Tales of Wasted Starts: June 29 Minor League Report

The Blue Jays’ minor league affiliates wasted three strong starts from their starting pitchers as none of Ricky Romero, Deck McGuire and Javier Avendano figured in to decisions in their games.

Buffalo Bisons (41-40)

The Charlotte Knights beat the Buffalo Bisons in a walkoff, 5-4 victory in the bottom of the ninth. Jim Gallagher capped a streak of three hits in the first four batters in Brad Lincoln‘s second inning of work when he drove home Josh Phegley to end the game. The bullpen wasted a very solid start by Ricky Romero for the Bisons in which he worked six innings and gave up three runs on six hits and only one walk while striking out seven. The Bisons got three home runs on the night: Luis Jimenez‘s sixteenth, Ryan Goins‘s third and Kevin Pillar‘s first home run as Bison. Mauro Gomez had the only multi-hit game of the night with two singles.

May 3, 2013; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Ricky Romero (24) throws against the Seattle Mariners at the Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Hitting:

Kevin Pillar – 1/4, R, HR, 2 RBI, K
Ryan Goins – 1/4, R, HR, RBI, 2 K
Mauro Gomez – 2/4, K
Luis Jimenez – 1/3, R, HR, RBI, BB, K
Moises Sierra – 1/4, K
Eugenio Velez – 0/3, BB, K, SB
Mike McCoy – 1/3, R, 2B, K
Anthony Gose – 0/4, 3 K, OF Asst.
Mike Nickeas – 0/2, 2 BB

Pitching:

Ricky Romero – 6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 7 K
Joel Carreno – 1 1/3 IP, 1 H, 1 R
Brad Lincoln – L, 1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Ricky Romero

New Hampshire Fisher Cats (39-42)

After a see-saw battle that saw the lead change hands three times in the late innings, the Fisher Cats lost to the Portland Sea Dogs 7-5 on Saturday night. Starter Deck McGuire was pretty solid over most of the night although there were a few pitches up in the zone that he’d like to have back. When he kept the ball down in the was very effective, striking out eight batters and only walking two over six and two-thirds innings in which he gave up four runs on five hits (including a home run). Evan Crawford and Dustin Antolin couldn’t keep the Sea Dogs off the board, with Antolin allowing the go ahead run (put on by Crawford) to score. A.J.Jimenez had another big game, just missing a home run and going three for five on the night while Eastern League All-Star Brad Glenn hit a two-run home run in the first inning and Ryan Schimpf hit another two-run blast in the sixth to give the Fisher Cats the lead at the time. For Portland, catching prospect Christian Vazquez didn’t get a hit but was impressive behind the plate, throwing out two potential New Hampshire base stealers with laser-like throws to second base.

Hitting:

Adam Loewen – 1/5, 2 K
Andy Burns – 0/4, R, BB, 2 K, CS
A.J. Jimenez – 3/5, R, 2B, RBI, K
Brad Glenn – 1/4, R, HR, 2 RBI, 3 K
Clint Robinson – 0/4, 2 K
Kevin Nolan – 1/3, R, 2B, BB, E
Ryan Schimpf – 1/3, R, HR, 2 RBI, BB, K
Brian Van Kirk – 1/3, BB, CS
Jon Talley – 1/4, 2 K

Pitching:

Deck McGuire – 6 2/3 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 8 K, 1 HR
Evan Crawford – L, 1/3 IP, 1 H, 1 R (0 ER), 1 K
Dustin Antolin – 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: A.J. Jimenez

Dunedin Blue Jays (41-35)

The Dunedin Blue Jays opened the game with six runs in the first two innings and held on to beat the Tampa Yankees 6-5 on Saturday night. Starter Scott Copeland gave up five runs but only two were earned after Gustavo Pierre made two errors at third base for the Blue Jays. Copeland also struggled with his control, walking five batters while striking out only three. The Blue Jays went deep with long balls by Mike Crouse and Peter Mooney while Shane Opitz, getting a rare start, went two for three with a single and a double.

Hitting:

Shane Opitz – 2/3, R, 2B, BB
Peter Mooney – 2/4, 2 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI
Mike Crouse – 2/3, 2 R, HR, RBI, BB, K, SB, OF Asst.
K.C. Hobson – 0/4
Gabe Jacobo – 1/4, R, 2B, 2 RBI
Gustavo Pierre  – 0/4, 2 K, 2 E
Nick Baligod – 1/3, RBI, K
Pierce Rankin – 0/3
Matt Newman – 0/3, K

Pitching:

Scott Copeland – W, 7 IP, 8 H, 5 R (2 ER), 5 BB, 3 K, 1 HR
Ajay Meyer – S, 2 IP, 2 BB, 3 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Mike Crouse

Lansing Lugnuts (34-44)

The Lansing Lugnuts squandered an excellent start from Javier Avendano in a 4-3 loss to the Great Lakes Loons. Avendano went seven shutout innings, giving up only three hits and one walk while striking out three, but Efrain Nieves ran into trouble in the eighth, giving up three runs. Ian Kadish also ended up allowing two of Nieves’s runs to score and gave up an unearned run of his own in the loss. Despite tallying eleven hits, the Lugnuts only scored three runs, one of which came from an Emilio Guerrero home run. Carlos Ramirez and Jorge Flores each hit two doubles while Dwight Smith, Jr. went two for four with a walk.

