Josh Banks outpitched the Detroit Tigers #1 prospect as the lower levels continued their hot streaks while the AAA and AA teams cooled off. Dunedin and Charleston extended their win streaks to four games.
Pawtucket 9 Syracuse 1
Sean Douglass got the start to stretch out his arm. He stretched it for two thirds of an inning before hitting the showers. Pawtucket started single, single, single, single, out, single, single, out, double. That was it for Douglass. The fickleness of baseball displayed itself with this outing. It was just Tuesday last when Douglass pitched three shutout innings against the Detroit Tigers. Five days later he cannot escape the first inning against triple A hitters. Josue Matos made an early entry and pitched effectively through the fifth allowing three hits and one run. Tim Kester pitched well for Pawtucket and the Chiefs never looked like they were going to win the game. Mike Nakamura handled the sixth and seventh innings allowing two more runs. A Russ Adams hit drove in the only Skychief run in the sixth after Jeff Guiel had doubled. The Skychiefs had nine hits on the day, two each for Adams and Gabe Gross. Gross had two hits on Saturday as well to raise his average to .250. Alex Rios and Guillermo Quiroz each were 1-4. Mike Smith pitched a scoreless ninth allowing a hit and a walk.
Scott Cassidy was traded to Boston for a player to be named later. The Jays may have to make a few more of these deals as the season progresses to allow the younger players to move up. I assume Cassidy has recovered from his injury ;-)
Trenton 5 New Hampshire 4
Trenton had only five hits and no walks yesterday, but three of the hits were home runs and that was enough to ensure victory. New Hampshire also registered only five hits, but six walks and five Trenton errors led to New Hampshire leaving eleven runners on base, to two for Trenton. This game ranks as one that got away.
Derek Lee started for the Cats and conceded a solo HR in the first, a three run shot in the fourth, and another solo shot in the fifth. Lee left after five innings with a 5-3 deficit. Strangely Lee had no walks and no strikeouts. The Cats scored three runs in the fourth inning. Aaron Hill walked and Paul Chiaffredo reached on an error when the first baseman tried to force Hill at second. Mikael Jova's double scored two, and Jova scored on a single by Mike Snyder.
Brandon League pitched three scoreless innings with one hit, one hit batter and one K. League has pitched eight innings on the season and the hitters have three hits and one walk. League however has only four strikeouts. The batters are not getting good swings against him but he is not striking them out as much as the Jays would like.
The Cats made it a one run game in the seventh. Tyrell Godwin singled and advanced to third when Dominic Rich reached on an error. Aaron Hill hit a sacrifice fly to make it 5-4. In the ninth Chiaffredo and Griffin walked with two out but Jova lined out to end the game.
Lakeland 3 Dunedin 4
It was a scouts delight at Dunedin yesterday. Kyle Sleeth, the Detroit Tigers #1 prospect according to Baseball America, went toe to toe with Josh Banks, who BA rated as #11 for the Jays. On this day the underdog won. Banks pitched five hitless innings and left with a 4-0 lead. Banks struck out five and his only blemish was a walk in the first inning. After the walk Banks retired 13 straight hitters. The Jays got to Sleeth in the second. Vito Chiavarolloti was hit by a pitch and Miguel Negron followed with his second home run of the season. In the third Carlo Cota and Ron Davenport singled and Cota scored when Vito hit into a double play. Another hit batter in the fifth scored the eventual winning run. Jason Waugh "took one for the team", and a Ron Davenport double brought home the fourth Jay's run. Sleeth finished with four runs allowed on eight hits in five innings.
Neomar Flores followed Banks but ran into trouble in the seventh. Lakeland tallied three runs on three hits and two walks. Santo Valdez escaped the seventh and allowed only one hit over the next two innings as he finished up with his first save.
Dunedin made a roster move on Sunday. Raul Tablado went on the DL and big Tracey Thorpe was called up from extended spring training.
Charleston 8 Hagerstown 2
Charleston had the bats working as they pounded out thirteen hits against Hagerstown. Hagerstown had only three hits in the game but seven walks allowed by the Alley Cat pitchers gave Hagerstown hope.
Willie Rivera led off the game with a double and scored on an error off a batted ball from Robinson Diaz. Davis Romero got the start for Charleston and surrendered his only hit, a home run, in the third to tie the game. Charleston went ahead to stay in the fifth. Diaz laid down a bunt and went to second when the third baseman threw it away. The bunt was scored a hit. David Smith drove Diaz home with a single. The Cats put it away in the seventh. Rivera started it again with a walk. The hot Ryan Roberts doubled to put runners on second and third. Diaz singled home one run. Clint Johnston doubled home two more. Smith and Galloway also singled to score Johnston. Joaquin Canizal pitched two innings to get the win. Brad Esarey pitched the last three for his first save.
News Stories
Syracuse.com has the scoop on the Scott Cassidy deal
The Union Leader has the scoop on Trenton big bats
LSU football has a new backup strong safety, Joe Lawrence, yes that Joe Lawrence
Our Three-Star Selection
The 3rd Star: Miguel Negron, 2-3 with a two run HR and a walk
The 2nd Star: Robinson Diaz, 2-4 with two runs and an RBI and forced in another run on an error
The 1st Star: Josh Banks, allowed one baserunner in his five innings. Banks ERA is now 0.82
Honourable Mention: Ron Davenport, Willie Rivera, Brandon League and Santo Valdez.
At the end of each week I will summarize the standings for each of the minor league teams.
Syracuse are 5-6 and are fourth in their division three games behind Rochester
New Hampshire are 5-3 and are second, one and a half games behind Binghamton
Dunedin are in first place by two games with a 9-2 record
Charleston are also in first place by two games with an 8-2 record
Combined the Jays minor league teams are 27-13, a .675 winning percentage.
