It is the last week of the season for everyone but Buffalo. It is the last week of the regular season for Buffalo and, despite losing, they clinched the division title last night. While all teams below Buffalo finish their seasons at the end of this week, Buffalo will continue playing in a ten game mini series which takes the place of the normal playoffs. This mini series keeps the AAA team playing to provide reinforcements to the major leagues, if necessary. On the field, Buffalo, New Hampshire and Dunedin all outhit their opponents and they all lost. Vancouver lost in the regular way. The FCL Jays won with Damiano Palmegiani driving in six runs. On the bright side, the system did have some good pitching performances.
Buffalo 3 Rochester 5
New Hampshire 3 Harrisburg 4 - 7 innings
Hillsboro 7 Vancouver 3
Clearwater 2 Dunedin 1
FCL Tigers 4 FCL Blue Jays 12 - 6 innings
This is what I noted from yesterday's games.
Nick Allgeyer gave up a three run home run in the second inning and a two run shot in the fifth to take the loss.
Gregory Polanco struggled when he came to the Bisons with his average at .185 a week ago. However in the last five games he has gone 9-20 with three doubles and two home runs. He hasn't struck out in his last three games. I don't know what his deal is with the Jays, or if the Jays need him in the majors, but there is some signs of life in his bat. Forrest Wall, like Polanco, was 2-4.
New Hampshire played a seven inning game, presumably because of COVID. Maximo Castillo started and threw five innings with one run allowed. He struck out five. Curtis Taylor, just down from Buffalo, came on to get the save in a 3-1 game. But the strike zone must have been different in AA and he walked three straight hitters (note: tongue in cheek). That was followed by a sac fly. Connor Law replaced Taylor but a walk off double blew the game for NH.
Chavez Young scored two runs and went 1-2 with a walk. Hugo Cardona was 2-3 with a double and drove in a run.
Sem Robberse had a decent start. He went five innings and was touched up for three runs, two earned on five hits and four walks. He struck out five.g>
The C's had just four hits. Davis Schneider had two, a home run and a triple. He scored two of Vancouver's three runs and drove in one.
In a game with few runs and few hits, Dunedin gave up a 1-0 lead in the eighth to lose 2-1. Michael Dominguez started and was outstanding. He went six innings with just one hit, he struck out eight. Dominguez has made three starts in September and has been excellent. His ERA in the month is 1.29, and he has 18 K's in 14 innings. Hunter Gregory took the loss.
The Jays just had five hits, all singles. Leo Jimenez and Rainer Nunez had two hits each.
The FCL Jays had the lumber going, scoring 12 runs in five innings. The only home run came from Damiano Palmegiani, this years 14th round pick. The home run was a grand slam in the first inning and he added a two run double in the second giving him six RBI in the second inning. He walked in his third and final plate appearance. Angel Del Rosario was the other hitter with two hits. Interestingly the Jays scored four runs in the first and four more in the second. The Jays manager and hitting coach were ejected by the home plate umpire after the second inning, there is just no pleasing some people. The impressive Cuban Kendry Rojas threw three perfect innings with five K's. That gives him 39 K's in 23.2 innings.
Three Stars
Third Star - Davis Schneider
Second Star - Michael Dominguez
First Star - Damiano Palmegiani
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