Jay Blue: Bichette, McGuire, Navarro, Panas, Saunders, Smith, Vicuna, Warmoth

Victoria, B.C., native Michael Saunders clubbed his first home run for the triple-A Buffalo Bisons on Saturday. Photo Credit: Jay Blue

July 22, 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Report
By Jay Blue
Blue Jays from Away

With nine games completed, the Toronto Blue Jays' minor league teams recorded five wins on Saturday, with the Buffalo Bisons continuing to play some strong baseball after a long rough stretch.

Buffalo Bisons 8, Louisville Bats 0

The Buffalo Bisons continued their run of good play, shutting out the Louisville Bats 8-0 on the back of a dominant performance by Chris Rowley. Rowley went seven innings for his third win as a Bison, giving up just five hits and one walk with three strikeouts and getting nine ground-ball outs. Andrew Case (Saint John, N.B.) finished off the game with two scoreless innings, allowing a hit and a walk with one strikeout.

Michael Saunders (Victoria, B.C.) is finding his form as he went 3/5 with two doubles and a home run, driving in two runs and scoring three. Dwight Smith, Jr. also went deep, going 2/4 with a walk and three RBI. Raffy Lopez was 2/4 and Jon Berti hit two doubles, going 2/4 with a run. Roemon Fields was 2/4 with two runs and an RBI, bringing his batting average to .320 with another stolen base (26 for Buffalo). Jason Leblebijian was 1/4 but he hit a solo home run, his 10th of the season.

Player of the Game: Chris Rowley and Michael Saunders

Roster Notes: Chris Smith was recalled by the Blue Jays.

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 0, Trenton Thunder 4

The New Hampshire Fisher Cats had their game called in the bottom of the sixth inning due to rain, resulting in a 4-0 loss to the Trenton Thunder. The Fisher Cats had just six hits including a double from catcher Alex Monsalve who was 1/2. Anthony Alford was 1/3 and Tim Lopes was 1/2.

Conner Greene only pitched one inning, tossing 38 pitches and giving up three runs on three hits and two walks. Danny Young provided three scoreless innings of relief and Tom Robson (Ladner, B.C.) gave up a run in 1 2/3 innings, allowing a solo home run among two hits.

Player of the Game: None

Dunedin Blue Jays 11, Lakeland Flying Tigers 9

The Dunedin Blue Jays rallied late after a rough start and turned a three-run deficit into a two-run win against the Lakeland Flying Tigers, coming back for an 11-9 win. Tayler Saucedo only lasted one inning for the Blue Jays, giving up four runs on four hits and two walks with two strikeouts in just one frame. Ryan Cook gave up a run on two hits and a walk in 2/3 of an inning to follow and Philip Walby allowed four runs on seven hits (including a home run) and a walk over three innings. Alonzo Gonzalez, in his first outing since returning from New Hampshire, allowing only one hit in his 2 1/3 innings, stranding two runners and striking out a batter. Adonys Cardona and Jackson McClelland each provided a scoreless inning of relief to hold the Flying Tigers off.

Toronto-born Connor Panas blasted his eighth home run of the year, going 3/4 with a double, a single, a walk, three RBI, two runs and an outfield assist. Michael De La Cruz was 2/4 with a walk and four runs, adding a double and Cavan Biggio was 2/3 with two walks, his seventh home run of the year, three RBI and two runs. Bo Bichette was 2/5 with an RBI and a run and Juan Kelly also had two hits, going 2/4 with a walk and a run.

Player of the Game: Connor Panas

Lansing Lugnuts 4, Cedar Rapids Kernels 12

The Lansing Lugnuts gave up more than 10 runs in a game for the third time in four games, losing 12-4 to the Cedar Rapids Kernels. Andy Ravel allowed eight of those runs, giving up seven hits (including a home run) and two walks over just 3 1/3 innings. Geno Encina gave up a solo home run among three hits and one walk with two strikeouts over 3 2/3. Denis Diaz gave up another three runs (two earned) on two hits and two walks in the eighth.

Nash Knight and Ridge Smith had two hits each with Knight driving in one and scoring once while Smith also took a walk. Joshua Palacios was 1/4 with a double and a walk, scoring a run and Yeltsin Gudino and Mattingly Romanin (Burlington, Ont.) each had a single and an RBI.

