April 22 Minor League Report

Feb 18, 2013; Dunedin, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays infielder

(59) during photo day at Florida Auto Exchange Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Buffalo Bisons (12-4)

The Buffalo Bisons finished off their eight-game road trip by completing a clean sweep, winning all eight games. They polished off the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs 8-2 in a Monday morning getaway-day game. Starting pitcher Justin Germano went seven solid innings, scattering twelve hits but was only charged with two runs on the day. Mickey Storey came on for two innings of stellar relief, striking out five of the six batters he faced.

The Bisons continue to score at a torrid pace and Monday was no different: the veteran offense maximized their eleven hits and six walks, as they churned out another eight runs. Led by Buffalo-native, Jim Negrych, the Bisons showed patience and took their hits where they came, scoring their eight runs off ten singles. In related news, first baseman Luis Jimenez was named Player of the Week for the International League.

Hitting:

Jim Negrych – 3/5, 2 R, 2 RBI
Anthony Gose – 0/4, R, RBI, BB
Mauro Gomez –1/3, R, 2 BB, K, SB
Luis Jimenez – 1/4, RBI, BB, K
Andy LaRoche – 1/4, R, RBI, BB, 2 K
Ryan Langerhans – 0/4, R, BB
Josh Thole – 2/5, 2B
Eugenio Velez – 2/4, R, RBI
Ryan Goins – 1/4, R, K

Pitching:

Justin Germano – W, 7 IP, 12 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 3 K
Mickey Storey – 2 IP, 5 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Jim Negrych

New Hampshire Fisher Cats (8-10)

Scheduled off day

Dunedin Blue Jays (13-5)

The Daytona Cubs scored five runs in the first two innings and that was all they needed as they defeated the Dunedin Blue Jays 7-4 on Monday. Starter Efrain Nieves only managed to pitch four innings, giving up six of the Cubs runs (three were unearned due to errors by third baseman Pierce Rankin) while reliever Evan Crawford was charged with the seventh. Offensively, the team was stagnant outside of the top three men in the batting order who accounted for all four hits.  Canadian outfielder Marcus Knecht had his best game of the year, going two for three with a double, a home run and a walk. Playing shortstop tonight, Andy Burns continues to hit well, hitting a double, drawing a walk and stealing a base in his four plate appearances.

Hitting:

Jon Berti –1/3, R, BB, K, PO, CS
Marcus Knecht – 2/3, 2 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, BB, K
Andy Burns –1/3, R, 2B, RBI, BB, K, SB
Gabe Jacobo –0/3, RBI, K
K.C. Hobson –0/4, 2 K
Pierce Rankin – 0/3, K, 2 E
Kevin Patterson –0/3, 2 K
Aaron Munoz – 0/3, K
Nick Baligod –0/2, BB

Pitching:

Efrain Nieves – L, 4 IP, 5 H, 6 R (3 ER), 2 BB, 4 K
Ajay Meyer – 2 IP, 2 H, 3 K
Evan Crawford – 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 K
Dustin Antolin – 1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K
Scott Gracey – 1 IP, 1 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Marcus Knecht

Lansing Lugnuts (5-9)

Starting pitcher Javier Avendano gave up five runs early, but didn’t surrender the lead that the Lugnuts had jumped out to in the second inning. The Lugnut bullpen provided four shutout innings and the team won for the first time in four games, defeating the Dayton Dragons 8-5. On offense, the ‘Nuts were patient at the plate, taking ten walks to go with their eight hits that included a big grand slam from third baseman Gustavo Pierre who ended up with five RBI on the night. Yet another strong night came from both Dalton Pompey and Christian Lopes: Pompey went one for three but walked twice, hit a double, stole three bases and scored three times while Lopes only went three for four with two RBI and a walk and raised his batting average to .351. The dimunitive designated hitter Jorge Flores was also at the forefront of the patience brigade, taking three of the walks and stealing three bases himself.

Hitting:

Dalton Pompey –1/3, 3 R, 2B, 2 BB, K, 3 SB
Jorge Flores – 1/2, 2 R, RBI, 3 BB, 3 SB
Gustavo Pierre – 1/4, R, HR, 5 RBI, 2 K
Christian Lopes –3/4, 2 RBI, BB, K
Carlos Ramirez –1/5
Kellen Sweeney –0/4, 3 K
Seth Conner –0/3, R, BB, 2 K
Emilio Guerrero –1/2, R, 2 BB, K
Ronnie Melendez – 0/3, BB, K

Pitching:

Javier Avendano – W, 5 IP, 8 H, 5 R (4 ER), 2 BB, 2 K
Arik Sikula – 2 IP, 3 K
Tucker Donahue – 1 IP, 1 BB, 1 K
Chuck Ghysels – S, 1 IP, 1 BB, 1 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Gustavo Pierre

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