Blue Jays Minor League Report: Rowdy Tellez is catching fire

Scores and analysis for Toronto Blue Jays minor league games played on Saturday, May 14th

Buffalo Bisons (17-19)   –   1
Norfolk Tides (12-25)   –   0

The talent at triple-A Buffalo is finally starting to click. After a brief rain delay, Chris Leroux took the hill for the Bisons and was excellent, throwing five innings of shutout ball, allowing just three hits and striking out five.

Bo Schultz was first out of the bullpen and was working with impressive velocity through a clean inning. Chad Jenkins and Pat Venditte pitched scoreless innings behind him before passing off to Dustin Antolin who notched his third save of the season.

Buffalo managed just three hits and didn’t take a walk, but a Tony Sanchez solo home run in the sixth inning was all they needed. Dalton Pompey singled out of the leadoff spot while Jesus Montero doubled.

New Hampshire Fisher Cats (16-17)   –   4

Hartford Yard Goats (23-11)   –   2

More from Jays Journal

• Blue Jays: Snapping cold streaks at the right time
• Who Should the Blue Jays Extend First: Guerrero, Bichette or Manoah?
• Blue Jays now hold the top Wild Card spot, and yes that’s a good thing
• Blue Jays may have the tools to use a Bullpen Day
• Blue Jays win important first game after Bichette’s late inning heroics

Rowdy Tellez is officially heating up. The slugging first baseman was 2-for-4 with a home run, a double, and four RBIs in game one of the double-header. Dwight Smith Jr. added two doubles of his own and scored twice. Centre-fielder Roemon Fields singled and stole his 12th base of the season.

Casey Lawrence was efficient on the mound, allowing just two runs on six hits over five innings, striking out three. John Stilson pitched a scoreless inning of relief and Wil Browning handled the final frame for his seventh save of the season (Note: In double-headers, the games last just seven innings).

New Hampshire Fisher Cats (17-17)   –   1
Hartford Yard Goats (23-12)   –   0

The Fisher Cats returned to .500 on the back of an excellent start from Luis Santos, who pitched six innings of shutout ball, allowing just four hits and striking out six. Murphy Smith earned the save (1).

Rowdy Tellez supplied the offence again, going 2-for-2 with the lone RBI of the day.

Dunedin Blue Jays (15-21)   –   2
Brevard County Manatees (12-24)   –   7

Justin Shafer was very strong in his start, throwing six innings of shutout ball, but the wheels really came off when Aaron Loup entered the game on a rehab assignment. The left-hander recorded just one out, but allowed four earned runs on two hits and two walks.

Ryan McBroom continued to swing a hot bat, launching his sixth home run of the season in a 2-for-4 day.

More blue jays: Dickey's annual turnaround could be arriving early

Lansing Lugnuts (17-16)   –   2
South Bend Cubs (21-13)   –   6

Lansing’s pitching struggled again in this one, allowing 14 hits to the Cubs. Top pitching prospect Sean Reid-Foley allowed five earned runs on nine hits in three and two-thirds innings of work. Starlyn Suriel, Patrick Murphy, and Dusty Isaacs combined to pitch five and a third scoreless innings of relief.

The Lugnuts offence was spread evenly, with no starter recording a multi-hit game. Doubles went to Juan Kelly, Lane Thomas, and Andrew Guillotte.