April 25 Minor League Report

Buffalo Bisons (14-5)

Game 1

Buffalo starter Dave Bush had faced only one batter over the minimum through five innings when a fielding error by shortstop Ryan Goins opened the floodgates to a Pawtucket Red Sox win over the Buffalo Bisons 8-3. While Bush only ended up being charged with two of those runs, the Paw Sox had their way with reliever Mickey Storey, hitting two home runs off of him and essentially putting the game out of reach. Moises Sierra had the only two-hit game for the Bisons, hitting two doubles and driving in a run while Mauro Gomez and Ryan Langerhans each hit a solo home run in the loss.

Roster notes: Miguel Batista was put on the 7-day DL retroactive to April 22 with a bruised shin. The club expects him to come off the DL when his time expires. Clint Everts was activated from the DL to take his place, and Brad Lincoln was called up to the Blue Jays with Adam Lind going on the Paternity List.

September 23, 2012; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Moises Sierra (14) reacts after he strikes out in the ninth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Toronto Blue Jays Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Hitting:

Jim Negrych – 0/4, 2 K
Anthony Gose – 0/1, R, 2 BB, K
Moises Sierra – 2/3, 2 2B, RBI
Luis Jimenez –  1/3
Mauro Gomez – 1/2, R, HR, RBI, BB, K
Andy LaRoche – 0/3
Ryan Langerhans – 1/2, R, HR, RBI, BB
Mike Nickeas – 1/3, K, PB
Ryan Goins – 0/3, K, E

Pitching:

Dave Bush – L, 5 1/3 IP, 4 H, 5 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 3 K
Mickey Storey – 2/3 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 HR
Clint Everts – 1 IP, 1 H

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Moises Sierra

Game 2

After dropping the first game, the Bisons rode an outstanding pitching performance by Ramon Ortiz (who was just returned to the team after clearing waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays) in a 4-0 win over Pawtucket. Ortiz threw five innings, giving up only two hits and two walks while Bobby Korecky finished off the game with two shutout innings of his own. Luis Jimenez and Mike McCoy each hit a solo home run in support of their pitchers as the Bisons took game three of the four game series.

Hitting:

Mike McCoy – 2/4, R, HR, RBI, SB
Anthony Gose – 0/3, R, RBI, BB, K, SB
Moises Sierra – 0/4, K
Luis Jimenez – 1/3, R, HR, RBI, BB
Mauro Gomez – 1/2, RBI, BB
Josh Thole – 0/3, 2 K
Jim Negrych – 1/2, R, BB
Eugenio Velez – 1/2, BB
Lance Zawadzki – 1/2, SB

Pitching:

Ramon Ortiz – W, 5 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 3 K
Bobby Korecky – 2 IP, 3 H

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Ramon Ortiz

New Hampshire Fisher Cats (9-12)

The bats came out in Manchester, New Hampshire as the Fisher Cats rapped out twelve hits, but could only capitalize by scoring one run in a 4-1 loss to the New Britain Rock Cats. Starting pitcher Austin Bibens-Dirkx scattered three runs (two earned) on ten hits without walking anyone and struck out seven in a solid start that just didn’t get any run support. Ricardo Nanita had a three hit morning (it was another 10:35 am start) and John Tolisano, Kevin Pillar, and Kenny Wilson contributed with two each.

Roster Notes: The Fisher Cats placed RHP Fernando Hernandez on the 7-day DL, and yesterday, Evan Crawford, a rehabbing reliever, was assigned to New Hampshire from Dunedin.

Hitting:

Kevin Pillar – 2/5, K, OF Asst.
Kenny Wilson – 2/5, 2 K
Ryan Schimpf – 1/5, 2B
Clint Robinson – 0/4, K, E
Kevin Nolan – 1/4, 2B, K
Ricardo Nanita – 3/4, R
John Tolisano – 2/4, K
Adam Loewen – 0/3, BB, K
Jack Murphy – 1/4, 2B, RBI, K

Pitching:

Austin Bibens-Dirkx – L, 6 2/3 IP, 10 H, 3 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 7 K
Evan Crawford – 1 1/3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Joel Carreno – 1 IP, 2 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Ricardo Nanita

Dunedin Blue Jays (14-6)

In a well pitched game on both sides, the Dunedin Blue Jays came up short to the Brevard County Manatees on Thursday night by a final score of 3-2. The D-Jays got out to an early lead of 2-0 through five complete innings thanks to an RBI single by Andy Burns in the first and a throwing error by Manatees shortstop Yadiel Rivera in the fourth. At the time, starter Jesse Hernandez was cruising along, having given up only three hits through five innings. In the sixth, Hernandez ran into trouble. He gave up a leadoff home run to John Dishon, then later a walk, a double, and a two-RBI double to Cameron Garfield that gave the Manatees a 3-2 lead that they wouldn’t relinquish. On a night where the Jays had nine hits, Andy Burns was responsible for three, including the only extra-base-hit and the only RBI.

