Blue Jays MiLB Report: Pentecost continues to hit

Toronto Blue Jays scores and analysis for minor league games played on Monday, July 11th

AAA   Buffalo Bisons (50-41)
AA      New Hampshire Fisher Cats (40-49)

Both the Bisons and Fisher Cats are on their All-Star breaks. Buffalo gets back to play on Thursday against Lehigh Valley and New Hampshire faces Portland.

Dunedin Blue Jays (47-41)   –   5
Fort Myers Miracle (46-42)   –   1

The Blue Jays pitchers held the Miracle to just four hits. Conor Fisk got the start, allowing just one run over 6.2 innings and striking out three. After a quick appearance from Dusty Isaacs, left-hander Jose Fernandez closed it out with two innings of scoreless work.

Ryan McBroom hit his 13th home run of the season to lead the offence, going 2-for-4. Danny Jansen also picked up a pair of RBI while a double from Mike Reeves was the only other extra-base hit of the day. Dunedin next plays on Wednesday night against the Bradenton Marauders.

Lansing Lugnuts (50-39)   –   5
Lake County Captains (47-41)   –   1

Max Pentecost had another huge day at the plate for the Lugnuts, going 3-for-4 with a double, home run, three RBI, and a stolen base. He’s now hitting .333 with four home runs and 11 RBI over his past 10 games. Ryan Hissey chipped in a pair of singles and scored once.

Another dynamite outing from Jon Harris carried the Lugnuts otherwise as he threw seven shutout innings, allowing just four hits and striking out three. Tom Robson had the strong outing that Lansing has been waiting for, too, striking out four batters over two innings of relief. Lansing is back in action Wednesday night against the Peoria Chiefs.

Vancouver Canadians (13-12)   –   1
Tri-City Dust Devils (14-11)   –   4

The two teams combined for just 11 hits in this one as Christian Williams was the only Canadians’ player to record multiple hits (including a double). Cavan Biggio remained in the leadoff spot, going 1-for-4 to move his average to .348.

Venezuelan lefty Juliandry Higuera pitched five encouraging innings, allowing two runs on three hits while walking three and striking out four. Gabe Noyalis (1.0 IP), Grayson Huffman (1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER), Nick Hartman (1.0 IP), and Matt Smoral (1.0 IP, 3 K) rounded out the relief effort. Smoral has struggled mightily for the Canadians in the early going, so it’s good to see him bouncing back by striking out the side.

Next: Blue Jays could be seeking team control at trade deadline

Bluefield Blue Jays (10-8)   –   9
Johnson City Cardinals (11-7)   –   14

No shortage of runs here as 29 total hits turned into 23 runs. Vlad Guerrero Jr. was 1-for-4 with a double, 3 RBI, and a walk. Cam O’Brien, son of former Jays catcher Charlie O’Brien, was 2-for-2 with a run scored. Nick Sinay was 2-for-4 out of the leadoff spot with a run scored and his ninth stolen base of the season.

On the mound, it didn’t go as well. Puerto Rican right-hander Jose Espada got tagged with seven runs on ten hits over 3.1 innings. Kyle Weatherly (1.1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER), Andrew Deramo (1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 ER), and Hunter Barnett (2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R unearned) mopped up the back end for the Blue Jays.