Sparks Fly in New Hampshire Marathon: August 10 Minor League Report

I’ve followed the Lansing Lugnuts to lovely Midland, Michigan where they took on the Great Lakes Loons. I was lucky to time it just right to see a start by Blue Jays 6th round 2013 draft pick, Matt Boyd.

Buffalo Bisons (62-58)

The Buffalo Bisons rode starter Justin Germano to a 6-2 victory over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Rail Riders on Saturday night. Germano went eight outstanding innings, giving up just one run on five hits and striking out eight batters. Buddy Carlyle ended up giving up one more run but Jeremy Jeffress worked his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth inning (striking out two batters along the way) to seal the victory for the Bisons. Despite striking out fourteen times all together, the offense put together nine hits for six runs including three from Kevin Pillar in his first big game in quite some time. Pillar went three for five with a double, a run scored and two RBI. Anthony Gose also contributed with a single and a double as well as a stolen base. Moises Sierra hit his ninth home run of the year, driving in two and going one for four with three strikouts.

Hitting:

Mike McCoy – 0/3, 3 R, 2 BB, K, 2 SB
Anthony Gose – 2/4, R, 2B, 2 K, SB
Kevin Pillar – 3/5, R, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 K, CS
Ricardo Nanita – 1/5, 2B, 2 RBI, K
Moises Sierra – 1/4, R, HR, 2 RBI, 3 K
Ryan Goins – 0/3, BB, 2 K
Andy LaRoche – 1/4, K
Jim Negrych – 1/4, 2B
Sean Ochinko – 0/4, K

Pitching:

Justin Germano – W, 8 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 8 K
Buddy Carlyle – 0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 3 BB
Jeremy Jeffress – S, 1 IP, 2 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Justin Germano

New Hampshire Fisher Cats (56-61)

Marcus Walden gave the Fisher Cats six strong innings and the bullpen held for a while but Dustin Antolin gave up five runs in the thirteenth inning and the Fisher Cats didn’t have an answer in a 7-2 loss in extras on Saturday. Walden gave up just one run in his six innings on five hits and two walks while striking out three and Randy Boone had three scoreless innings in relief followed by Alan Farina who contributed another two shutout innings. Antolin gave up one in the twelfth, which was matched by the Fisher Cats, but the five runs in the thirteenth just couldn’t be overcome. The offense spread around the hits, with only Gabe Jacobo having two. He hit a single and a double and Andy Burns hit the only other extra-base hit, a double, to go along with his two walks.

Hitting:

Adam Loewen – 1/6, RBI
Andy Burns – 1/4, 2B, RBI, 2 BB, 2 K, E
Kevin Nolan – 1/5, BB, K
Brad Glenn – 1/6, 2 K
A.J. Jimenez – 0/6
Gabe Jacobo – 2/4, 2B, K
Kenny Wilson – 0/2, K
Ryan Schimpf – 0/3, BB, 2 K
Kevin Ahrens – 1/1, R
Lance Zawadzki – 1/5, R
John Tolisano – 1/5, 2 K

Pitching:

Marcus Walden – 6 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 2 K
Randy Boone – 3 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 3 K
Alan Farina – 2 IP, 1 H, 3 K
Dustin Antolin – L, 1 2/3 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 4 BB, 2 K, 1 HR
Evan Crawford – 1/3 IP, 1 BB

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Randy Boone and Alan Farina

Dunedin Blue Jays (54-57)

The Dunedin Blue Jays managed to squeeze out a 7-6 victory over the Brevard County Manatees on Saturday night. Headlining the night was a cycle for third baseman Gustavo Pierre. Pierre, now hitting .226 for the Blue Jays was hitting .292 with 5 home runs with the Lansing Lugnuts before his promotion. In addition to Pierre’s outstanding achievement, Jon Berti went two for four but was caught stealing and Nick Baligod went two for three, scored two runs and took a walk. Scott Copeland got the start for the D-Jays, gave up four runs and was probably lucky to get away with just that many. He scattered eight hits and four walks in four innings but also struck out five. Dayton Marze gave up the other two runs over two innings while Wil Browning, Ajay Meyer and Blake McFarland combined for the final three innings of the game, holding the Manatees at bay. McFarland was especially effective, striking out the side in order.

Hitting:

Jon Berti – 2/4, RBI, BB, CS
Shane Opitz – 1/5, 2 R, K
Mike Crouse – 1/3, R, RBI, 2 BB
K.C. Hobson – 1/4, R, 2B, BB
Marcus Knecht – 1/4, 2B, RBI
Gustavo Pierre – 4/4, R, 2B, 3B, HR, 4 RBI
Matt Newman – 0/3, CS
Derrick Chung – 1/4, K
Nick Baligod – 2/3, 2 R, BB

Pitching:

Scott Copeland – 4 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 BB, 5 K
Dayton Marze – 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 K, 1 HR
Wil Browning – W, 1 IP, 2 K
Ajay Meyer – 1 IP, 1 H
Blake McFarland – S, 1 IP, 3 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Gustavo Pierre

