Norris Fans 10: May 23 Minor League Report

Thursday’s games were highlighted by a 10-strikeout performance by one of the Jays’ top prospects, Daniel Norris. In his last three starts, Norris has pitched twelve innings and has struck out twenty-two batters and walked eight. He has also only given up one run in that span. Is this the sign that Norris has turned the corner? Only time will tell.

Buffalo Bisons (26-19)

The Bisons dropped another game to the powerhouse Indianapolis Indians (farm club for the Pittsburgh Pirates) on Thursday 7-3. The Indians got all their offense off of Buffalo starter Justin Germano who took the loss and hasn’t won a game since returning from the Blue Jays at the beginning of May. In his first Triple-A game in 2013, outfielder Ricardo Nanita hit a home run while catcher Josh Thole, who continues to hit well, went two for four with his fifth home run of the season. Shortstop Ryan Goins also contributed with a pair of doubles.

Roster Note: Josh Johnson will make a rehab start for the Buffalos on Saturday and pitcher Miguel Batista was released by the Bisons. Jeremy Jeffress was also placed on the disabled list.

June 24, 2012; Flushing, NY, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Miguel Batista (47) pitches against the New York Yankees during the eighth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

Hitting:

Jim Negrych – 1/5
Moises Sierra – 0/5, 2 K, E
Luis Jimenez– 0/3, R, BB, K
Mauro Gomez – 0/3, BB, 2 K
Josh Thole – 2/4, R, HR, 2 RBI, K
Andy LaRoche – 1/3, 2B, BB, K
Ryan Langerhans – 0/3, BB, 2 K
Ricardo Nanita – 1/4, R, HR, RBI, K
Ryan Goins – 2/4, 2 2B, K

Pitching:

Justin Germano – L, 3 IP, 6 H, 7 R (6 ER), 2 BB, 2 K, 2 HR
Michael Schwimer – 2 IP, 1 BB, 2 K
Buddy Carlyle – 2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB 2 K
Mickey Storey – 2 IP, 2 BB, 2 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Josh Thole

New Hampshire Fisher Cats (23-25)

The Fisher Cats dropped the afternoon finale of their four-game set with the Red Sox’s affiliate Portland Sea Dogs 8-4. Starting effectively was rehabbing pitcher Franklin Morales stifling the Fisher Cats’ bats despite not being particularly dominant while Red Sox catcher David Ross (also rehabbing) went one for three. On the Fisher Cats’ side, Matt Wright stepped in to spot start and gave up seven runs (four earned) in three innings. Randy Boone struck out three and gave up a run in his two innings while Tyson Brummett and Evan Crawford combined for three shutout innings. Despite making an error, Ryan Schimpf had a big day for the Fisher Cats. He went four for five with three singles and a double and, contrary to his normal tendencies, didn’t walk or strike out once. Shortstop Amadeo Zazueta and left fielder Brian Van Kirk had two hits apiece in an otherwise quiet day for the offense. Second baseman John Tolisano left the game after one at bat resulting in a chain reaction of defensive shifts with Schimpf moving from third to second and Kevin Ahrens moving from first to third. Ahrens made a fielding error while playing third although Schimpf’s error came in the first inning while he was still at his usual position (third base).

Roster Note: Today’s starter was supposed to be Sean Nolin but he was scratched for Matt Wright. It has been announced that Nolin will be starting in Toronto on Friday. RHP Randy Boone was activated off the DL on May 22.

