Blue Jays MiLB recap – Harris fans the opposition

Jays Journal takes its daily look into the Toronto Blue Jays Minor League system. Harris whiffs 10 for the Cats and the D-Jays squeak one out for the win.

Buffalo Bisons at Charlotte Knights (White Sox)
7-9 Loss

The Bisons came up short in this one despite having 11 hits and popping a trio of home runs.  Cody Asche hit a pinch hit 3 run homer to walk off the Herd in this one.  The back and forth game started with a 3-0 lead for the Knights.  The Bisons quickly got two of the runs back on a Jason Leblebijian solo homer and a wild pitch.  The wild pitch scored Ian Parmley.  The Knights would strike for 2 more runs in the bottom of the second to put the score at 5-2

The Bisons would slowly chip away at the lead and eventually take the lead.  In the 4th they scored another run on Jason Leblebijian’s 2nd home run of the game.  In the 7th the Christian Lopes led off the inning with a solo home run.  This ignited the offense for the inning as the would score 2 more.  A single by Dwight Smith Jr. kept things going and he moved up to second on a wild pitch.  Mike Ohlman walked then 2 outs later Leblebijian laced a double to score them both.

T.J. House got the start in this one and got off to a rough start but was charged just 3 of the 5 runs through his 6.1 innings of work.  House struggled with his control and walked 4 batters while striking out 5.  Murphy Smith came on and was solid for his 1.2 innings.  He did not allow a baserunner and struck out 1.  Chris Smith would allow the walk-off home run in the bottom of the 9th.

César Valdéz will get the start for the Bisons on Tuesday in Buffalo for $1 hot dog day.  This will be the first start for Valdez since May 16th in which he threw 4 innings and allowed 3 runs.

MVB – Jason Leblebijian 4-5 with a double, 2 home runs, 2 runs scored, and 4 RBI

New Hampshire Fisher Cats vs Reading Fightin Phils (Phillies)
2-4 Loss

Jon Harris got the start in this one and got off to a rocky start.  Scott Kingery stroked a solo home run to left to lead off the game.  Carlos Tocci was then hit by a pitch, then Andrew Pullin Kyle Marti walked to follow.  With the bases loaded a sac fly scored the 2nd run of the inning.  This is where Harris turned things on and locked in.  He would escape the inning and go on to throw 6 innings.  He would allow 5 hits and just the 2 earned runs in the first.  He walked 3 and struck out a season-high of seven during the outing.  Jon Stilson would allow a pair in his 2 innings of work in relief.

More from Toronto Blue Jays Prospects

• One prospect the Blue Jays should not have traded at the deadline
• Blue Jays: Can expanded rosters provide positivity?
• Blue Jays: 2022 Tournament 12 returns as Canadian Futures Showcase
• Blue Jays: Top Pitching Prospect Tiedemann Impresses in AA Debut
• Blue Jays 2022 Draft: Who did Toronto Land in Round Two?

The Fisher Cats offense had 9 hits during the game and every batter reached base at least once in the lineup.  The offense just could not come up big when it was needed most.  The Cats were just 3-11 with runners in scoring position.  The top of the order supplied the production as Jonathan Davis and Richard Urena had an RBI single each.  Some timely hitting could have made this one very different.

Conner Greene will get the start Tuesday and will look to kill the streak of allowing 4 ER in his last 2 starts.

MVFC – Jon Harris 6 IP, 5 hits, 2 runs, 3 walks, 7 strikeouts

Dunedin Blue Jays at Lakeland Flying Tigers (Tigers)
4-3 Win

The D-Jays got things going late offensively in this one but they came up big.  The D-Jays scored 4 in the 6th inning to take the win in this one.  It all started as Deiferson Barreto reached on an error to start the inning.  An out later Lane Thomas doubled on a ball that bounced over the left-field wall.  Max Pentecost reached on the 2nd error of the inning and it scored Barreto.  Nash Knight and Carl Wise each picked up an RBI single in the inning to put the Jays up 4-2 at the time.

Ryan Borucki was on the bump for the D-Jays in this one and had another great outing.  He allowed 2 runs over 5.2 innings of works.  He also threw a season-high 10 strikeouts as he baffled the majority of the Flying Tigers hitters.  The middle of the Tigers lineup had the most difficulty with the Borucki and company.  The 3-6 batters struck out a total 8 times and Joey Pankake was the only opposing batter to not record a K.

The D-Jays will take on the Jupiter Hammerheads Tuesday evening.  Pitchers have not been announced yet.

MVDJ – Ryan Borucki 5.2 IP, 5 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, 10 strikeouts

Lansing Lugnuts vs Great Lake Loons (Dodgers)
3-5 Loss

The homestand comes to a close as the Lugnuts got taken down in the final game of the series Monday.  After a 5 game winning streak, the Loons came into town and took 3 of 4 to win the series in Lansing.  This game was a battle as each team tagged on a run here and there and changed the lead a few times.  Neither team could really get footing until the Loons scored a pair in the 9th to take the lead and the eventual win.

Bo Bichette continues to rake at the plate and went 2-5 with a pair of RBIs in this one.  Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had the only extra base hit for the Lugnuts in this one as he popped a triple.  The offense did their best to keep up with the Loons but they were there ready to score another run every time they did.

On the hill, Justin Maese put together another solid outing.  He would throw 6 innings while allowing 7 hits and 3 runs.  His control was not as great as it has been in his most recent starts as he walked 4 batters but he made up for it by striking out 5.  Maese has not allowed more than 4 runs in his last 5 starts which totals to be 35.2 innings of work.

Denis Diaz will get the start to open the series in Lake County against the Captains Tuesday evening.

MVL – Bo Bichette 2-5 with 2 RBI

Next: Happy times - Happ to return Tuesday