Blue Jays MiLB recap – Fisher Cats find lumber

Jays Journal takes its daily look into the Toronto Blue Jays Minor League system. The Bisons lose a rough one in extra innings and the Fisher Cats pounce on the Fightin Phils.

Buffalo Bisons vs Pawtucket Red Sox
7-5 Loss

A heart breaking loss for the Bisons as they fell in extra innings after trying to mount a comeback in the home half of the inning. The Herd was not able to reach the finish line in the marathon as they came up two runs short in the 12th of matching the Paw Sox four run, top of the inning. Brett Oberholtzer got the ball to start the game and scattered seven hits and a walk to allow just three runs. He would allow a solo home run to Sam Travis and struck out three.

Mike Bolsinger came on in relief and was incredible for four innings. He allowed just two hits and a walk without surrendering a run. Wil Browning unfortunately let the Paw Sox jump out to a four run lead in the top of the 12th to seal the Bisons fate.

The Herd was able to rack up ten hits but came up just short in the bottom of the 12th. They needed two more runs to tie it up and were down by four to start the inning. Teoscar Hernandez continues to lead the offense and hit a clutch 2-run homer in the 12th. He went 2-6 with two runs scored and three RBI. He has now scored ten runs and drove in twelve runs over his past ten games. Dwight Smith Jr. also scored twice and drove in his 41st RBI during a 2-4 performance. Rowdy Tellez has also been doing his best to finish this long season on a high not as he went 2-3.

Ryan Borucki will be making his Triple A debut against the Paw Sox on Thursday.

MVB – Teoscar Hernandez 2-6 with home run, 2 runs scored, and 3 RBI

New Hampshire Fisher Cats at Reading Fightin Phils
8-2 Win

The Fisher Cats were hitting and pouncing on every mistake by the Phils on Wednesday. They were able to score eight runs on eight hits while capitalizing on four errors as well. The Phils pitchers were only credited with two earned runs in the game as their defense fell apart right when they needed it most.

Tim Lopes benefited the most as he drove in a run on a sac fly, a wild pitch, and a double. His three RBI led the way for the offense and he went 1-2 at the plate. Lourdes Gurriel had a pair of hits and drove in a run as well. He collected his 10th double while going 2-5 with a run scored. Harold Ramirez drove in another run during a 2-5 performance. Gunnar Heidt went 2-2 with a double and two runs scored while stealing his 10th base of the season.

Conner Greene got the start and battled through 4.2 innings. He struggled with his control at times and just watched his pitch count climb all too fast. He threw 101 pitches in those 4.2 IP, and 64 of them were for strikes. He would allow six hits and three walks, which led to the Phils only two runs. As he pitched deep into counts, he did pile up four strikeouts. Kender Villegas would get the win for his 1.1 innings of work as the offense found footing and ran away with the game. Jose Fernandez and Andrew Case would shut down the Phils for good over the remaining three innings allowing just a hit each.

A pitcher has not been announced to take Ryan Borucki’s turn in the rotation for Thursday yet. Borucki has been promoted to Triple A Buffalo to pitch for the Bisons on Thursday. This is after a phenomonal start to his Double A career. He threw 46.1 innings and allowed just a 1.94 ERA. This while holding batters to a .187 batting average against him.

MVFC – Lourdes Gurriel 2-5 with a double, a run scored, and an RBI

Dunedin Blue Jays at Florida Fire Frogs (Braves)
4-13 Loss

What a rough night for D-Jays pitchers. The results were a beating for all players on the mound as the Fire Frogs torched them for 15 base hits. The D-Jays defense also failed to pick up their buds on the mound, as the committed three errors that translated to two unearned runs. Tayler Saucedo powered through 6.1 innings and saw his scoreless innings streak snapped at 12 innings. He would allow four runs on eight hits and two walks, while striking out five. Adonys Cardona allowed the game to get out of hand as he allowed 5 runs (4 earned), while managing just two outs to close out the 7th. Alonzo Gonzalez was unable to stop the hit parade as he allowed 4 runs (3 earned) in the 8th.

Juan Kelly supplied some thunder for the D-Jays with his 9th home run. The two run homer put the D-Jays on top to close out the top of the 4th inning. This was after Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drove in Bo Bichette on a sac fly in the 1st, and Jake Thomas scored on a Bichette ground out. This accounted for the four D-Jays runs as they would fall in the late innings to the Fire Frogs. Vlad would go 2-2 with a walk, a run scored, and an RBI. Bichette had the double in a 1-4 game and scored a run.

Jordan Romano will kick off the series in Clearwater as the D-Jays take on the Threshers on Thursday. Romano has pitched five innings in each of his last three starts. He has allowed five runs over 15.1 innings in those starts.

MVDJ – Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 2-2 with a sac fly, a walk, a run scored, and an RBI

Lansing Lugnuts at Lake County Captains (Indians)
10-3 Win

The mighty Lugnuts kicked the series off in Lake County with a bang as the started a hit parade in the early innings. The Lugnuts had fourteen hits that translated into ten runs Wednesday. The bats were working right off of the team bus it seemed, as they were able to plate a pair in the first inning. Two singles, a walk, a balk, and a hit batter, became two runs in the first. In the 3rd, Ridge Smith popped a 3-run homer to put the Lugnuts in control. Smith would finish 2-5 with five RBI on the night. Mitch Nay had the rest of the RBI’s as he went 2-4 with a home run in the 4th inning. The 2-run bomb was his 9th and he would pick up a 3rd RBI before this one was over. Five Lugnuts hitters would pick up two hit games and four of those hitters also scored twice.

With the lumber showing off at the plate, one could have missed a great showing from Mike Ellenbest on the mound. He allowed all three runs to the Captains, but this was on just three hits, and three walks. Three bad pitches led to three solo home runs by the Captains. Ellenbest could have had a very different line if those pitches went as planned. He earned his 8th win and has strung together some great outings of late. He has allowed no more then three runs in all but one of his last four starts. Griffin Glaude got in on the action and was nearly perfect in his two innings of work. He allowed just one hit and struck out a batter. Chris Hall pitched the 9th and struck out a pair without allowing a run.

Yennsy Diaz gets the start on Thursday against the Captains. Diaz will look to build off a solid seven inning start in his previous outing. He allowed four runs on seven hits but struck out nine.

MVL – Ridge Smith 2-5 with a triple, a home run, 2 runs scored, and 5 RBI

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