Hitting:

Kevin Pillar – 1/4, BB, K
Amadeo Zazueta – 2/5, R, 2B
Ryan Schimpf – 4/5, 2B, E
Clint Robinson – 0/4, RBI, B, K
Brad Glenn – 1/5, R, K
Brian Van Kirk – 2/3, 2 R, BB, E
Jack Murphy – 0/3, BB
Kevin Ahrens – 0/2, 2 BB, E
John Tolisano – 0/1
Adam Loewen – 1/3, RBI

Pitching:

Matt Wright – L, 3 IP, 6 H, 7 R (4 ER) 2 BB, 3 K
Randy Boone – 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 3 K
Tyson Brummett – 2 IP
Evan Crawford – 1 IP, 1 H, 1 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Ryan Schimpf

Dunedin Blue Jays (26-18)

The St. Lucie Mets scored early and then late and it was more than enough to deal the Dunedin Blue Jays their eighteenth loss of the year in an 8-5 match. Starter Austin Bibens-Dirkx gave up three runs off of one swing of the bat on a three-run homer in the first inning and was solid for the rest of his five innings. Reliever Danny Barnes got hit hard in the eighth, giving up four of the five runs to St. Lucie without recording an out, sending his ERA spiraling upwards to 22.50. On the offensive side of the ball, left fielder Nick Baligod had an outstanding day, going three for four with two doubles and scoring three of the five Blue Jay runs. Baligod, a twenty-five year old outfielder who really started to hit in Lansing last season, is now hitting .341 in ninety-one at bats in 2013. K.C. Hobson also hit his team-leading seventh home run in the loss but is only hitting .204 on the season. Jon Berti had another two hits and another stolen base to give him twenty-four on the season.

Hitting:

Jon Berti – 2/5, RBI, K, SB
Matt Newman – 1/4, R, 2B, K
Marcus Knecht – 0/1
Andy Burns – 1/5, 2B, RBI, 2 K
Jon Talley – 0/4, 3 K
K.C. Hobson – 1/3, R, HR, RBI, BB
Mike Crouse – 0/4, 2 K
Nick Baligod – 3/4, 3 R, 2 2B
Chris Schaeffer – 1/2, 2 RBI, BB, K, 2 PB
Peter Mooney – 1/4, K, E

Pitching:

Austin Bibens-Dirkx – 5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 6 K, 1 HR
Shawn Griffith – 2 IP, 3 K
Danny Barnes – L, 0 IP, 4 H, 4 R
Tyler Ybarra – 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R (0 ER), 1 BB
Ajay Meyer – 1 IP, 1 H, 2 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Nick Baligod

Lansing Lugnuts (21-23)

The Lugnuts made it eight in a row, downing the Lake County Captains 6-1 on the back of an outstanding performance from prospect Daniel Norris. Norris, in his best start of the season, threw only four innings but struck out ten batters, giving up three hits and walking two. Norris, who has stuff that scouts rave about, has been trying to reign in his control and appears to be doing so. The offense took advantage of six Lake County errors (which accounted for four of Lansing’s six runs) on the night. No fielder could botch first baseman Kevin Patterson’s fifth dinger which launched him into a tie for the team home run lead with Carlos Ramirez and Gustavo Pierre despite Patterson having about one third of the at bats. Dwight Smith, Jr. also had two hits and drove in two runs of his own.

Roster Notes: As Jesse Goldberg-Strassler, the radio voice for the Lansing Lugnuts likes to call him, “The Great” Balbino Fuenmayor was released by the Lugnuts on Thursday. “Mighty Mouse” (as I like to call him), shortstop Jorge Flores, was activated off the 7-day DL.

Hitting:

Dalton Pompey – 0/4, R,
Dwight Smith, Jr. – 2/4, 2 RBI, CS
Christian Lopes – 1/3, R, BB
Kevin Patterson – 3/4, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI
Gustavo Pierre – 0/4, 2 K
Chris Hawkins –0/4, K
Carlos Ramirez – 0/4, RBI, 3 K
Aaron Munoz – 0/4, R
Jorge Flores – 0/2, R, BB

Pitching:

Daniel Norris – 4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 10 K
Kramer Champlin – W, 4 IP, 4 H, 2 BB 4 K
Tucker Donahue – 2/3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Wil Browning – S, 1/3 IP

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Daniel Norris

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