The affiliates went 3-2 on the May 2-4 Sunday. Southpaw John Anderson, who missed all of 2010 due to injury, put on a pitching clinic in Lansing during his first start since 2009.
Las Vegas 11 Omaha 7
Veteran minor league starter Mike Macdonald gave up seven hits but allowed just one run in 6.0 innings. Winston Abreu gave up one run in 2.0 innings of relief and Wil Ledezma was touched up for three runs in the ninth inning. DeWayne Wise was The Man with four hits, four runs scored and a stolen base in the lead-off spot. Brett Lawrie went yard twice and drove in four runs but he made two throwing errors. David Cooper, Danny Perales, and Chris Woodward each had two hits and two RBI.
New Britain 6 New Hampshire 5 (Game 1)
The Fisher Cats bullpen blew the lead in the final inning of the game. The magic appears to have worn off of Chad Beck. He gave up four runs on seven hits and two walks. He did strike out five batters in 5.1 innings. The usually solid Evan Crawford was touched up for two runs in the seventh inning. Travis d'Arnaud led the offense with a 3-for-3 night and two runs scored. He's hitting .483 in his last 10 games. Anthony Gose had two hits, including a double, but was thrown out trying to steal a base. Callix Crabbe went 1-for-2 with three RBI and a walk.
New Hampshire 4 New Britain 0 (Game 2)
If Joel Carreno ever learns some control, he could be unstoppable. He allowed just one hit in six innings but he walked five batters with two wild pitches and two hit batters. Perhaps batters are just afraid to stand in against him? Alan Farina finished off the game with a scoreless seventh inning (double-headers are 7.0 innings). Gose went 1-for-3 with a stolen base. Michael McDade went 1-for-3 with an RBI and two Ks. Darin Mastroianni also had a hit. John Tolisano and Yan Gomes both hit homers. After hitting an ugly .130 in April, Gomes is finally getting hot and is up to .323 in May thanks to taking three walks with just six Ks in 31 at-bats. In 46 April at-bats, he walked just once with 19 Ks.
Charlotte 5 Dunedin 3
Deck McGuire struggled with his control for the baby Jays. He walked four batters in 5.0 innings and gave up three runs. Aaron Loup worked two scoreless innings and Frank Gailey held Charlotte scoreless for another 2.2 innings, but Dumas Garcia and Chris Malone fell apart in the 11th inning as another minor league bullpen melted down. At the plate, Brad Glenn had another good day with three hits - including a double and a solo homer. Justin Jackson had two hits and stole a base. Ivan Contreras went 0-for-5.
Lansing 14 Bowling Green 1
John Anderson was in complete control despite making his first start since '09. He allowed one unearned run on three hits in 5.0 innings. He did not walk a batter, he struck out six and induced eight ground balls compared to just one fly-ball out. Misaul Diaz came on in relief and the move to the bullpen has suited him well. He allowed just one hit and a walk in 3.0 innings. Diaz struck out six batters. Over three relief outings, he's allowed eight hits in 8.2 innings but just three walks and 11 Ks. His ground-ball rate has also doubled. At the plate, Marcus Knecht led the way with three hits, a home run and four RBI. Michael Crouse also had three hits, including a triple (that just missed being a home run as it bounced off the top of the wall and came back into the field). He has his batting average up to .271. Kevin Nolan had two hits and a walk. Jack Murphy was the only starter who didn't get a hit. Markus Brisker has his batting average up to .286 despite 42 strikeouts in 28 games (98 at-bats). His strikeout rate is close to 50% but his BABIP is almost .500. Insane.
Bonus: John Anderson was an under-the-radar 28th round pick out of a small community college (Chabot College) in 2008. He showed respectable numbers in both '08 and '09 - topping out with high-A ball appearance - before getting hurt. According the Lansing's radio announcer, Anderson was firing his fastball in at 96-97 mph, which is significantly harder than he was throwing pre-injury. Either the injury sapped some of his ability or the radar gun was loaded. Or a bit of both. Even so, removing 2-3 mph off his heater and you still have plus fastball velo for a southpaw (90-94 mph). Anderson was also making the young hitters look silly on his curveball. It appears as though the pitching rich Jays organization might be getting richer.