Roster Notes: With Evan Crawford being assigned to New Hampshire, Jeremy Jeffress was assigned to Dunedin taking his spot, and SS Jason Leblebijian was assigned to Dunedin from extended Spring Training with C Aaron Munoz being sent to Lansing. Additionally, SP Efrain Nieves was placed on the DL with Tyler Ybarra being activated.  Finally, this piece of information came out today.

"Ricky Romero starting Saturday for single-A Dunedin, first game since spring training.— Shi Davidi (@ShiDavidi) April 26, 2013"

Hitting:

Jon Berti – 1/3, R, BB
Peter Mooney – 1/4, K
Andy Burns – 3/4, 2B, RBI
Gabe Jacobo –0/2, BB, K
Nick Baligod – 1/1, PO
K.C. Hobson – 1/4, K
Marcus Knecht – 1/4, 2 K
Derrick Chung – 1/4, R, K
Matt Newman – 0/3, K, CS
Jason Leblebijian – 0/2
Kevin Patterson – 0/1

Pitching:

Jesse Hernandez – L, 5 1/3 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 4 K
Scott Gracey – 1 2/3 IP, 1 K
Tony Davis – 2/3 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 2 K
Dustin Antolin – 1/3 IP

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Andy Burns

Lansing Lugnuts (7-10)

The Lansing Lugnuts rode outstanding pitching and some hot bats as they rolled over the Quad Cities River Bandits 6-2 on Thursday night. Led by starter Roberto Osuna, the pitchers combined to strike out thirteen River Bandits with Osuna racking up eight of those Ks in his five innings. Osuna only gave up one run during his outing and it was due to both his own effectiveness and his wildness that the run came around to score. After inducing a fly-out to lead off the inning, Osuna struck out Ryan Dineen on a wild pitch that allowed Dineen to get to first. Dineen then stole second and was wild pitched to third. After a walk to Jordan Scott, Osuna threw another wild pitch that scored Dineen. The eighteen-year-old righty from Mexico then settled down and struck out Teoscar Hernandez and Carlos Correa to end the inning and his night.

The Lugnuts got two solo home runs early from Carlos Ramirez and Chris Hawkins (his first of the season) but broke out against pitchers Brian Holmes and Michael Dimock in the eighth with four runs off four doubles and a walk. Everyone in the lineup contributed at least one hit to the cause except for Kellen Sweeney and four Lugnuts chipped in with two hits apiece: Dalton Pompey, Jorge Flores, Carlos Ramirez and Shane Opitz.

Some interesting roster notes from the past couple of days: SS Shane Opitz (who played on Wednesday) was activated from the 7-day DL while 1B Balbino Fuenmayor went on the DL. The Blue Jays sent OF Dwight Smith Jr., 1^st round selection (53^rd overall) in the 2011 draft, to Lansing where he’ll make his full-season debut.  He replaces OF Ronnie Melendez who goes on the DL. Also, catcher Santiago Nessy was placed on the 7-Day DL with Aaron Munoz coming from Dunedin to replace him.

Hitting:

Dalton Pompey – 2/5, R, 2B, PO
Jorge Flores – 2/4, R, 2B, RBI, BB, E
Gustavo Pierre – 1/5, 2 K
Christian Lopes – 1/4, K
Chris Hawkins – 1/3, 2 R, HR, RBI, BB
Carlos Ramirez – 2/4, 2 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, K
Shane Opitz – 2/4, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 K, CS, E
Kellen Sweeney – 0/3, BB
Aaron Munoz – 1/4

Pitching:

Roberto Osuna – 5 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 8 K
Arik Sikula – W, 2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 3 K
Ian Kadish – 2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 2 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Roberto Osuna

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