Wins/Losses: 32-27 | Streak: L3 | 3rd in PCL Pacific South division (6.0 GB)

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Reno Aces 8, Las Vegas 51s 1 – LP: Richmond (5-4, 5.84)

The 51s’ offense managed just six singles and the Aces scored seven unanswered runs as Las Vegas dropped their third consecutive game to Reno 8-1 on Tuesday night at Cashman Field.

Hitting:

Adeiny Hechavarria and Vladimir Guerrero hit back-to-back, one-out singles in the bottom of the first and both advanced into scoring position on a fielding error, but the 51s were only able to score the one run, on an Adam Lind groundout. After that, their only other opportunity to plate a run came with runners on first and second with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning.

After joining the 51s over the weekend from Advanced-A Dunedin, Guerrero went 3-for-17 (.176) with one double (but only one strikeout) in his first four Triple-A games of the season, while Lind, is hitting .415 (17-for-41) in his last 10 games but has just one extra-base hit — a double back on May 30 — over that span.

Pitching:

51s starter Scott Richmond lasted just four innings, giving up six runs (five earned) on 10 hits with one walk and three strikeouts. Richmond had a tough time getting out of the first inning, as a pair of two-out singles around an Adam Lind fielding error led to an unearned run, and a wild pitch on a swinging strikeout loaded the bases to continue the frame. What ultimately hurt Richmond, though, was a four-run second, where the first five batters all reached base via three singles, a walk and a double. He retired three of his next four batters to end the inning, but the damage was already done.

Clint Everts, making his third appearance since being assigned to the 51s from Double-A New Hampshire on May 27, gave up one unearned run and allowed three hits in two innings. After a fielding error by 51s left fielder Ricardo Nanita led to the run in the fifth inning, Everts benefited from a great play by his catcher, Travis d’Arnaud, to throw out Reno second baseman Taylor Harbin trying to steal second base. Left-hander Bill Murphy mopped up the game’s final three innings, allowing just one run on one hit that scored on two ground outs in the top of the ninth.

Wins/Losses: 21-35 | Streak: L2 | 6th in EAS Eastern division (11.0 GB)

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Richmond Flying Squirrels 1, New Hampshire Fisher Cats 0 – LP: Pino (1-3, 3.28)

Starter Joel Carreno‘s strong outing wasn’t enough, as the Fisher Cats’ bats fell silent to hand them a 1-0 loss to the Richmond Flying Squirrels on Tuesday night at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium.

Hitting:

Just like Triple-A Las Vegas, all of New Hampshire’s hits were singles. Mike McDade and Brian Bocock each went 1-for-3 and drew a walk, though Bocock was caught stealing for the first time this season in the  bottom of the third. The Fisher Cats’ only scoring chance came in the first inning, when Ryan Goins and McDade roped back-to-back, two-out singles but catcher Sean Ochinko grounded into a force out.

After drawing a walk in the third and another in the fourth, New Hampshire didn’t have another baserunner until Bocock’s leadoff single in the bottom of the ninth, which was wasted after a foul bunt strikeout and a double play ended the game.

Pitching:

Carreno was handed the hard-luck loss despite pitching his best game of the season, where he scattered just two hits over a season-high seven innings. Unfortunately one of those hits was a two-out solo home run in the third inning, but apart from that, Carreno faced the minimum amount of batters. He did not issue a walk for the first time in five Double-A starts this season, and out of his six strikeouts, five were of the swinging variety. Right-hander Scott Gracey kept it a 1-0 game with two perfect innings of relief.

Wins/Losses: 39-19 | Streak: W4 | 1st in FSL North division (7.5 GM Lead)

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Dunedin Blue Jays 7, Palm Beach Cardinals 1 - WP: Nolin (7-0, 2.43)

After scoring four runs in the second inning, the D-Jays added three more in the sixth to take the opener of a four-game series against the Palm Beach Cardinals 7-1 on Tuesday night at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium.

