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Complete Prospect Report: May 26-27

By Jared Macdonald

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Every Jays affiliate was in action yesterday, splitting the four games 2-2. The Lugnuts’ game was postponed on Thursday, so Jays affiliates played three games, winning two and losing one.

That means, here is a complete rundown of all SEVEN minor league games played in the last two days.

Highlights include the Fisher Cats scoring 28 runs in two games, a seven run, two-out rally by the 51s, and strong relief pitching across all minor league levels.

Wins/Losses: 30-19 | Streak: W2 | 2nd in PCL Pacific South (1.0 GB)

May 27: Las Vegas 51s 11, Tacoma Rainiers 4

After finding themselves down 4-1 to start the bottom of the fourth inning, the 51s, aided by a six-run seventh inning, scored ten unanswered runs to clobber the Tacoma Rainiers 11-4 and get their 30th win of the season.

Hitting:

Every 51s hitter managed at least one hit, with Canadian Adam Loewen leading the way going 3-for-4 with two doubles, four RBIs, and a walk. Danny Perales went 3-for-4 with an RBI, leadoff hitter Manny Mayorson went 2-for-4 with two doubles and a walk, and David Cooper went 1-for-4 with three RBIs and a walk.

Clinging to a 5-4 lead, the 51s found themselves with runners on second and third with 2 outs in the bottom of the seventh inning. They went to score six runs after that – impressively all with two outs – by going double, double, double, walk, single, single, walk, before Travis Snider ended the rally with a strikeout.

Pitching:

Starter Mike MacDonald wasn’t spectacular in this game, allowing four earned runs on 11 hits in just 5.2 innings, but the offense picked him up to help him get his third win of the season.

Wil Ledezma got the hold after getting four straight outs including a pair of strikeouts, while Rommie Lewis came in to throw two perfect innings himself with three strikeouts.

Notes:

  • 10 of the 11 runs the 51s scored were with two outs, thanks largely in part to going 9-for-20 with runners in scoring position on the night
  • Brett Lawrie continued to show his athleticism, stealing his 11th bag of the season
  • Mayorson, Cooper, and Chris Woodward helped out their starter in this one, turning three double plays in the game’s first five innings

May 26: Las Vegas 51s 6, Iowa Cubs 3

Backed by a strong outing from their starter, the runs that the 51s scored early in the game were enough to defeat the Cubs and improve to 29-19 on the season.

Hitting:

The 51s managed to score six runs on 12 hits, including five runs combined in the 2nd and 3rd innings alone. In the 2nd, the 51s’ first two runs came on an RBI ground out and a sacrifice fly, before notching one more on a Mike McCoy RBI single. In the 3rd, the 51s added two more on a pair of RBI singles.

Brett Lawrie went 3-for-5 a double and an RBI, cleanup hitter Travis Snider went 2-for-5 with an RBI, and leadoff hitter McCoy had a good day going 2-for-3 with an RBI and two walks. The 51s top five hitters in the batting order – McCoy, Dewayne Wise, Lawrie, Snider, and David Cooper – are all hitting over .300.

Pitching:

Starter Willie Collazo earned his first win of the season with a strong outing, allowing three runs (two earned) on just five hits in six innings while walking three and striking out three. Collazo threw 81 pitches in his six innings – 52 for strikes – and the main mistake he made was a two-out, bases-loaded single in the third inning that scored three, helped by an Adam Loewen throwing error as well.

Josh Roenicke got the hold with a scoreless 7th inning, and Sean Henn allowed just one hit in the final two frames to earn his second save of the season, lowering his ERA to 1.93 in the process.

Notes:

  • Manny Mayorson had a great day overall going 2-for-4 with an RBI and a pair of stolen bases, which advanced him to third after a single and helped him eventually score
  • After his 3-for-5 showing, Lawrie now has a .343 average, 40 RBIs, and 17 doubles in 47 games
  • Catcher Ryan Budde continued to struggle at the plate, going 0-for-3 with a walk and lowering his average to .157 on the season

Wins/Losses: 31-16 | Streak: W4 | 1st in EAS Eastern (0.0 GB)

May 27: New Hampshire Fisher Cats 15, Portland Sea Dogs 3

One day after scoring 13 runs, the Fisher Cats hammered the Portland Sea Dogs 15-3 thanks to 17 hits, a seven-run sixth inning, and another strong start by Chad Beck.

