Nolin Returns: May 28 Minor League Report

Sean Nolin made his first start in AA New Hampshire since returning from his major league debut and people were wondering “Where’s Wagner” after the Bisons pitching staff blew a lead with their closer nary to be found.

Buffalo Bisons (28-22)

The Buffalo Bisons gave up three runs in the bottom of the ninth to lose 9-8 to the Durham Bulls. With the Bisons holding on to a two run lead, Buddy Carlyle went back out for the ninth inning instead of closer Neil Wagner and was charged with all three runs including a two-run home run by Tampa Bay’s top position-playing prospect, Wil Myers’s second of the game. The rumour mill was flying with questions first about the Toronto Blue Jays not using Casey Janssen in Tuesday’s game against the Atlanta Braves and second, why Wagner, the Bisons’ lights-out closer, wasn’t used. The loss overshadowed some great hitting by the team with two-hit games from Mike McCoy, Eugenio Velez, Ricardo Nanita and Ryan Langerhans. Langerhans hit one of his two hits out of the park while Moises Sierra also took one deep. Josh Thole’s injury sustained on Sunday might have been more serious than first thought; he didn’t appear in the Bisons’ lineup for the second consecutive day.

Roster Notes: Bobby Korecky was activated off the DL while the Toronto Blue Jays optioned Thad Weber to Buffalo.

March 16, 2013; Dunedin, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Neil Wagner (37) throws a pitch during the fourth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Hitting:

Mike McCoy – 2/4, 2 R, 2B, RBI, BB, PO, CS
Moises Sierra – 1/3, R, HR, 2 RBI, BB, K
Luis Jimenez – 1/4, R, RBI, SB, CS
Mauro Gomez – 0/4, BB, 3 K
Eugenio Velez – 2/4, RBI, BB
Ricardo Nanita – 2/5, R, 2B, RBI, 2 K
Ryan Langerhans – 2/4, 2 R, HR, RBI, K
Ryan Goins – 1/4, R, 2B, RBI, K
Mike Nickeas – 0/4, K

Pitching:

Justin Germano – 7 IP, 11 H, 6 R, 2 BB, 5 K, 1 HR
Michael Schwimer – 0 IP, 1 BB
Buddy Carlyle – L, 1 1/3 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR
Bobby Korecky – 0 IP, 1 H

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game:  Ryan Langerhans

New Hampshire Fisher Cats (26-27)

The New Hampshire Fisher Cats scored three in the top of the eleventh inning to beat the Portland Sea Dogs 6-3 on Tuesday night. Adam Loewen led off the inning with a solo home run and was followed by a walk by Kevin Ahrens, a triple by Kevin Pillar and, eventually, a single by Kevin Nolan to score Pillar. Joel Carreno pitched a scoreless bottom half to secure the victory. Sean Nolin made his first start following his taste of the big leagues and went five innings, giving up two runs on four hits and three walks while striking out four. Randy Boone was the saving grace, pitching three innings, giving up only a walk to take the win. Kevin Pillar had three hits including his eleventh-inning triple and his fifth home run of the season and Kevin Nolan had two hits.

Hitting:

Kevin Pillar – 3/5, 2 R, 3B, HR, 2 RBI
Brian Van Kirk – 0/5, K
Ryan Schimpf – 0/4, BB, K
Clint Robinson – 0/5, K
Kevin Nolan – 2/5, R, RBI, K
Brad Glenn – 0/5, 2 K
Sean Ochinko – 0/4, 2 K
Adam Loewen – 1/3, 2 R, HR, RBI, BB
Kevin Ahrens – 1/3, R, 3B, 2 RBI, BB, K

Pitching:

Sean Nolin – 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 4 K
Scott Gracey – 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 K
Randy Boone – W, 3 IP, 1 BB, 2 K
Joel Carreno – S, 1 IP, 1 H, 1 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Kevin Pillar

Dunedin Blue Jays (27-21)

Reliever John Anderson gave up his first runs of the season, squandering another great start by Austin Bibens-Dirkx in a 4-2 loss by the Dunedin Blue Jays to the Lakeland Flying Tigers. Bibens-Dirkx threw six solid innings, giving up two runs on four hits and three walks while striking out seven. The Dunedin bats couldn’t muster much off the Flying Tigers; K.C. Hobson and Peter Mooney combined for four of the team’s five hits.

Roster Notes: RHP Dayton Marze was activated off the 7-Day DL while Danny Barnes was placed back on the DL.

Hitting:

Jon Berti – 0/3, R, BB
Nick Baligod – 0/3, BB
Andy Burns – 1/4, RBI
K.C. Hobson – 2/4, 2B
Marcus Knecht – 0/3, BB, 2 K
Matt Newman – 0/4, 2 K
Mike Crouse – 0/4, 3 K
Pierce Rankin – 0/3, BB, K
Peter Mooney – 2/3, R, K

Pitching:

Austin Bibens-Dirkx – 6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 7 K
Dayton Marze – 1 IP, 1 H, 1 K
John Anderson – L, 1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game:  Austin Bibens-Dirkx

Lansing Lugnuts (21-27)

The Lansing Lugnuts scored four early runs but couldn’t answer the Fort Wayne Tin Caps five late runs to win in ten innings 6-5 on Tuesday. Ben White had a very good start for the Lugnuts, giving up only one run in six innings, but Wil Browning was touched up for three runs in an inning and third for his only bad outing so far this year. Justin Jackson was tagged for the loss (in walk-off fashion) despite both of the runs being unearned due to a fielding error by shortstop Jorge Flores. The offense had a pretty good game, despite striking out ten times. They knocked out eleven hits and took three walks to have the game in hand until the eighth inning. Christian Lopes led the way with a three-for-five game while Dwight Smith, Jr. had a pair of singles, Gustavo Pierre had a single and a double and Carlos Ramirez had a pair of doubles to go along with a walk and a pair of RBI.

Hitting:

Dalton Pompey – 0/4, RBI, 2 K
Jorge Flores – 1/3, BB, PO, 2 CS
Dwight Smith, Jr. – 2/5, 2 R, 2 K
Christian Lopes – 3/5, 2B, RBI
Gustavo Pierre – 2/5, R, 2B, 2 K
Kellen Sweeney – 1/4, R, 2 K
Carlos Ramirez – 2/4, R, 2 2B, 2 RBI, BB
Chris Hawkins – 0/5, K
Aaron Munoz – 10/3, BB, K

Pitching:

Ben White – 6 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Wil Browning – 1 1/3 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 3 K
Arik Sikula – 1 2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 K
Justin Jackson – L, 2/3 IP, 2 H, 2 R (0 ER)

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Ben White

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