Patterson Walks it Off: August 9 Minor League Report

Greetings from Lansing, Michigan where I’m taking my last “scouting trip” of the season to see the Lugnuts and some of the new additions to the team (as well as the season-long regulars).

Buffalo Bisons (61-58)

The Buffalo Bisons couldn’t continue their winnings ways, giving up five runs to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Rail Riders in the second inning and weren’t able to overcome that deficit in a 7-3 loss. Drew Hutchison, making his first start on his rehab assignment for Buffalo, gave up six of those runs in just three and two-thirds innings while Joel Carreno performed a herculean task of going four and a third innings of shutout ball to keep the Bisons in it. Moises Sierra continues to swing a hot bat, going two for three with a walk and Ryan Goins (playing second base) had a two-for-four night and Anthony Gose went one for four with a triple but struck out twice.

June 15, 2012; Toronto, ON, CANADA; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher

(36) injures himself on this pitch in the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at the Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Hitting:

Mike McCoy – 0/5, K
Anthony Gose – 1/4, R, 3B, 2 K
Kevin Pillar – 0/3, BB, 2 K, SB
Luis Jimenez – 1/4, R, RBI, K
Moises Sierra – 2/3, R, BB
Ryan Goins – 2/4, RBI, 2 K
Andy LaRoche – 1/4, 2B, RBI, K
Munenori Kawasaki – 1/3, BB, K
Sean Ochinko – 0/4, K

Pitching:

Drew Hutchison – L, 3 2/3 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 1 K, 1 HR
Joel Carreno – 4 1/3 IP, 2 H, 2 K
Tommy Hottovy – 1/3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB
Jeremy Jeffress – 2/3 IP

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Joel Carreno

New Hampshire Fisher Cats (56-60)

The New Hampshire Fisher Cats took an 11-2 victory over the Richmond Flying Squirrels with a great game from the bats as well one from starter Deck McGuire. The enigmatic McGuire had one of his best outings of the year, going eight innings and giving up two runs on four hits and just one walk while striking out six. The offense struck for fifteen hits, including two from every starter except Kevin Nolan and Brad Glenn (who each hit a double and Nolan drove in three runs). Lance Zawadzki was the sole hitless Fisher Cat. John Tolisano tallied two singles and double while Kenny Wilson and Andy Burns had a single and a double. Gabe Jacobo had two singles and A.J. Jimenez and Kevin Ahrens had the big bombs, each hitting their third home run to go along with a single.

Hitting:

Kenny Wilson – 2/3, 3 R, 2B, BB, K, SB
Andy Burns – 2/5, R, 2B, K
Kevin Nolan – 1/4, R, 2B, 3 RBI, BB
Brad Glenn – 1/4, R, 2B, RBI, BB
A.J. Jimenez –  2/5, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI, K
Gabe Jacobo – 2/5, R, K
Kevin Ahrens – 2/4, R, HR, 3 RBI
Lance Zawadzki – 0/3, BB, 3 K
John Tolisano – 3/4, R, 2B, PO, CS, E

Pitching:

Deck McGuire – W, 8 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 6 K, 1 HR

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Kevin Ahrens and Deck Mcguire

Dunedin Blue Jays (53-57)

Postponed due to rain

Lansing Lugnuts (50-66)

The Lansing Lugnuts won an exciting 7-5 victory over the West Michigan Whitecaps in walkoff fashion in the bottom of the twelfth inning. In the end, it was a single by Christian Lopes and a walk-off, two-run home run by Kevin Patterson that won the game for the ‘Nuts but the team won due to a solid start by Daniel Norris, a solid outing from Colton Turner and two scoreless innings of relief from Chad Girodo. Norris had good innings and not so good innings but didn’t end up surrendering any runs and giving up just two hits in his four innings to go along with four walks and six strikeouts. When he was on, he was untouchable with three already well developed pitches despite his shaky control. Colton Turner was a study in contrasts from Norris. Turner never topped 87 mph on the radar gun but kept the Whitecaps off the board for two and two-thirds innings. It was Kadish and Sikula, normally very solid for the Lugnuts, who surrendered the five West Michigan runs. Girodo sidewinded his way to two shutout innings to get the game to the twelfth.

The bats struck early, scoring four runs in the second and one in the third off Whitecaps starter Jake Thompson. Emilio Guerrero, Christian Lopes, Carlos Ramirez and Santiago Nessy (who also threw out a runner but committed two passed balls) each had a pair of hits and the Lugnuts terrorized West Michigan on the basepaths, stealing six bases (with Carlos Ramirez having three of those himself). Dalton Pompey was a late scratch from the lineup. Hopefully I’ll be able to get more information tomorrow.

Hitting:

Dwight Smith, Jr. – 1/5, R, BB, K, SB
Emilio Guerrero – 2/6, 2 RBI, 2 K
Christian Lopes –  2/6, R
Kevin Patterson – 1/6, R, HR, 2 RBI, K
Carlos Ramirez – 2/4, 2 R, BB, 3 SB, E
Santiago Nessy – 2/5, RBI
Jordan Leyland – 0/3, 2 BB, K, SB
Chris Hawkins – 0/5, 2 K
Jason Leblebijian – 1/4, R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, K

Pitching:

Daniel Norris – 4 IP, 2 H, 4 BB, 6 K
Colton Turner – 2 2/3 IP, 3 H, 1 K
Ian Kadish – 1 1/3 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 K
Arik Sikula – 2 IP, 3 H, 3 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 2 K
Chad Girodo – W, 2 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Carlos Ramirez

Vancouver Canadians (27-22)

August 8 Game:

The Vancouver Canadians dropped their game on Thursday night to the Boise Hawks 7-5 despite a late comeback attempt. Starter Alonzo Gonzalez had a rough night, getting charged with four runs in four and two-thirds innings on six hits and two walks. Matt Dermody was the only pitcher who wasn’t charged with a run, going two and a third innings giving up just two hits and striking out four. Chaz Frank was the only Canadian to have more than one hit and he scored two runs as well as hitting a single and a double and taking a walk. Andy Fermin drove in two runs with a single and a walk.