Lansing Lugnuts (50-67)

The Lansing Lugnuts lost a heartbreaker 2-1 to the Great Lakes Loons on a two-out, bases loaded bund in the bottom of the ninth inning that just wouldn’t roll foul. Lefty Matt Boyd, selected in the sixth round of the 2013 draft, had a terrific start, giving up just one hit, one walk and no runs in five innings while striking out four. Thunder Bay’s Eric Brown was working in and out of danger all night but he couldn’t get free of the jam in the ninth. Brown retired the first two batters to start the ninth, but gave a pair of singles followed by a walk to load the bases. James Baldwin then bunted down the third base line to Kellen Sweeney, who waited for the ball to roll foul. It never did and the winning run came across to score. Center fielder Dalton Pompey returned to the lineup and went one for four with a stolen base. Jordan Leyland hit a double to drive in the Lugnuts’ only run.

Pitcher Matt Boyd warms up for the Lansing Lugnuts in Midland, Michigan on August 10, 2013. Mandatory Credit: Jay Blue

Hitting:

Dwight Smith, Jr. – 0/3, BB, 3 K
Dalton Pompey – 1/4, K, SB
Christian Lopes –  0/4, K
Kevin Patterson – 0/2, R, BB, K
Carlos Ramirez – 0/2
Chris Hawkins – 1/1
Jordan Leyland – 1/4, 2B, RBI, 2 K
Emilio Guerrero – 1/3, 2B, BB, K
Daniel Klein – 1/4, K
Kellen Sweeney – 1/3, K

Pitching:

Matt Boyd – 5 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 4 K
Eric Brown – L, 3 2/3 IP, 6 H, 2 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 2 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Matt Boyd

Vancouver Canadians (27-22)

August 9 Game:

The Vancouver Canadians lost another game 5-4, this time by giving up all five runs in the last two innings. Tom Robson made another outstanding start, getting the batters to drive the ball into the ground. He pitched six innings and gave up seven hits and two walks but got nine groundball outs including five double plays by the defense behind him. The relievers, Joe Spano and Garrett Pickens, ended up giving up five runs between them to squander Robson’s strong start. The offense put together thirteen hits but only three of them went for extra bases. Chaz Frank, Ian Parmley, Andy Fermin, Christian Vazquez and Melvin Garcia each had a pair of hits. Frank and Fermin hit doubles withe Fermin driving in two runs and taking two walks.

Hitting:

Chaz Frank – 2/5, 2B, K
Ian Parmley – 2/5, R, SB
Brenden Kalfus –1/4, R, 3B, BB
Andy Fermin – 2/3, R, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB, K
Justin Atkinson – 1/5, RBI, 2 K
Michael Reeves – 1/4, BB, K
Seth Conner – 0/5, R, K
Christian Vazquez – 2/4, BB
Melvin Garcia – 2/4, RBI, K, SF

Pitching:

Tom Robson – 6 IP, 7 H, 2 BB, 2 K
Joe Spano – 1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 1 K
Garrett Pickens – L, 1 1/3 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 BB

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Tom Robson

Late night Vancouver Canadians recaps will appear two days following the game.

Bluefield Blue Jays (33-15)

Game postponed due to rain.

Gulf Coast League Blue Jays (19-25)

The GCL Blue Jays came back to score ten unanswered runs after they fell behind 4-0 to take a 10-4 victory over the GCL Phillies on Saturday. 2013 seventh round draft pick Conner Greene gave up all four runs in three innings and Jake Brentz had a sort of rough outing, giving up a hit and two walks over two-thirds of an inning. Fifth round pick Daniel Lietz picked up the win with three and a third innigns of shutout ball (giving up four hits and striking out two) and Jimmy Cordero and Drew Permison each thre a scoreless inning. Franklin Barreto continues to be hot, hitting two home runs and scoring three runs on the day despite striking out three times. Rowdy Tellez hit a triple and Josh Almonte had a single and a double.

Hitting:

Franklin Barreto – 2/5, 3 R, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 3 K
Edwin Fuentes – 1/5, R
Thomas Collins III – 1/3, R, 2 RBI
Rowdy Tellez – 1/4, 3B, RBI, 2 K
Gabriel Cenas – 1/3, 2B, RBI, S
Dan Jansen – 1/4, K
Sean Hurley – 1/3, 2 R, BB, K
Josh Almonte – 2/4, 2 R, 2B, RBI, 2 K
Koby Kraemer – 1/4, 1 R, 2B, RBI, K

Pitching:

Conner Greene – 3 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 1 HR
Jake Brentz – 2/3 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 1 K
Daniel Lietz – W, 3 1/3 IP, 4 H, 2 K
Jimmy Cordero – 1 IP, 1 H, 2 K
Drew Permison – 1 IP, 1 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Franklin Barreto

If you like what you’ve seen by Jay Blue, read his work and listen to his podcast on Blue Jays from Away and follow him on Twitter: @Jaysfromaway.