Blue Jays MiLB recap – Fisher Cats circle the bases
![Feb 17, 2017; Dunedin, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Mat Latos (57) throws a bullpen during spring training at Cecil P. Englebert Recreation Complex. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_752,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/JaysJournal-cover-2940994060a98ad9077239ffe6d97fab.jpg)
Jays Journal takes its daily look into the Toronto Blue Jays Minor League system. The Bisons pitch their way to win in odd fashion and the Fisher Cats pounce on the Yard Goats pitchers.
Buffalo Bisons at Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre Railriders (Yankees)
2-1 Win
The Bisons pitched their way to a win in this one. The sprinkled in just enough offense to pull out a win. Mat Latos got the start and was solid through 5 innings of work. He would throw 7 strikeouts and walk 3 batters while tossing 46 of his 81 pitches for strikes. He would allow 1 earned run on 4 hits but looked good for the entire outing. Wil Browning would eventually collect the win after the Herd took the lead. Browning hurled 2 perfect innings and struck out 1 batter. Chad Girodo would record the save after allowing just 2 base runners over the final 2 frames.
On offense the Herd was having troubles getting Railriders starter Dietrich Enns allowed just 2 hits in last week’s game against the Bisons and it was more of the same Friday. Enns allowed a pair of hits and a walk. He would go on to shut the Bisons down for 5 innings. Once Enns left the game the Bisons were able to chip away at the bullpen. Christian Lopes scored from 3rd on a wild pitch in the 6th to tie the game at 1. They would score the second run when Ty Kelly was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Just enough hits and some good luck one this one on the offensive side Friday to support a great night of pitching by the Bisons.
T.J. House will get the start against the Railriders at 4:15 PM Saturday
MVB – Mat Latos 5 IP, 4 hits, 1 ER, 3 Walks, 7 Strikeouts
New Hampshire Fisher Cats at Hartford Yard Goats
11-7 Win
The slugfest was on in Hartford Friday evening. There were 4 home runs hit during this game, 2 by each team. The Cats jumped out of the gate a little quicker as they scored 4 runs in the first 2 innings as the Goats scored a pair in the first. Emilio Guerrero drove in a pair on a single to take the early lead in the first. The Goats would come right back against Cats starter Francisco Rios on a 2 run homer by Ryan McMahon.
In the top of the 2nd, the Cats would pick right up where the left off. A walk to Gunnar Heidt, an error allow Reese McGuire to reach base, and a sac bunt by Jonathan Davis set the table for Roemon Fields. Fields drove in a pair on a single that rolled into right field. This put the Cats up 4-2. On to the 4th where everything would go the Cats way. After a single and a walk, Fields would lace a double to center field to score a pair. Tim Lopes would single to drive in Fields. Lopes would later score on a fielder’s choice to put up 4 runs during the inning.
First McGuire, then Davis! Back-to-back HR = TWO donations to the @NHFB from @CitizensBank. NH up 4 in a slugfest! pic.twitter.com/etjoHA9KzS
— New Hampshire Fisher Cats (@FisherCats) April 15, 2017
In the 7th the Cats would pour it on as the popped 2 homers during the inning. Reese McGuire uncorked one over the right field wall for his 2nd of the young season. The next batter would be Jonathan Davis who followed McGuire’s example by making the homers back to back as he popped a homer. Roemon Fields would hit another double and score on a fielder’s choice to put 3 on the board in the 7th.
Jon Harris will get the ball for the Saturday evening game against the Yard Goats.
MVFC – Reese McGuire 2-5 with 3 runs scored, a home run, and an RBI
Dunedin Blue Jays at Jupiter Hammerheads
6-2 Win
The D-Jays jumped out to an early lead and kept the pedal to the metal during this one. After a leadoff double by Andrew Guillotte, Cavan Biggio drove him in with a single to center field. In the second the hits kept coming as Matt Dean singled to start the inning. J.C. Cardenas then doubled to put runners on 2nd and 3rd. D.J. Davis would drive in Dean on a single. A balk would score Cardenas from 3rd to put the D-Jays up 3-0 at the time.
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The Hammerheads got to starter Angel Perdomo in the bottom of the 2nd and scored a pair to make the score 3-2 in favor of the D-Jays. Perdomo would toss 4 innings and allow just the 2 earned runs on 6 hits and 2 walks. He would also strike out a pair. The two teams were locked in a scoreless battle for 6 innings as the bullpens shut down the offenses. In the top of the 8th, the D-Jays strung together a single, an error, a fielder’s choice, and wild pitch together to score a run.
In the 9th the Guillotte hit a 1 out double which was followed by a Biggio RBI double. Juan Kelly stepped into the box and drove in Biggio on a single to put the D-jays up 6-2. The bullpen tossed 5 innings between Conner Eller and Jared Carkuff. They would take the W and the save.
T.J. Zeuch will get the start for the D-Jays at 5:30 PM Saturday.
MVDJ – Cavan Biggio 2-5 with a double, a run scored, and 2 RBIs
Lansing Lugnuts vs Lake County Captains
2-5 Loss
The game got away from the Lugnuts in the mid-innings during this one. The Lugnuts got out to an early lead in the 2nd innings with a sac fly. Bradley Jones scored after hitting a single and being moved up to 3rd on a Ryan Hissey double.
Mike Ellenbest got the ball for the Lugnuts in this one and got off to a swell start. In the 4th inning, the train went off the tracks, however. Ellenbest would allow 5 runs in the 4th and 5th innings. The biggest shot was a 2 run homer by Li-Jen Chu in the 5th. The bullpen would calm things down as Griffin Glaude and Philip Walby would no-hit the Captains for the remaining 4 innings.
#BlueJays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. making a name for himself with advanced approach, eye-popping power. Toolshed: https://t.co/C3hjQHCAFn pic.twitter.com/coZKrjKnfD
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) April 14, 2017
The bullpen may have put the Captain’s bats to bed early but the Lugnuts offense just could not get things going to get back into this one. They would finish the game batting just 1-9 with the runners in scoring position (RISP). There were able to grind it out and score one run in the bottom of the 9th but it was not enough.
Osman Gutierrez will get his second start of the season Saturday for the Lugnuts. He will look to keep things going his was after his previous start where he allowed just 3 hits in 5 innings.