Dawel’s Dinger: July 19 Minor League Report

After a couple of days in transit, I’m writing from Bluefield, West Virginia, home of the Bluefield Blue Jays. Today’s double header was exciting with two wins for the Baby Jays including a walkoff win in Game 1.

Buffalo Bisons (50-48)

The Buffalo Bisons just finished their game with the Toledo Mud Hens before the rains came but came out on top with a 2-1 win. Justin Germano had another very good start for the Herd, going seven innings, giving up only one run on seven hits and one walk while striking out four, and generally keeping the ball on the ground getting ten groundouts on seventy-eight pitches. John Stilson threw another two excellent innings to preserve the win and get the save. Mauro Gomez provided the offense, driving himself and Munenori Kawasaki in with a two-out, two-run home run in the first inning. Melky Cabrera had a one for three day in his first rehab game with the Buffalo Bisons.

Roster Notes: Melky Cabrera and Sergio Santos were assigned to Buffalo to continue their rehab. Moises Sierra was sent to Dunedin in the GCL to begin his.

February 24, 2013; Tampa, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Justin Germano (52) throws a pitch in the sixth inning against the New York Yankees during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Hitting:

Kevin Pillar – 1/4
Munenori Kawasaki – 1/3, R, E
Melky Cabrera – 1/3
Mike McCoy – 0/1
Mauro Gomez – 1/4, R, HR, 2 RBI, K
Jim Negrych – 1/3
Andy LaRoche – 0/3
Clint Robinson – 0/1, 2 BB
Sean Ochinko – 0/3
Anthony Gose – 1/3, CS

Pitching:

Justin Germano – W, 7 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 4 K
John Stilson – S, 2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Justin Germano

New Hampshire Fisher Cats (50-47)

Brad Glenn hit the game-winning home run in the tenth inning to give the Fisher Cats a 4-3 victory over the Trenton Thunder on Friday night. Starter Marcus Stroman went seven strong innings giving up two runs on four hits and three walks and struck out five. Alan Farina gave up the tying run in the eighth but Randy Boone pitched two scoreless innings for the win. the batters spread things around, getting twelve hits including Glenn’s big knock but Kevin Nolan had the big day with a four-for-four game (adding a walk) while Ryan Schimpf went three for four with a triple and Adam Loewen drove in a run with a two-for-five game.

Hitting:

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

Pitching:

Marcus Stroman – 7 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 5 K
Alan Farina – 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 K
Randy Boone – W, 2 IP, 1 BB, 2 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Kevin Nolan

Dunedin Blue Jays (46-45)

The Dunedin Blue Jays got some much needed life from the bats in a 6-3 win over the Fort Myers Miracle.  While starter Austin Bibens-Dirkx was his usual stingy self, giving up only one run on five hits and a walk, the story was really the revitalization of the offense. The Blue Jays got nine hits including two each from Peter Mooney, K.C. Hobson, Gustavo Pierre and Marcus Knecht. Hobson and Knecht each hit a home run. For Hobson it was his team leading thirteenth home run and his two hits were his first since July 7. With the those hits (and a walk) tonight, his batting average is at .195, still below the Mendoza Line.

Roster Moves: J.A. Happ was assigned to Dunedin for rehab and RHP Wil Browning was promoted to Dunedin from Lansing. Shawn Griffith was placed on the 7-day DL.

Hitting:

Jon Berti – 0/5, K
Peter Mooney – 2/3, 2 BB, K
Mike Crouse – 0/4, 2 R, BB, K
K.C. Hobson – 2/5, R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, BB
Marcus Knecht – 2/5, R, HR, 2 RBI
Gustavo Pierre – 2/5, 2 R, K
Nick Baligod –0/2, 2 BB
Pierce Rankin – 0/3, BB, K
Shane Opitz – 1/2, 2 RBI, BB, SB, SF

Pitching:

Austin Bibens-Dirkx – W, 6 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K
Tyler Ybarra – 1 IP, 3 K
Ajay Meyer – 2 IP, 4 H, 2 R 3 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: K.C. Hobson

Lansing Lugnuts (40-56)

The Lansing Lugnuts got some outstanding pitching in defeating the Clinton Lumberkings 2-1 on Friday night. Daniel Norris made a strong start, going three and two-thirds scoreless innings giving up two hits and two walks but only struck out on. He was followed by Kramer Champlin who contributed another three and a third shutout innings giving up only two hits and a walk while striking out two. The batters only had six hits but two came off the bat of Christian Lopes who went two for four with a double and an RBI.

Roster Move: P Chad Girodo was assigned to Lansing after signing his contract with the Blue Jays. RP Wil Browning was promoted to the Dunedin Blue Jays.

Hitting:

Dalton Pompey – 0/4
Emilio Guerrero – 1/4
Dwight Smith, Jr. – 0/2, BB, K
Santiago Nessy – 1/4, R, K
Christian Lopes – 2/4, R, 2B, RBI, K
Jason Leblebijian – 1/3, BB
Carlos Ramirez – 1/4
Seth Conner – 0/4
Kellen Sweeney – 0/2, BB

Pitching:

Daniel Norris – 3 2/3 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 1 K
Kramer Champlin – W, 3 1/3 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 2 K
Ian Kadish – 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 K
Arik Sikula – 1 IP, 1 H

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Christian Lopes

Vancouver Canadians (21-14)

July 19 Game:

Pitching was the word for the Vancouver Canadians in a 4-0 win over the Eugene Emeralds on Friday. Starter Colton Turner went five shutout innings, giving up only four hits and striking out five batters while recently-demoted Alonzo Gonzalez had his second good outing in Vancouver, going three innings giving up just two hits and a walk while striking out three. The offense contributed nine hits and seven walks and took advantage of two Eugene errors in scoring four. Brenden Kalfus had the big day for the C’s, going four for four with a run scored.

