July 7, 2018 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Report
By Jay Blue
Blue Jays from Away

In eight games, the Toronto Blue Jays' affiliates were 5-3 on Saturday, getting huge games from Cavan Biggio and Jesus Severino.

Buffalo Bisons 4, Syracuse Chiefs 2

The triple-A Buffalo Bisons again defeated the Syracuse Chiefs, celebrating Thomas Pannone's activation with a 4-2 win. Pannone went six innings, allowing two runs on seven hits (including a home run) without walking anyone and striking out six. Jose Fernandez picked up the win, giving up two hits over two innings and striking out one. Brandon Cumpton got the save, walking one and giving up a hit with one strikeout in the ninth.

Anthony Alford hit his fourth home run of the year, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Roemon Fields was 2-for-5 with a double and a stolen base while Gio Urshela was 2-for-4 and Darnell Sweeney was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run. Richard Urena was on twice, going 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI.

W: Jose Fernandez (1-1)
S: Brandon Cumpton (1)

Roster Notes: Thomas Pannone was activated for the Bisons and Michael De La Cruz was placed on the 7-day DL.

Player of the Game: Anthony Alford and Thomas Pannone

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 7, Reading Fightin Phils 8

A ninth-inning bullpen collapse gave the Reading Fightin Phils an 8-7 win over the double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats despite the Fisher Cats getting three home runs.

Cavan Biggio led the offence, hitting his league-leading 19th home run and going 3-for-4 with a double and a single, taking a walk, driving in two and scoring twice. Nash Knight hit his first double-A home run, going 2-for-4 and Jonathan Davis hit his fourth of the year, pushing his average to .302 with a 2-for-4 game that included a walk and two runs. Bo Bichette drove in two runs, going 1-for-5.

T.J. Zeuch started, giving up four runs (three earned) on seven hits with five strikeouts in just four innings before coming out of the game having thrown just 63 pitches. Dusty Isaacs tossed two scoreless frames, allowing two hits and striking out one and Danny Young pitched the seventh, allowing a hit and a walk with a strikeout. Zach Jackson pitched a solid eighth but ran into trouble in the ninth, walking two batters and left with two runners on and two outs in the ninth as he finished with four strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings. Andrew Case (Saint John, N.B.) gave up a home run among two hits, allowing two runs of his own (and the two inherited runners from Jackson) before getting the final out.

L: Andrew Case (1-3)
HR: Cavan Biggio (19), Nash Knight (1), Jonathan Davis (4)

Player of the Game: Cavan Biggio

Dunedin Blue Jays 6, St. Lucie Mets 2

The class-A Advanced Dunedin Blue Jays put up a six spot in the sixth inning, getting all the runs they needed to defeat the St. Lucie Mets 6-2 in the first game of a doubleheader before rain washed out the second game.

Kevin Smith hit his seventh home run with the D-Jays (and 14th of the year), going 1-for-3 with a walk and two RBI. Ivan Castillo was 2-for-3 with a run and Brock Lundquist, in his third Dunedin game, was 2-for-2 with a walk, an RBI and a run.

Zach Logue picked up his fourth win, going five innings and allowing two runs on six hits (including a two-run home run in the second) and two walks with one strikeout. Jonathan Cheshire went an inning, allowing a hit and Jackson McClelland struck out one, facing the minimum in the ninth.

W: Zach Logue (4-2)
HR: Kevin Smith (7)

Player of the Game: Kevin Smith and Brock Lundquist

Dunedin Blue Jays , St. Lucie Mets

Game postponed due to rain.

Lansing Lugnuts 2, South Bend Cubs 4

The South Bend Cubs got back at the low-A Lansing Lugnuts, holding the Lugnuts to just four hits in a 4-2 win.

Kevin Vicuna hit a double and drove in a run while Brandon Grudzielanek was 2-for-4 with a run. Chavez Young was 0-for-2 but walked twice, stole a base, was caught stealing and scored a run. Samad Taylor was 1-for-3 wtih a walk, an RBI and a stolen base.

Turner Larkins went 4 2/3 innings, holding the Cubs off the board, giving up three hits and a walk with four strikeouts. Donnie Sellers went the remaining 2 1/3 innings, taking the loss, and allowing three runs on five hits. Yunior Hinojosa allowed a solo home run among two hits in two innings with one strikeout.

L: Donnie Sellers (6-2)

Roster Notes: Turner Larkins was activated off the DL.

