May 6 Minor League Report

The Jays’ affiliates went 2-2 on Monday, but it was the catchers who did much of the heavy lifting on offense, with Sean Ochinko, A.J. Jimenez and Aaron Munoz all having multi-hit games.

Buffalo Bisons (19-10)

The Buffalo Bisons fell to a powerhouse Norfolk Tides club 8-3 on Monday. Dave Bush got roughed up in AAA for the first time this season (aside from his disastrous performance in Toronto) as the Tides jacked three home runs off him in his three and two-thirds innings. Reliever Buddy Carlyle also got hit for two runs in his two and two-thirds innings but Alex Hinshaw and Bobby Korecky came on to keep the Tides off the board for the final two and two-thirds innings. Luis Jimenez had another big day, driving in two runs on three hits, including a solo blast that went into the parking lot of Coca-Cola Field in Buffalo. Moises Sierra had the only other two-hit day for the Bisons, hitting a single and a triple.

Roster Notes: Pitchers Claudio Vargas and Clint Everts were deactivated on Sunday (Vargas on the Temporary Inactive list and Everts on the DL). Just Germano is back on the roster after being outrighted from Toronto.

Hitting:

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

Pitching:

Dave Bush  – 3 2/3 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 3 HR
Buddy Carlyle – 2 2/3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 3 K
Alex Hinshaw – 1/3 IP, 1 H 1 BB
Bobby Korecky – 2 1/3 IP, 2 H, K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Luis Jimenez

New Hampshire Fisher Cats (15-17)

The New Hampshire Fisher Cats got a great start from Chad Jenkins who made his return from the DL on Monday night but the bullpen let the game get away in an 11-6 loss. Jenkins went five innings, needing only sixty-five pitches (forty-two strikes) to dispatch his fifteen batters and gave up two runs on three hits with one walk and one strikeout. Tyson Brummett came on to relieve and began the ever-escalating bombardment of the Fisher Cats’ bullpen. The Cats got multi-hit games from third baseman Ryan Schimpf, shortstop Kevin Nolan and catcher Sean Ochinko.

Roster Notes: Chad Jenkins was activated from the DL today and Trystan Magnuson was released by the Blue Jays to make room on the roster.

Hitting:

Kevin Pillar – 1/4, RBI, BB, CS, OF Asst.
Brian Van Kirk – 1/3, 2 RBI, BB, K
Ryan Schimpf – 2/4, R, BB
Clint Robinson – 0/5
Brad Glenn – 1/4, RBI, BB, K
Kevin Nolan – 2/5, 2 R, 2B, RBI
Kevin Ahrens – 0/4, K
Ricardo Nanita – 0/1
Sean Ochinko – 3/4, 2 R, 2B, RBI
John Tolisano –1/3, R, 2B, RBI, 2 K

Pitching:

Chad Jenkins – 5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Tyson Brummett – 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 K
Evan Crawford – 1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 K
Tommy Hottovy – 1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 2 K, 2 HR

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Chad Jenkins

Dunedin Blue Jays (19-11)

It was a wild one in Dunedin with the Blue Jays eventually coming out on top of the Bradenton Marauders 8-7 via a walk-off wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth that allowed Matt Newman to score. Marco Grifanitini had a decent night as a spot-starter but none of the pitchers on Monday were able to emerge unscathed. Fortunately, the offense came ready to play, getting home runs from left fielder Marcus Knecht and catcher A.J. Jimenez. It looks like Jimenez is getting his timing back and may be back in AA New Hampshire before long.

Hitting:

Jon Berti – 1/5, R, K, SB, E
Peter Mooney – 0/4
Andy Burns –1/3, 2 R, RBI, BB, SB
Jon Talley – 2/4, R, 2B
A.J. Jimenez – 3/4, 2 R, HR, 4 RBI
K.C. Hobson – 1/4, RBI
Marcus Knecht – 1/4, R, HR, RBI
Matt Newman – 1/4, K
Nick Baligod – 1/4, 2B

Pitching:

Marco Grifantini – 3 2/3 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 3 K
Ajay Meyer – 1 1/3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HR
Tyler Ybarra – 2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Tony Davis – 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: A.J. Jimenez

Lansing Lugnuts (9-19)

The Beloit Snappers took the final game in the series 6-4 from the Lansing Lugnuts. The Snappers scored four runs in the fifth inning to ruin an otherwise solid outing by reliever Kramer Champlin. While the Lugnuts were able to chip away at the Snappers, scoring single runs in the second, third, fifth and seventh innings, they weren’t able to solve closer Ryan Dull who has been impressive this season and struck out five of the seven batters he faced on Monday.

Since arriving from Dunedin, catcher Aaron Munoz has really shored up the defense behind the plate. On Monday night, he caught two runners stealing and had one of his best nights of the year at the plate, contributing two hits with his bat. Wil Browning made another scoreless appearance, this time spreading his mastery of the opposition over two innings and giving up just one hit while striking out three.

DH Kevin Patterson made his season debut for the Lugnuts after being sent down from Dunedin.

Aaron Munoz (6) takes a swing for the Lansing Lugnuts on May 3, 2013. Mandatory Credit: Jay Blue

Hitting:

Dalton Pompey  – 1/5, 2 K
Jorge Flores – 1/4, R, 2B, SB, E
Christian Lopes – 1/3, 2 RBI
Chris Hawkins – 0/4, K
Kevin Patterson  – 1/4, R, 2 K
Carlos Ramirez – 1/4, 2B, RBI, 3 K
Gustavo Pierre – 1/4, 2B, K
Balbino Fuenmayor – 0/2, R, BB, K
Aaron Munoz – 2/3, R, 2B

Pitching:

Ben White – 4 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 3 K
Kramer Champlin – 3 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 5 K, 1 HR
Wil Browning – 2 IP, 1 H, 3 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Aaron Munoz

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