Hitting:

After scoring six runs in the first five innings, the Fisher Cats scored seven in the sixth inning alone. The Fisher Cats went single, single, walk, passed ball, walk, single, double, home run to start the inning, before a line out and two strikeouts to stop the assault.

Mike McDade had a big 4-for-5 night with three RBIs, and catcher Travis d’Arnaud continued his torrid pace at the plate this season, going 2-for-3 with three runs scored, one walk, a hit by pitch, and three RBIs.

Moises Sierra continued to impress with a 3-for-4 night and two RBIs, and 9 hitter Johnny Tolisano chipped in with a 2-for-4 night and three RBIs of his own.

Pitching:

Starter Chad Beck allowed one earned run on nine hits in 6.1 strong innings, to improve to 5-0 on the season and lower his ERA to 2.86. After loading the bases to start the game, Beck limited the damage to just a sacrifice fly, which turned out to be the only run he’d allow, since he cruised the rest of the way.

Evan Crawford relieved Beck in the seventh, inheriting runners on first and second with one out. After giving up a single to load the bases, he got a double play to end the frame. Crawford walked the leadoff batter in the eighth and scored when the next batter homered, but he focused to retire the next three batters to finish his outing. Bobby Korecky gave up a pair of singles in the ninth, but was able to pitch a shutout frame.

Notes:

  • With another pair of hits, including his fourth home run of the season, d’Arnaud has now hit an unbelievable .533/.659/.933 in his last ten games with six doubles and two home runs
  • Adeiny Hechavarria got into double digits in stolen bases, stealing his 10th bag of the season in the third inning
  • With a pair of RBI doubles, Sierra now has a team-leading 33 RBIs on the season

May 26: New Hampshire Fisher Cats 13, Portland Sea Dogs 7

Thanks to six Portland errors and a total of 13 runs on 15 hits, the Fisher Cats were able to notch their 30th win of the season and improve to 14 games over .500.

Hitting:

Backup catcher Yan Gomes led the charge going 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and two RBIs, leadoff hitter Darin Mastroianni went 2-for-5 with three RBIs.

Adeiny Hechavarria also chipped in three RBIs on a 2-for-5 night, including a two-run home run, and cleanup hitter Mike McDade crushed his own two-run blast in a 2-for-4 night. Every New Hampshire hitter except Anthony Gose managed a hit in this one, though Gose still got on base twice after drawing a pair of walks.

Pitching:

Starter B.J LaMura allowed a respectable three runs (two earned) on just three hits in five innings, walking three and striking out seven. After allowing a run to score on a wild pitch in the first inning, LaMura ran into some trouble in the fourth, loading the bases with nobody out to start the inning. He managed to limit the damage to just two runs on a bases loaded walk and a sacrifice fly, though.

Ronald Uviedo continued to provide effective relief, allowing just one hit and walking none in two strong innings of work, while Mike Hinckle got shelled in this one allowing four earned runs on six hits in 1.2 innings of work.

Notes:

  • Gose was caught stealing third base in the third inning, and has now been caught five times in 25 attempts this season
  • Mastroianni is hitting .196 in 25 Double-A games this season after hitting .301 in 132 games with the Fisher Cats last year

Wins/Losses: 26-23 | Streak: L2 | 3rd in FSL North (11.0 GB)

May 27: St. Lucie Mets 4, Dunedin Blue Jays 2

Deck McGuire lost the battle of 2010 first round picks, as Mets starter Matthew Harvey was the difference in this one, pitching seven shutout frames with ten strikeouts. After dropping their second-straight game to the Mets, the D-Jays fell to 26-23 on the season.

