Complete Minor League Recap: April 22

Here’s your minor league recap for April 22, which now includes win/loss totals, winning or losing streaks, and places in the standings for every team.

The Lansing Lugnuts played another double header on Friday to continue making up the games that were postponed in their first week of action, so there were a total of five games played by the Jays’ minor league affiliates on April 22.

Highlights include A.J. Jimenez going 4-for-5, Brett Lawrie hitting a pair of home runs, and the first rehab appearances by ailing Jays outfielders Scott Podsednik, Dewayne Wise, and Rajai Davis.

Wins/Losses: 9-7 | Streak: L3 | 2nd in PCL Pacific South (0.5 GB)

Salt Lake Bees 7, Las Vegas 51s 5

In a back and forth game that saw the Las Vegas take the lead in the bottom of the first inning and never regain it after that, the 51s were downed by the Salt Lake Bees on Friday, primarily due to a four-run eighth inning. The 51s managed to score three runs in the final two frames to make it interesting, but it was ultimately too late.

Hitting:

The offense was led largely in part by Brett Lawrie, who singled, stole second base, and scored in the first inning before hitting a pair of solo home runs in the 6th and 8th innings, upping his season average to .431. David Cooper added a two-out RBI double in the first inning and a single later in the game, and Ryan Budde – starting at second base – hit a solo bomb in the bottom of the 9th inning for his first home run of the season. After going 0-for-2 with three walks on Thursday and seeing his impressive hitting streak come to an end, Eric Thames went 0-for-4 and did not reach base in this one.

Pitching:

Jesse Litsch made his first Triple-A start of the season, allowing four hits and one earned run in just three innings, likely to keep him fresh in case he is needed to start in Toronto on Tuesday if Aaron Hill goes on the DL. Sean Henn and Winston Abreu each allowed an earned run in their appearances (2 innings and 1.2 innings, respectively), and Chad Cordero pitched a perfect ninth inning.

After getting a fly out to end the 7th, Danny Farquhar looked rocky in the 8th inning hitting one batter and allowing three doubles and a single. He was charged with four runs – only one of which was earned due a throwing error by Budde – and with one strikeout and no walks in 1.1 innings.

Notes:

• Cooper’s RBI in the first inning was already his 18th of the season, which ranks him 4th in the Pacific Coast League
• This was Lawrie’s first multi-home run game of the season and he now has hit 4 home runs this year
• As a team, the 51s struck out nine times, with Cooper and Thames each doing so twice

Wins/Losses: 9-5 | Streak: W4 | 2nd in EAS Eastern (1.0 GB)

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 2, Binghamton Mets 0

There wasn’t a lot of action in this low-scoring affair, as the Fisher Cats managed to top the Mets and improve their record to 9-5, with Mike McDade and Travis d’Arnaud providing all of the necessary offense in support of Chad Beck.

Hitting:

Rajai Davis made his first rehab appearance following his ankle injury, going 1-for-3 with a strikeout. Travis d’Arnaud doubled home Moises Sierra who was hit by a pitch in the fourth inning, and Mike McDade – leading the Fisher Cats with a .327 average – hit his first home run of the season in the 6th inning to put the Fisher Cats up 2-0. Mark Sobolewski chipped in with two singles and Adeiny Hechavarria – batting 8th – went 1-for-2.

Pitching:

The story in this one was starter Chad Beck, who pitched seven shutout innings, allowing just four hits and two walks with six strikeouts. Newly-acquired Yohan Pino notched a hold in his first appearance despite allowing two hits, and Alan Farina worked his magic by striking out the side in the 9th to log his third save of the season.

Notes:

• Known for his usually good defense, d’Arnaud was charged with 3 passed balls and was on the receiving end of a wild pitch as well
• Moises Sierra stole his fourth base of the season in the 8th inning after drawing a walk
• The Fisher Cats still managed to steal a win despite going 0-for-7 with RISP
• Slumping CF Anthony Gose hit at the bottom of the order in this contest and went 0-for-3

Wins/Losses: 6-10 | Streak: W3 | 6th in FSL North (6.0 GB)

Dunedin Blue Jays 11, Tampa Yankees 4

In Scott Podsednik (1-for-5, RBI, K) and DeWayne Wise’s (1-for-5, 2B, RBI, K) first rehab appearances, the D-Jays scored all of their 11 runs before the middle of the third inning, highlighted by a crazy 10-run 2nd inning that saw 15 batters come to the plate!

Hitting:

A.J. Jimenez continued his torrid start to the season, going 4-for-5 with two runs scored, John Talley went 3-for-5 with an RBI, and cleanup hitter Kevin Glenn went 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI. Every Dunedin player managed a hit in this one when all was said and done.

For those wondering, the massive 10-run second inning went like this: single, single, single, walk, double, sac fly, single, ground out, double, double, single, single, passed ball, double, ground out. Wow!

Pitching:

Ryan Tepera pitched well in this one, allowing just five hits and three earned runs in 5.2 innings with four strikeouts. Ryan Shopshire had his best relief outing of the season, allowing just one hit and one earned run in 2.1 innings. Casey Beck, brother of Fisher Cats starter Chad Beck, closed out the game with a scoreless ninth inning.

Notes:

• Out of the D-Jays 16 hits, just 5 of them were extra base hits, and all of those were doubles
• Jimenez’s .412 average currently ranks third in the entire Florida State League

Wins/Losses: 10-4 | Streak: W4 | 1st in MID Eastern (0.0 GB)

Game 1: Lansing Lugnuts 4, West Michigan Whitecaps 1 (7 innings)

Hitting:

It was a bizarre game offensively for the Lugnuts, who scored four runs on 13 hits, ALL of which were singles. Jonathan Jones and Jake Marisnick led the way with 3-for-4 showings, and Carlos Perez, Balbino Fuenmayor, and Markus Brisker each added a pair of singles.

Pitching:

Drew Hutchison continued to impress, earning his first win of the season after he allowed six hits and just one earned run in six strong innings of work. He walked only one batter and struck out six en route to lowering his season ERA to a tidy 2.25. Danny Barnes came in for the makeshift save, pitching a perfect 7th inning.

Notes:

• 29th round pick JoNathan Jones was recalled from extended spring training prior to the game after Marcus Knecht was put on the 7-day DL
• Shortstop Gustavo Pierre continued to work out the kinks defensively, committing his team-leading 9th error of the season
• The Lugnuts went 2-for-11 with RISP, but strong pitching by Hutchison bailed the offense out

Game 2: Lansing Lugnuts 5, West Michigan Whitecaps 1 (rain shortened)

Hitting:

Leadoff hitter Jonathan Jones got things started going 2-for-4 with an RBI and his first Midwest League extra base hit, and K.C. Hobson went 2-for-3 with two RBI doubles. Speedy outfielder Jake Marisnick hit his first triple of the season as well.

Pitching:

Starter Egan Smith, owner of a 5.00 ERA but 2.64 FIP through two starts this season coming into this game, notched his first win of the season. He allowed just four hits and one earned run in 5.1 innings with three walks and four strikeouts. Drew Permison, no. 44 on our pre-2011 top 50 prospects list, retired the only batter he faced before the game was called because of the rain.

Notes:

• All of the Lugnuts’ runs came with 2 outs
• After scoring a run in the top of the 1st inning, the Lugnuts never looked back and led the rest of the game
• West Michigan starter Kevin Eichhorn is actually the son of famous former Blue Jay reliever and submariner Mark Eichhorn

-JM

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