Three Stars:
3. Brett Lawrie, two homers but two errors
2. John Anderson, Welcome Back!
1. Marcus Knecht, four RBI, three hits
Las Vegas 11 Omaha 7
Veteran minor league starter Mike Macdonald gave up seven hits but allowed just one run in 6.0 innings. Winston Abreu gave up one run in 2.0 innings of relief and Wil Ledezma was touched up for three runs in the ninth inning. DeWayne Wise was The Man with four hits, four runs scored and a stolen base in the lead-off spot. Brett Lawrie went yard twice and drove in four runs but he made two throwing errors. David Cooper, Danny Perales, and Chris Woodward each had two hits and two RBI.
New Britain 6 New Hampshire 5 (Game 1)
The Fisher Cats bullpen blew the lead in the final inning of the game. The magic appears to have worn off of Chad Beck. He gave up four runs on seven hits and two walks. He did strike out five batters in 5.1 innings. The usually solid Evan Crawford was touched up for two runs in the seventh inning. Travis d'Arnaud led the offense with a 3-for-3 night and two runs scored. He's hitting .483 in his last 10 games. Anthony Gose had two hits, including a double, but was thrown out trying to steal a base. Callix Crabbe went 1-for-2 with three RBI and a walk.
New Hampshire 4 New Britain 0 (Game 2)
If Joel Carreno ever learns some control, he could be unstoppable. He allowed just one hit in six innings but he walked five batters with two wild pitches and two hit batters. Perhaps batters are just afraid to stand in against him? Alan Farina finished off the game with a scoreless seventh inning (double-headers are 7.0 innings). Gose went 1-for-3 with a stolen base. Michael McDade went 1-for-3 with an RBI and two Ks. Darin Mastroianni also had a hit. John Tolisano and Yan Gomes both hit homers. After hitting an ugly .130 in April, Gomes is finally getting hot and is up to .323 in May thanks to taking three walks with just six Ks in 31 at-bats. In 46 April at-bats, he walked just once with 19 Ks.
Charlotte 5 Dunedin 3
Deck McGuire struggled with his control for the baby Jays. He walked four batters in 5.0 innings and gave up three runs. Aaron Loup worked two scoreless innings and Frank Gailey held Charlotte scoreless for another 2.2 innings, but Dumas Garcia and Chris Malone fell apart in the 11th inning as another minor league bullpen melted down. At the plate, Brad Glenn had another good day with three hits - including a double and a solo homer. Justin Jackson had two hits and stole a base. Ivan Contreras went 0-for-5.
Lansing 14 Bowling Green 1
John Anderson was in complete control despite making his first start since '09. He allowed one unearned run on three hits in 5.0 innings. He did not walk a batter, he struck out six and induced eight ground balls compared to just one fly-ball out. Misaul Diaz came on in relief and the move to the bullpen has suited him well. He allowed just one hit and a walk in 3.0 innings. Diaz struck out six batters. Over three relief outings, he's allowed eight hits in 8.2 innings but just three walks and 11 Ks. His ground-ball rate has also doubled. At the plate, Marcus Knecht led the way with three hits, a home run and four RBI. Michael Crouse also had three hits, including a triple (that just missed being a home run as it bounced off the top of the wall and came back into the field). He has his batting average up to .271. Kevin Nolan had two hits and a walk. Jack Murphy was the only starter who didn't get a hit. Markus Brisker has his batting average up to .286 despite 42 strikeouts in 28 games (98 at-bats). His strikeout rate is close to 50% but his BABIP is almost .500. Insane.
Bonus: John Anderson was an under-the-radar 28th round pick out of a small community college (Chabot College) in 2008. He showed respectable numbers in both '08 and '09 - topping out with high-A ball appearance - before getting hurt. According the Lansing's radio announcer, Anderson was firing his fastball in at 96-97 mph, which is significantly harder than he was throwing pre-injury. Either the injury sapped some of his ability or the radar gun was loaded. Or a bit of both. Even so, removing 2-3 mph off his heater and you still have plus fastball velo for a southpaw (90-94 mph). Anderson was also making the young hitters look silly on his curveball. It appears as though the pitching rich Jays organization might be getting richer.
Three Stars:
3. Brett Lawrie, two homers but two errors
2. John Anderson, Welcome Back!
1. Marcus Knecht, four RBI, three hits