Pawtucket 9 Syracuse 1
Sean Douglass got the start to stretch out his arm. He stretched it for two thirds of an inning before hitting the showers. Pawtucket started single, single, single, single, out, single, single, out, double. That was it for Douglass. The fickleness of baseball displayed itself with this outing. It was just Tuesday last when Douglass pitched three shutout innings against the Detroit Tigers. Five days later he cannot escape the first inning against triple A hitters. Josue Matos made an early entry and pitched effectively through the fifth allowing three hits and one run. Tim Kester pitched well for Pawtucket and the Chiefs never looked like they were going to win the game. Mike Nakamura handled the sixth and seventh innings allowing two more runs. A Russ Adams hit drove in the only Skychief run in the sixth after Jeff Guiel had doubled. The Skychiefs had nine hits on the day, two each for Adams and Gabe Gross. Gross had two hits on Saturday as well to raise his average to .250. Alex Rios and Guillermo Quiroz each were 1-4. Mike Smith pitched a scoreless ninth allowing a hit and a walk.
Scott Cassidy was traded to Boston for a player to be named later. The Jays may have to make a few more of these deals as the season progresses to allow the younger players to move up. I assume Cassidy has recovered from his injury ;-)
Trenton 5 New Hampshire 4
Trenton had only five hits and no walks yesterday, but three of the hits were home runs and that was enough to ensure victory. New Hampshire also registered only five hits, but six walks and five Trenton errors led to New Hampshire leaving eleven runners on base, to two for Trenton. This game ranks as one that got away.
Derek Lee started for the Cats and conceded a solo HR in the first, a three run shot in the fourth, and another solo shot in the fifth. Lee left after five innings with a 5-3 deficit. Strangely Lee had no walks and no strikeouts. The Cats scored three runs in the fourth inning. Aaron Hill walked and Paul Chiaffredo reached on an error when the first baseman tried to force Hill at second. Mikael Jova's double scored two, and Jova scored on a single by Mike Snyder.
Brandon League pitched three scoreless innings with one hit, one hit batter and one K. League has pitched eight innings on the season and the hitters have three hits and one walk. League however has only four strikeouts. The batters are not getting good swings against him but he is not striking them out as much as the Jays would like.
The Cats made it a one run game in the seventh. Tyrell Godwin singled and advanced to third when Dominic Rich reached on an error. Aaron Hill hit a sacrifice fly to make it 5-4. In the ninth Chiaffredo and Griffin walked with two out but Jova lined out to end the game.
Lakeland 3 Dunedin 4
It was a scouts delight at Dunedin yesterday. Kyle Sleeth, the Detroit Tigers #1 prospect according to Baseball America, went toe to toe with Josh Banks, who BA rated as #11 for the Jays. On this day the underdog won. Banks pitched five hitless innings and left with a 4-0 lead. Banks struck out five and his only blemish was a walk in the first inning. After the walk Banks retired 13 straight hitters. The Jays got to Sleeth in the second. Vito Chiavarolloti was hit by a pitch and Miguel Negron followed with his second home run of the season. In the third Carlo Cota and Ron Davenport singled and Cota scored when Vito hit into a double play. Another hit batter in the fifth scored the eventual winning run. Jason Waugh "took one for the team", and a Ron Davenport double brought home the fourth Jay's run. Sleeth finished with four runs allowed on eight hits in five innings.
Neomar Flores followed Banks but ran into trouble in the seventh. Lakeland tallied three runs on three hits and two walks. Santo Valdez escaped the seventh and allowed only one hit over the next two innings as he finished up with his first save.
Dunedin made a roster move on Sunday. Raul Tablado went on the DL and big Tracey Thorpe was called up from extended spring training.
Charleston 8 Hagerstown 2
Charleston had the bats working as they pounded out thirteen hits against Hagerstown. Hagerstown had only three hits in the game but seven walks allowed by the Alley Cat pitchers gave Hagerstown hope.
Willie Rivera led off the game with a double and scored on an error off a batted ball from Robinson Diaz. Davis Romero got the start for Charleston and surrendered his only hit, a home run, in the third to tie the game. Charleston went ahead to stay in the fifth. Diaz laid down a bunt and went to second when the third baseman threw it away. The bunt was scored a hit. David Smith drove Diaz home with a single. The Cats put it away in the seventh. Rivera started it again with a walk. The hot Ryan Roberts doubled to put runners on second and third. Diaz singled home one run. Clint Johnston doubled home two more. Smith and Galloway also singled to score Johnston. Joaquin Canizal pitched two innings to get the win. Brad Esarey pitched the last three for his first save.
News Stories
Syracuse.com has the scoop on the Scott Cassidy deal
The Union Leader has the scoop on Trenton big bats
LSU football has a new backup strong safety, Joe Lawrence, yes that Joe Lawrence
Our Three-Star Selection
The 3rd Star: Miguel Negron, 2-3 with a two run HR and a walk
The 2nd Star: Robinson Diaz, 2-4 with two runs and an RBI and forced in another run on an error
The 1st Star: Josh Banks, allowed one baserunner in his five innings. Banks ERA is now 0.82
Honourable Mention: Ron Davenport, Willie Rivera, Brandon League and Santo Valdez.
At the end of each week I will summarize the standings for each of the minor league teams.
Syracuse are 5-6 and are fourth in their division three games behind Rochester
New Hampshire are 5-3 and are second, one and a half games behind Binghamton
Dunedin are in first place by two games with a 9-2 record
Charleston are also in first place by two games with an 8-2 record
Combined the Jays minor league teams are 27-13, a .675 winning percentage.
