Blue Jays MiLB Recap – Fisher Cats Sweep Opening Series

Jays Journal takes its daily look into the Toronto Blue Jays Minor League system. The Fisher Cats are undefeated to start the season and the Bisons are still being snowed out from their opener.

Buffalo Bisons at Rochester Red Wings (Twins)
Postponed Snow

Yet another day of snow here in Rochester New York has kept the season from starting for the Bisons. During a day of cold and sporadic white outs of snow, the game was canceled for a third straight day. Joe Biagini is dreaming that the weather will be more suitable for play in Pawtucket on Monday as the Bisons travel to take on the Paw Sox.

According to the Bisons official Twitter account, the postponed games will push Sam Gaviglio to start the Home Opener for the Bisons. Gaviglio pitched 74.1 innings between the Mariners and the Royals. He had a 4.36 ERA with 49 k’s and 26 walks. It will be good to see Gaviglio get a chance to start the home opener and get his first chance to impress his new team.

New Hampshire Fisher Cats at Hartford Yard Goats (Rockies)
4-2 Win

Another day another victory for the Fisher Cats. The team is already clicking like a winner right out of the gate. Regardless of the winter-like temperatures, this team is heating up. Sean Reid-Foley was on fire to start this one. Through six innings of work, Reid-Foley allowed just four base runners on one hit and three walks. As he continued to fool hitters, he sent seven hitters packing on his own. Dusty Isaacs came in and allowed a pair of runs during his 1.2 innings. This put the Goats in striking distance in the final few innings. Andrew Case slammed the door shut after throwing the final four outs of the game and allowed just one hit.

Not only did the pitching continue to roll, the offense powered up Sunday afternoon. Both teams did not figure each other out until the 7th. A one out walk to Max Pentecost paved the way for a big inning. Cavan Biggio popped a 2-run homer to the right center to take the lead. One out later Connor Panas laced a double into right and later scored on a Juan Kelly single. After a two-run inning from the Yard Goats Vlad Guerrero Jr. must have felt like taking the wind out of their sales. Vlad demolished a pitch to deep left center field off of Logan Cozart. The two home runs hit by the Cats were Biggio’s and Vlad’s first in Double-A. Lourdes Gurriel and Bo Bichette continue to swing hot bats as each of them picked up a pair of hits.

Jon Harris will get the start in the series opener against the Trenton Thunder Monday evening.

MVFC – Sean Reid-Foley 6 IP, 1 hit, 0 ER, 3 walks, 7 K’s

Dunedin Blue Jays vs Clearwater Threshers (Phillies)
4-3 Win

The Threshers bit into the D-Jays early with a 3-run first inning, but they were able to fight back for a win. Josh DeGraaf got assaulted early on the scoreboard with three singles and a double that led to the three-run first. After that DeGraaf settled in and proceeded to hold down the Threshers. He pitched six innings total and just one more hit after the rough first innings. He finished with six hits, three earned runs, a walk, and a pair of strikeouts.

The D-Jays were able to mount a comeback that started in the bottom of the 4th. A Nash Knight walk kicked off the inning. A ground out and a fielder’s choice moved Knight over to 3rd where D.J. Davis cashed him in on a double. A double from Joshua Palacios drove in the speedy Davis to cap off a two-run inning.

Jump forward to the 6th inning where Nash Knight continued to be the catalyst for the offense. A long bomb to right center tied the game up at three. The tie was short lived as Alberto Mineo walked and Ivan Castillo doubled. After a fielder’s choice, the table was set with runners at 1st and 3rd for Palacios. He singled to drive in the go ahead run for the D-Jays.

Travis Bergen came out of the bullpen to start the 9th and he marched through the Threshers’ hitters for a pair of innings. He picked up his second hold of the season for the two innings of work in which he allowed just one hit and struck out three. Kirby Snead put a bow on the win with a perfect 9th inning. His second save of the year sealed the win for Degraaf and the D-Jays.

Justin Dillon will get the start for Monday night’s series opener in Palm Beach against the Cardinals.

MVDJ – Nash Knight 2-3 with a double, a home run, a run scored, and an RBI

Lansing Lugnuts vs Great Lakes Loons (Dodgers)
Double Header

Game One 6-11 Loss
The Lugnuts were unable to slow down the offense of the Loons in the first game of the day. Graham Spraker was tasked with keeping the Loons off the board to start the game and allowed two runs in his 2.2 innings of work. He did allow just three hits and a walk while striking out three in the outing. Orlando Pascual followed and was able to get four outs but allowed another Loons’ run. The Loons poured on the offense with Brody Rodning on the mound. Rodning was able to get just one out and allowed five earned runs. Kyle Weatherly would come on for the remainder of the seven-inning game and also got hit around for three more runs as the Loons circled the pillows.

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The Lugnuts hitters tried to keep the team in the game and were within striking distance until the five-run 5th. Ridge Smith had a pair of RBIs on his first home run of the season. Kacy Clemens had a pair of hits and picked up his first RBI of the season. Kevin Smith also had an RBI and finished 1-3. The offense had seven hits and picked up four walks but were unable to put together the huge inning like the Loons did.

MVL  – Ridge Smith 1-3 with a home run and 2 RBIs

Game two 2-5 Loss
The Lugnuts bats were frozen in the Lansing cold for game two as they only managed four base runners. One of the two Lugnut hits was a powerful blast off the bat of Kacy Clemens. The two-run homer was his first as a Lugnut. Samad Taylor had the other hit for the Lugnuts. The offense just was unable to figure out Edwin Uceta of the Loons and their bullpen followed suit.

On the mound, the Loons jumped on Turner Larkins for five runs in the first three innings. Larkins was able to pitch four innings total, but gave up seven hits and walked three. He did strikeout four, but allowed a pair of home runs that really sucked the Lugnuts hopes of a doubleheader split. Andy Ravel came in for the 5th inning and was solid for his two innings of work to right the ship a bit. He scattered three hits but did not allow a free pass and struck out a batter. Ty Tice wrapped it up with a perfect final inning.

Maverik Buffo will kick things off in Fort Wayne for the Lugnuts as they take on the Tin Caps.

MVL – Kacy Clemens 1-2 with a 2-run homer

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