Hitting:

DH/first baseman Gabe Jacobo continued to impress, going 2-for-4 in the leadoff spot with a two-run home run in the second inning to bring his season total to five. Kevin Nolan, Marcus Knecht, Kenen Bailli and Kevin Ahrens each hit a double, and the D-Jays finished 4-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Also, in addition to throwing out a baserunner, catcher Jack Murphy finished with three RBI on the night thanks to a sacrifice fly in the second and a two-run single in the sixth.

Pitching:

After giving up a leadoff home run to start the game, Dunedin starter Sean Nolin settled in, allowing just six hits and one walk in 5 2/3 shutout innings the rest of the way. After two singles opened the top the top of the fourth inning and eventually led to runners on the corners with two outs, Nolin was able to induce a fly out in foul territory to end the inning. He gave up back-to-back, two-out singles in the fifth and also got some help from reliever Dustin Antolin in the sixth when a runner on third was stranded, but it was still a great outing. The start earned Nolin his seventh win of the season and improved his record to 7-0.

Outside of the walk he issued after replacing Nolin in the sixth, Antolin earned his seventh hold of the season in lights-out fashion, tossing 2 1/3 scoreless innings without allowing a hit.

Making his first appearance of the season with Dunedin, right-hander Drew Permison induced three groundouts in a scoreless ninth inning. Permison, assigned to Dunedin just before the game, spent the bulk of last season closing games for the Vancouver Canadians before a late-season call-up to the Lansing Lugnuts.

Wins/Losses: 40-17 | Streak: W2 | 1st in MID Eastern division (9.5 GM Lead)

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Scheduled off-day

That left Vancouver and Dunedin, and the Canadians hung on for the win to advance to the Northwest League Championship, while Dunedin lost a close one and will play a deciding game 3 tonight.

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image courtesy of Gary W. Green of the orlandosentinel.com

#43: Justin Nicolino

19 years old / 6’3″ 160 lbs

Born: November 22nd 1991 in Orlando, Florida

Bats Left   Throws Left

High School Team: University High School (wore #11)

College: N/A

Drafted: by the Jays in the 2nd rd, 80th overall, of the ’10 First-Year Player Draft. Signed for a reported $615,000 and his deal also includes the Jays paying for his education. He was signed away from a verbal commitment to playing College ball for Virginia.

Wears: #77 for the GCL Blue Jays

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Photo courtesy of Towson University

#44: Drew L. Permison

Pitcher / 21 years old / 5′10″ 170 lbs

Born: February 24th, 1989 in Columbia, Maryland, USA

Bats: Right    Throws: Right

High School Team: Oakland Mills Scorpions

College: Towson University

Drafted by: The Toronto Blue Jays in the 42nd round (1,266th overall) in the 2010 First-Year-Player Draft

Jersey Number: #5 for the Auburn Doubledays (more…)

“You have to weigh each case by itself. If it’s the right player, the right fit, the right talent at the right price, you’ve got to be open to it.”

I’m sorry, but that has Manny Ramirez written all over it and a message to him and his agent. It may very well be the biggest hint we get on the Jays position towards Manny yet. Instead of saying no, as they just did in Justin Upton‘s case, the Jays said….mmmm, maybe. They told Manny “make yourself affordable, and the Jays will give you the shot you said you wanted to play for John Farrell”. The more interesting fact is that this quote was made after 2 player misses. First, the Jays lost out to the Braves on the Dan Uggla sweepstakes – which I, for one, can’t imagine why they did since the Braves offer was horrible to say the least and ended up putting him in the same division – and have just recently bowed out of the Justin Upton sweepstakes due to the price tag attached.

Ahh, the Justin Upton Sweepstakes. Why in the world are the Jays looking for yet another outfielder anyhow? You have to believe that Rajai Davis was going to be part of a deal. If my thinking on this is correct, the reason the Jays want another OF is because they want Bautista at 3B and see Davis as a platoon candidate. I’d look for the Jays to keep ruffling the bushes to see what they can add in the outfield. I’m not so sure who it will be, but with the talent level Alex Anthopolous has been looking at to add at each position, you know it’s not going to be a Pat Burrell type of player. He want a young and mobile OF. (more…)