21-8)

 

Daniel Norris heads to the mound as the Blue Jays continue their series against the Tampa Yankees. Norris has been outstanding in the first month of the season, allowing just three runs (two earned) in 24 innings with just six walks and 26 strikeouts (to give him an 0.75 ERA). This game goes off at 6:30 PM Et.

 

Lansing Lugnuts (14-15)

 

One of the hottest teams in the Midwest League, the Lansing Lugnuts were cooled off this weekend, dropping two of three to the West Michigan White Caps and they continue their homestand agains the Fort Wayne Tin Caps. B.C. born Tom Robson goes for Lansing and is coming off his best start of the season, going six innings and allowing just three hits and one walk with four strikeouts. He faces Payton Baskette, a 20-year-old lefty from Benbrook, Texas who has a 3.18 ERA through 22 2/3 innings for Fort Wayne. This one starts at 7:05 PM ET.

 

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