Blue Jays MiLB Report: Justin Maese deals in Canadians opener

Scores and analysis for Toronto Blue Jays minor league games played on Friday, June 17th

Buffalo Bisons (35-32)   –   4
Lehigh Valley IronPiga (38-29)   –   5

An uneven offensive attack kept the Bisons grounded as their top three hitters combined to go 0-for-14. Tony Sanchez launched his third home run of the season in the third, and shortstop Jio Mier followed suit with his first of the year, a two-run shot. David Adams and Casey Kotchman doubled, but no Bisons’ batter recorded multiple hits.

Chris Leroux pitched five and two-thirds, allowing four earned runs on eight hits, but also striking out seven batters with zero walks. Aaron Loup pitched one and a third scoreless before Ben Rowen carried the load for three scoreless. In the bottom of the eleventh, Chad Jenkins took the loss allowing two hits and a run.

New Hampshire Fisher Cats (29-37)   –   4

Akron RubberDucks (39-29)   –   7

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Dwight Smith Jr. extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a triple, RBI, and a walk. Matt Dean singled and scored twice while Christian Lopes drove in a pair. Ian Parmley went 1-for-5 out of the leadoff spot and stole his 11th bag of the season.

Shane Dawson had his toughest outing of the season, allowing five runs (four earned) in just one and a third innings. The Canadian allowed four hits and three walks. Chris Smith was the first reinforcement (2.0 IP, 4 K) before Brady Dragmire (2.0 IP, 4 H, 3 BB, 2 ER) and John Stilson (2.0 IP) cleaned up the back end.

Dunedin Blue Jays (30-36)
OFF DAY  –  ALL STAR BREAK

The FSL North All-Stars take on the FSL South All-Stars on Saturday night, so there’s no D-Jays action until Monday.

Lansing Lugnuts (34-34)   –   0
West Michigan Whitecaps (39-26)   –   7

Lansing’s bats only managed four hits, including doubles from Andrew Guillotte and Max Pentecost. The Lugnuts failed to work a walk, too, keeping the bases quiet.

Canadian right-hander Tom Robson found trouble, allowing six earned runs on seven hits over five innings, walking four and striking out two. Josh DeGraaf pitched three innings of one-run relief before Danny Young gave the Lugnuts a clean ninth.

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Vancouver Canadians (1-0)   –   5
Spokane Indians (0-1)   –   3

The Canadians come to the rescue with their season opener. Justin Maese, who we profiled here prior to spring training, tossed five innings of two-hit ball, allowing just one earned run and striking out six. Griffin Glaude worked around three walks over one and two-thirds, but Stuart Holmes allowed the Indians to pull back ahead (0.2 IP, 2 ER) heading into the ninth. Arkansas alumnus Jackson Lowery picked up the win (1.2 IP).

Gabriel Clark drove in the winning runs in the top of the ninth with a two-run double after a Christian Williams double tied it. DJ McKnight went 2-for-2 with a pair of walks out of the nine spot while Bryan Lizardo and Deiferson Barreto (2 RBI) added doubles of their own.