Roster Moves: The Vancouver Canadians placed LHP Bobby Brosnahan on the 7-day DL while activating IF Shaun Valeriote.

Hitting:

Ian Parmley – 1/4, 2B, BB, K
Dickie Thon – 0/4, RBI, K, CS
L.B. Dantzler – 0/3, 2 BB, 2 K
Jordan Leyland – 0/2, 2 BB, K
Justin Atkinson – 1/3, R, BB, K
Michael Reeves – 1/3, R, BB, K
Brenden Kalfus – 4/4, R
Christian Vazquez – 1/3, RBI
David Harris – 1/4, R, RBI

Pitching:

Colton Turner – W, 5 IP, 4 H, 5 K
Alonzo Gonzalez – 3 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 3 K
Matt Johnson – 1 IP

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Colton Turner and Brenden Kalfus

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

Bluefield Blue Jays (17-10)

Bluefield won both halves of a double header against the Burlington Royals on Saturday.

Game 1 was a real nail biter, with the Blue Jays eventually winning 7-6. Mark Biggs got the start and gave up four runs on six hits in his three innings. Francisco Gracesqui relieved him and gave up another two runs on three hits (including a home run) and Joe Lovecchio earned the win with a far better outing on Saturday than the night before. On Saturday, Lovecchio was on his game, striking out two batters (both looking) in his inning of relief. The team only got five hits and four walks but managed to work their way back by taking advantage of some sloppy defense and wild pitches (and a balk). D.J. Davis hit a fifth inning, solo home run but the game belonged to shortstop Dawel Lugo. Lugo was on base all three times he was up and scored three times. In the end, though, he came up to bat with two outs in the bottom of the seventh and hit a three-run home run to finish in a walkoff.

Game 2 involved another comeback win with the Blue Jays scoring five runs in the fifth to win 5-2. Starter Brady Dragmire went five strong innings, giving up only four hits (including a home run) to give up the Royals’ two runs (only one was earned). The Blue Jays only had six hits but clutch hitting including a two-run single from D.J. Jones in the fifth inning and another one with two outs from Mitch Nay in the fifth brought home four of the five runs.

Shortstop Dawel Lugo watches as he hits a walk-off home run for the Bluefield Blue Jays against the Burlington Royals on July 19, 2013. Mandatory Credit: Jay Blue

Game 1

Hitting:

D.J. Davis – 1/4, R, HR, RBI, K
Jonathan Davis – 0/2, R, 2 BB
Nico Taylor – 1/3, BB
D.J. Jones – 0/0, R
Mitch Nay – 0/3, R, BB, K
Dawel Lugo – 1/3, 3 R, HR, 3 RBI
Jorge Saez – 1/3, 2 K
Matt Dean – 0/3, RBI
Angel Rojas – 0/2, K
Tim Locastro – 1/1, RBI
Jesus Gonzalez – 0/2, K
John Silviano – 0/1

Pitching:

Mark Biggs – 3 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HR
Francisco Gracesqui – 3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 1 HR
Joe Lovecchio – W, 1 IP, 2 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Dawel Lugo

Game 2

Hitting:

Tim Locastro – 0/3, K
Jonathan Davis – 1/2, R, BB
Nico Taylor – 1/2, R, BB
Mitch Nay – 1/3, 2 RBI
Dawel Lugo – 0/3, E
Jorge Saez – 0/2, R, BB
Matt Dean – 2/3, K
Garrett Custons – 1/3, R, 2B
D.J. Jones – 1/2, R, 2 RBI, K

Pitching:

Brady Dragmire – W, 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HR
Alvido Jimenez – S, 2 IP, 1 BB, 1 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Mitch Nay

Gulf Coast League Blue Jays (11-12)

The GCL Blue Jays fell 9-5 to the GCL Yankees2 team, mainly due to shoddy defense that can be summed up by the six errors that the team committed. Shortstop Franklin Barreto led the way in that regard, having a day to forget, going oh for five, striking out three times and making three errors in the field. Moises Sierra was spotted working his way back to the Buffalo Bisons and went one for two with a walk and two runs scored. Thomas Collins III had another two-hit day to push his batting average to .366 for the season while Edwin Fuentes had another two hits. On the pitching side, it was only a good day for a couple of players. Starter Oscar Cabrera gave up three runs in his three innings and Francisco diaz gave up four runs on two hits and three walks in his inning although only two runs were earned. Even Smith had a solid outing, going two and two-thirds and striking out three and giving one run on two hits and a walk while Canadian Sean Ratcliffe pitched a scoreless ninth, giving up a hit and striking out two.

Roster Moves: The GCL Blue Jays had 2013 2nd round draft pick Clinton Hollon assigned to the team. OF Moises Sierra was assigned to the GCL Blue Jays on for rehab while LHP Zak Adams was released.

Hitting:

Franklin Barreto – 0/5, 3 K, 3 E
Will Dupont – 1/5, 2 K, E
Moises Sierra – 1/2, 2 R, BB, OF Asst.
Andres De Aza – 1/2, K
Thomas Collins III – 2/4, R, K, SB
Edwin Fuentes – 2/4, R, 2 RBI
Sean Hurley – 0/3, R, BB, K
Dan Jansen – 1/3, 2 RBI, BB, 2 K
Andres Sotillo – 0/4, 3 K
Gabriel Cenas – 0/4, 3 K, E

Pitching:

Oscar Cabrera – 3 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 3 K
Francisco Diaz – L, 1 IP, 2 H, 4 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 1 K
Evan Smith – 2 2/3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K
Jose Fernandez – 1 1/3 IP, 2 H, 1 R (0 ER)
Sean Ratcliffe – 1 IP, 1 H, 2 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Edwin Fuentes

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