Player of the Game: Nash Knight and Ridge Smith

Vancouver Canadians 7, Salem-Keizer Volcanoes 6

The Vancouver Canadians sealed a first-half division title, guaranteeing them a playoff spot with a 7-6 victory over the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes. Logan Warmoth (3/5, 3B, RBI, R, SB) and Kevin Vicuna (3/5, RBI, SB) had three hits each while Riley Adams (2/4, 2B, BB, 2 R), Kacy Clemens (2/5, 3B, 2 RBI, R, SB) and Norberto Obeso (2/3, 2 BB, RBI, 2 R) had two hits each.

Dalton Rodriguez went six innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and a walk with three strikeouts and Miguel Burgos blew the save, giving up a run in the eighth. Orlando Pascual almost let things get away, walking three and giving up a run in 1 2/3 innings despite getting all five outs via the strikeout. William Ouellette sealed the win and playoff appearance, retiring the only batter he faced.

Player of the Game: Kevin Vicuna, Logan Warmoth and Kacy Clemens

Bluefield Blue Jays 4, Elizabethton Twins 1

The Bluefield Blue Jays made it to the 20-win mark with a tidy, 4-1 victory over the Elizabethton Twins. Jesus Navarro led the offence, going 3/4 with two RBI while Ryan Noda moved his batting average to .451 with a 2/4 game that included a double and a walk. McGregory Contreras was 2/3 with a walk, two runs and a stolen base. Ryan Gold hit his second home run of the year, going 1/4.

Jordan Barrett started for the Bluefield Blue Jays and provided three hitless innings, hitting two batters and striking out one. Turner Larkins got the win, giving up a run on six hits and two walks with two strikeouts in four innings. Marcus Reyes saved the game with two innings of one-hit ball, striking out one.

Player of the Game: Jesus Navarro

GCL Blue Jays 13, GCL Braves 6

The GCL Blue Jays finished their suspended game with the GCL Braves on Saturday. Leading 8-2 upon suspension of activity, the Blue Jays tacked on more runs upon resumption of play, beating the Braves 13-6. Otto Lopez and Reese McGuire (on a rehab assignment) each had three hits with Lopez going 3/5 with a double, a triple and four RBI, scoring twice and stealing a base and and McGuire going 3/5 with a double, a walk, two RBI and a run. Jonelvy Molina was 2/5 with two runs and Davis Schneider was 1/5 but he hit a three-run home run in the third inning. Dominic Abbadessa was 1/4 with a walk but scored four times.

Joi Concepcion started and managed to get through three innings without giving up a run despite walking seven and giving up only one hit, striking out three. Anderson Nunez gave up two runs on three hits in one inning and Patrick Murphy, rehabbing from Lansing, tossed three scoreless innings, allowing three hits and striking out six. Emmanuel Reyes allowed four runs on two hits and two walks with a strikeout in his inning and Gaudy Ramirez pitched a clean ninth.

Player of the Game: Otto Lopez and Reese McGuire

GCL Blue Jays 0, GCL Braves 1

After scoring 13 runs in the completion of Friday's game, the GCL Blue Jays couldn't score any in the regularly scheduled game getting just four hits and losing 1-0 to the GCL Braves. The pitchers were excellent with Maverik Buffo starting and giving up just a hit and a walk with six strikeouts in three innings. Matthew Gunter allowed just two hits in his three innings of work, striking out three and Adams Cuevas took the loss, giving up an unearned run on just one hit in two innings, with two strikeouts.

Luis De Los Santos was 2/3 and Emilio Guerrero and Yhordegny Kelly each had a single.

Player of the Game: Maverik Buffo and Matthew Gunter

DSL Blue Jays 4, DSL Padres 7

The DSL Blue Jays lost their second game in a row, falling 7-4 to the DSL Padres. The Blue Jays had just five hits including doubles from Steward Berroa and Victor Figuereo while Leonicio Ventura was 1/2 with a walk, an RBI and a run. Rafael Lantigua was also on base twice with a walk and a single, driving in a run and stealing a base.

Rafael Monsion was solid on the mound, giving up just one run on four hits and a walk in four innings. Alexander Molina allowed two unearned runs on two hits and a walk in the fifth and Adolfo Molina allowed two runs in two innings. Juan Jimenez finished the game, allowing two more runs in the eighth.

Player of the Game: None

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