Hitting:

Chaz Frank – 2/4, 2 R, 2B, RBI, BB
Ian Parmley – 0/3, R, 2 BB
Andy Fermin – 1/3, 2 RBI, BB
Dan Arcila – 0/1, K
L.B. Dantzler – 1/4, RBI, 2 K
Melvin Garcia – 0/1, K
Justin Atkinson – 0/3, BB, 2 K, PO
Michael Reeves – 0/3, R, K
Brenden Kalfus – 1/4, R
Christian Vazquez – 1/3, BB
David Harris – 1/4, RBI

Pitching:

Alonzo Gonzalez – L, 4 2/3 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 2 K, 1 HR
Matt Dermody – 2 1/3 IP, 2 H, 4 K
Brandon Dorsett – 0 IP, 2 H, 2 R
Matt Johnson – 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 HR

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Chaz Frank

Late night Vancouver Canadians recaps will appear two days following the game.

Bluefield Blue Jays (33-15)

In the second twelve-inning game in Blue Jays Land on Friday, the Bluefield Blue Jays lost their battle with the Johnson City Cardinals 2-1.  Brady Dragmire went six shutout innings, giving up only two hits and one walk with one strikeout and Francesco Gracesqui gave the Jays another inning and a third before Phil Kish (on the way to striking out five batters) gave up the by giving up a run over two and two-thirds innings. Yeyfry Del Rosario lost the game on an unearned run when a passed ball got by catcher Andres Sotillo. The Blue Jays only managed six hits, two of them by starting catcher Jorge Saez (including a double) who drove in the team’s only run.

Hitting:

D.J. Davis – 1/5, 2 K
Tim Locastro – 0/4, K
Alexis Maldonado – 0/1
Nico Taylor – 0/3, 2 K
Jesus Gonzalez – 0/2, 2 K
Mitch Nay – 0/4, BB, K
Dawel Lugo – 0/5, K
Matt Dean – 1/4, R, K, CS
Jonathan Davis – 1/1
John Silviano – 0/4, K
Jorge Saez – 2/4, 2B, RBI, K
Andres Sotillo – 0/1, PB
Derrick Loveless – 1/4, 2 K

Pitching:

Brady Dragmire – 6 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 K
Francisco Gracesqui – 1 1/3 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 K
Phil Kish – 2 2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 5 K, 1 HR
Yeyfry Del Rosario – L, 1 2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 R (0 ER), 2 BB, 1 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Brady Dragmire

Gulf Coast League Blue Jays (18-25)

The GCL Blue Jays played a double header, losing both ends to the GCL Phillies.

In Game 1, starter Corey Gorman was strong, giving up only two runs over five innings but Cale Wine gave up four in the bottom of the sixth to allow the Phillies to go ahead for good and win 6-4. The Blue Jays’ (mostly) “B” squad (my term, not theirs) only had five hits (from five different players) but it was Rowdy Tellez with the only double of the game for the Blue Jays and catcher Michael De La Cruz drove in two runs.

Game 2 was also a close game with the Phillies scoring only in the fifth and sixth innings to go up 4-1 but the Blue Jays scored two in the top of the seventh to make it a 4-3 final. The “Rehabbin’ Chads” pitched the first three innings of the game with each pitching to the minimum and Beck giving up a single. Matthew Smoral gave up two runs over two innings but, on the positive side, he struck out two and didn’t walk any. Franklin Barreto and Rowdy Tellez each had a single and a double. Barreto also stole a base and made a defensive gem:

Game 1

Hitting:

Will Dupont – 0/3, BB, 2 K
Koby Kraemer – 0/3
Thomas Collins III – 0/3, OF Asst.
Rowdy Tellez – 1/3, R, 2B
Josh Almonte – 1/3, R, SB
Nathan DeSouza – 1/3, RBI
Edwin Fuentes – 0/0, R
Andres De Aza – 0/2
Franklin Barreto – 0/0, R
Michael De La Cruz – 1/2, 2 RBI, BB
Andrew Florides – 0/2
Gabriel Cenas – 1/1, RBI

Pitching:

Corey Gorman – 5 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 3 K
Cale Wine – L, 1 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 2 K, 1 HR

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Michael De La Cruz

Game 2

Hitting:

Franklin Barreto – 2/4, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 K, SB
Edwin Fuentes – 0/3
Thomas Collins III – 1/4, R, 2B
Rowdy Tellez – 2/3, 2B, RBI
Gabriel Cenas – 0/3
Dan Jansen – 1/3
Sean Hurley –0/3, 2 K
Josh Almonte – 1/2, R
Rolando Segovia – 1/3, R, 2B

Pitching:

Chad Jenkins – 2 IP
Chad Beck – 1 IP, 1 H, 1 K
Matthew Smoral – L, 2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HR
Oscar Cabrera – 2/3 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Kamakani Usui – 1/3 IP

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Franklin Barreto

If you like what you’ve seen by Jay Blue, read his work and listen to his podcast on Blue Jays from Away and follow him on Twitter: @Jaysfromaway.