Hitting:

Dwight Smith, Jr. – 2/4, R, BB
Jorge Flores – 2/5, 2 2B, RBI, SB
Christian Lopes – 1/5, R
Kevin Patterson – 1/4, BB
Jason Leblebijian – 1/4, RBI, BB, K
Santiago Nessy – 0/5, 2 K, E
Carlos Ramirez – 2/4, 2 2B
Chris Hawkins – 1/4, 2B, K
Emilio Guerrero –  1/3, R, HR, RBI, BB

Pitching:

Javier Avendano – 7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
Efrain Nieves – L, 1/3 IP, 0 H, 3 R, 2 BB
Ian Kadish – 1 2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 3 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Javier Avendano

Vancouver Canadians (8-7)

June 28 Game:

The Vancouver Canadians’ offense couldn’t get going against Konner Wade and the rest of the Tri-City Dust Devils in a 4-1 loss on Friday night. Starter Colton Turner gave up all four runs on only five hits through his six and a third innings in an otherwise solid start. The batters only managed to get five hits including two from Jordan Leyland, playing left field for the second time this season. Second baseman Jorge Vega-Rosado drove in the Canadians’ sole run with a single in the fifth and stole his fourth base of the season. L.B. Dantzler and Brendan Kalfus had the other two hits for the C’s.

Hitting:

Andy Fermin – 0/4
David Harris – 0/4
L.B. Dantzler -1/4, K
Jordan Leyland – 2/4, K, PO, CS
Brenden Kalfus – 1/3, R
Daniel Klein – 0/2, BB
Justin Atkinson – 0/3
Jorge Vega-Rosado – 1/3, RBI, SB
Ronnie Melendez – 0/2, BB

Pitching:

Colton Turner – L, 6 1/3 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Jonathan Kountis – 2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 K
Tim Brechbuehler – 2 IP, 1 BB, 3 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Jordan Leyland

Late night game summaries for the Vancouver Canadians will appear two days after the game day.

Bluefield Blue Jays (7-3)

The Bluefield Blue Jays brought their bats along and destroyed the Danville Braves to win by a final score of 11-3. Every starter for the Blue Jays got at least one hit and D.J. Davis had a big night with four RBI and a stolen base to go along with his single and triple. Catcher Jorge Saez hit a home run and Matt Dean, Tim Locastro and Mitch Nay each went two for four with a single and a double. While Brady Dragmire ran into trouble in the start, Joe Lovecchio was outstanding in his three innings, facing the minimum of nine batters and striking out four of them.

Hitting:

D.J. Davis – 2/5, 2 R, 3B, 4 RBI, BB, SB
Jonathan Davis – 1/4, 2 R, RBI, BB, 2 K, SB
Derrick Loveless – 1/3, R, 3B, BB, PO, CS
Mitch Nay – 2/4, 2B, 2 RBI, BB
Eric Arce – 1/4, 2B, BB, 3 K
Jorge Saez – 1/5, R, HR, RBI
Matthew Dean – 2.4, R, 2B, RBI
D.J. Jones – 0/0, BB, R
Alexis Maldonado – 1/4, 2 RBI, BB
Tim Locastro – 2/4, R, 2B, RBI

Pitching:

Brady Dragmire – 3 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 B, 1 K, 2 HR
Joe Lovecchio – W, 3 IP, 4 K
Adaric Kelly – 2 IP, 1 H, 2 BB
Justin D’Alessandro – 1 IP, 3 H, 1 R

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: D.J. Davis

Gulf Coast League Blue Jays (4-4)

The GCL Blue Jays lost 9-2 to the GCL Braves in some Saturday morning action. Starter Tim Mayza, who impressed in his last outing, got knocked around in this one, giving up seven of the Braves’ runs in just two innings. Jesus Tinoco, who wasn’t impressive in his last appearance, was very strong on Saturday, going four innings, giving up just one run on one hit and a walk while striking out six. Kamakani Usui, an undrafted free agent signed earlier this month, threw another scoreless inning. 2013 twenty-fourth round pick Sean Hurley hit his first professional home run (along with a double) in the loss and shortstop Edwin Fuentes also had two hits.

Hitting:

Franklin Barreto – 1/4, K, SB
Josh Almonte – 1/3, BB, 2 K
Thomas Collins III – 0/3, K
Nathan DeSouza – 0/1
Andres De Aza – 0/4, 2 K
Andres Sotillo – 1/4, K, PB
Edwin Fuentes – 2/3
Daniel Devonshire – 0/1, K, E
Will Dupont – 0/4, R, 2 K
Sean Hurley – 2/3, R, 2B, HR, RBI, K
Andrew Florides – 0/0, R

Pitching:

Tim Mayza – L, 2 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Jesus Tinoco – 4 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 6 K
Tyler Gonzales – 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 K
Kamakani Usui – 1 IP, 1 H

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Sean Hurley

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