Player of the Game: Turner Larkins

Vancouver Canadians 7, Spokane Indians 3

The class-A Short-Season Vancouver Canadians returned home to face the Spokane Indians, beating them 7-3. Jesus Severino highlighted the offence, going 3-for-4 and coming within a triple of the cycle, hitting a single, double, and home run, driving in three runs and scoring twice. Otto Lopez (Montreal, Que.) was 3-for-4 with two runs, a walk and two stolen bases. Vinny Capra was 2-for-3 with a walk, a stolen base and an RBI and Mc Gregory Contreras was 2-for-3 with a triple, an RBI and a run.

Elio Silva was on the mound, allowing two runs over five innings, giving up four hits and striking out four without walking anyone. Marcus Reyes allowed an unearned run on two hits and a a walk with two strikeouts over two innings and Will McAffer (North Vancouver, B.C.) walked one and struck out four over two innings.

W: Elio Sliva (2-1)
HR: Jesus Severino (2)

Player of the Game: Jesus Severino

Bluefield Blue Jays 6, Kingsport Mets 5

The rookie-class Bluefield Blue Jays continued their hot starts, getting five runs in the first inning but needed the added single run in the sixth for good measure as they beat the Kingsport Mets 6-5.

Hagen Danner was 1-for-3 with a walk and two RBI and D.J. Neal was 1-for-5 with two RBI and a stolen base. Davis Schneider was 1-for-4 with a walk and Cal Stevenson was 1-for-3 with two walks and two runs.

Troy Watson started, giving up a run on a hit and two walks in three innings, striking out two before Cre Finfrock, allowing three runs on five hits and a walk in 2 1/3 innings was awarded the win. Adams Cuevas finished the sixth and pitched the seventh, retiring all all five batters he faced and striking out four of them and Andy McGuire returned to the mound for a clean eighth. Sean Rackoski finished it, allowing a run on two hits with one strikeout in the ninth to earn his fourth save.

W: Cre Finfrock (2-0)
S: Sean Rackoski (4)

Player of the Game: Hagen Danner, Cal Stevenson and Adams Cuevas

GCL Blue Jays 5, GCL Pirates 8

The GCL Blue Jays used seven pitchers but the first five had only allowed two runs to the GCL Pirates, taking a 5-2 lead into the ninth when two pitchers couldn't staunch the tide, leading to a walk-off grand slam by Nick Patten to give the Pirates an 8-5 win. Gabriel Moreno was 2-for-4 with a double and a triple, driving in a run while Troy Squires was 2-for-4 with a walk, two RBI and a run. Hector Guerrero was 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI and Yhordegny Kelly had a triple, going 1-for-3. Jordan Groshans was 0-for-4, marking an end to a 12-game hitting streak and it was the first time he had been held hitless as a pro.

Meliton Reyes started for the Blue Jays, giving up a run on a walk with one strikeout. Alexander Molina pitched the third, giving up just a hit and Alejandro Melean allowed two hits and three walks with two strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings. Brennan Price tossed an inning and a third, allowing one unearned run but he stranded the two runners he inherited and struck out two. Franniel Polanco tossed an inning, allowing a hit and striking out one to complete the eighth. In the ninth, Nicolas Medina allowed two hits and two walks before Luis Alvarez walked the first batter he saw intentionally (loading the bases), allowing a home run to the next batter for the walk off.

L: Nicolas Medina (0-1)

Roster Notes: Franniel Polanco was assigned to the GCL from the DSL.

Player of the Game: Troy Squires and Gabriel Moreno

DSL Blue Jays 10, DSL Reds 3

The DSL Blue Jays opened things up in the seventh and eighth innings, scoring eight of their runs in those two frames on their way to a 10-3 win over the DSL Reds.

Jose Rivas drove in four runs, going 3-for-5 with a double and a run, stealing a base. Geyber Jimenez was 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI while Alberto Rodriguez was 1-for-3 with a double and two walks, adding a run. Rainer Nunez drove in three runs, going 1-for-4. Jesus Hernandez was 1-for-2 with a walk, an RBI and a run.

Santos Moreno went seven strong innings, allowing only two hits and one walk with five strikeouts for his first win while Jhoan Dominguez allowed two runs in his inning, giving up two hits and a walk and Eliezer Bello allowed a run on a walk and a run with a strikeout.

W: Santos Moreno (1-1)

Roster Notes: Franniel Polanco was sent to the GCL.

Player of the Game: Santos Moreno and Jose Rivas

Jay's Jay of the Day: Cavan Biggio and Jesus Severino

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