Hitting:

The D-Jays offense sputtered for the second night in a row, managing just two runs on six hits. Down 4-0 with six outs to go, they managed to add one run in each of the final two frames to cut the lead to 4-2, but it was ultimately too little too late.

There’s not much to report on a night where the team managed just six hits, but Ryan Goins had the best night, going 2-for-4 with an RBI, and leadoff hitter Kenny Wilson went 1-for-4 with an RBI and a walk.

Pitching:

Though outmatched in a pitcher’s duel, McGuire still had a decent outing, allowing three runs (two earned) on nine hits, with four strikeouts to get saddled with his third loss of the season. McGuire struggled with his control a bit more than normal in this one, with three walks and two hit batters.

Scott Gracey came in to provide effective relief of McGuire, allowing just one earned run off one hit, a solo home run, in 2.1 strong innings. Gracey, called up to Dunedin after posting a 4-1 record and 1.71 ERA in 21 innings with Lansing this season, now has a 1.35 ERA in three outings so far with the D-Jays.

Notes:

  • Second baseman Ivan Contreras continues to provide little offense with a .165 average on the season, but also continued to struggle in the field with his 12th error of the season
  • Backup catcher Joe Bowen got his first hit in 15 at-bats since being promoted to Dunedin, and is now rocking a solid .067 average so far with the D-Jays

May 26: St. Lucie Mets 5, Dunedin Blue Jays 1

The Mets scored early and starter Darin Gorski made the D-Jays look downright silly in this one, allowing just three hits and one earned run with 13 strikeouts in 7.2 innings to get the win and hand the D-Jays their 22nd loss of the season.

Hitting:

The Jays managed only four hits; three singles and a Brad Glenn solo home run, his 14th blast of the season. Every Dunedin hitter struck out at least once, and the team unsurprisingly went 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position.

Dunedin started something in the top of the 8th inning with a pair of walks, but succumbed to strikeouts which ended the potential rally.

Pitching:

Starter Ryan Tepera was handed the loss despite pitching a quality start, allowing three earned runs on six hits in six solid innings, walking one and striking out three.

Dumas Garcia came in for the final two innings and allowed two earned runs on five hits, including two triples and a single in his first inning of work.

Notes:

  • Seven of the Mets’ nine hitters had at least a hit
  • Glenn’s two-out, solo home run added to his Florida State League lead

Wins/Losses: 27-19 | Streak: L2 | 1st in MID Eastern (0.0 GB)

May 27: Bowling Green Hot Rods 5, Lansing Lugnuts 4

After tying the game twice early on, the Lugnuts scored a couple of key runs to constantly stay within one run, but ultimately lost a close one to Bowling Green 5-4 on Friday night.

Hitting:

K.C. Hobson stayed hot at the plate going 3-for-4 with a walk and an RBI, and is now hitting .471/.500/.676 over his last ten games with four doubles and a home run. Left fielder Marcus Knecht went 2-for-4 with his 10th double of the season, and Bryson Namba added a pair of hits.

Leadoff hitter Markus Brisker was held hitless but still managed to get on base with a walk and a HBP, and eventually scored once after stealing his 11th bag of the season.

Pitching:

Starter Casey Lawrence allowed three earned runs on six hits in just four innings, with two walks and eight strikeouts. The loss dropped him to 4-5 on the season, and perhaps allowing a leadoff home run hinted that it wasn’t going to be a strong outing for Lawrence.

Marcus Walden came in and allowed two rare runs, both earned, on three hits in three solid innings of relief, and closer Steve Turnbull came in to pitch a scoreless eighth inning around two hits. Walden and Turnbull are now sporting identical 1.65 ERAs with the Lugnuts so far this season.

Notes:

  • Kevin Nolan was held without a hit in this contest, but has been hitting .385/.469/.513 in 11 games with the Lugnuts since being demoted from Dunedin
  • In an unfortunate play in the sixth inning after Brisker walked, Hobson was picked off at third base, and represented the tying run

-JM

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