The affiliates were 3-2 on the day. There were not many standout individual performances but a few solid team efforts.
Las Vegas vs Colorado Springs - Postponed
Portland 5 New Hampshire 2
Zach Stewart had a quality start in his return to the minors. The right-hander allowed three unearned runs in 6.0 innings. He allowed six hits and two walks while striking out four batters. Matt Daly was touched up for two runs in two-thirds of an inning. Bobby Korecky worked a scoreless inning. At the plate, Travis d'Arnaud continued to swing a hot bat with three hits, including a double and a solo home run. Fellow 2007 draft picks Michael McDade and Justin Jackson both had hits; Jackson tripled and also drove in a run.
Dunedin 9 Daytona 8
The Baby Jays came out on top in this slugfest. Ryan Tepera allowed six runs (five earned) in 5.1 innings. He gave up seven hits and two walks while striking out two. Matt Wright allowed two runs on four hits over two-thirds of an inning. Frank Gailey, Steve Turnbull, and Wes Etheridge worked scoreless innings and gave the hitters time to come back and win the game. London (Ontario) native Brad McElroy led the way with three hits, a homer and two RBI. The outfielder has been on fire since the Kenny Wilson injury allowed him to move from his back-up role to a starter's role. Ryan Schimpf (another hot hitter) and A.J. Jimenez each had two hits. Schimpf also went deep and drove in two runs. Jimenez had a double and also took a walk. Brad Glenn had one hit but drove in two runs. Kevin Nolan went 1-for-3 with two free passes. In other news, Deck McGuire has been placed on the 7-day DL after taking a line drive off his shin in his last start; there is little news on the severity of the injury.
Lansing 5 Lake County 4
Marcus Walden continued his conversion back to a starter (from reliever) with five scoreless innings of work. Unfortunately Bryan Longpre blew the lead with four runs allowed in 1.2 innings. Shawn Griffith, though, saved the day with 2.1 scoreless innings of relief. On offence, Michael Crouse and Gari Pena each had two hits. K.C. Hobson went 1-for-4 with a homer and two RBI. Jake Marisnick had a hit and a walk. On the bases, Marisnick stole a base but was also caught once. Crouse successfully nabbed two bags.
Eugene 6 Vancouver 2 (12 innings)
The bullpen continues to be the Achilles' heel in Vancouver. Jesse Hernandez worked 5.2 shutout innings before giving way to the 'pen. Alesone Escalante was brilliant again with 2.1 scoreless innings but Drew Permison coughed up the game with two runs allowed in 2.0 innings of work. Good ol' Canadian boy Brandon Kaye then allowed four runs (two earned) in 1.0 inning of work. Nick Purdy, another Canadian, finished off the game with a scoreless inning. On offence, Shane Opitz had three hits out of the nine-hole. Jonathan Jones, Bryan Kervin, Nick Baligod, Ronan Salas, and Matt Johnson each had one hit a piece.
Bluefield 8 Princeton 6
Starter Jose Vargas struggled with his control and walked five batters in 2.1 innings of work. He gave up four runs. Canadian reliever Les Williams saved the day with 3.2 scoreless innings. Andrew Sikula then worked 2.0 innings and did not allow a run. Ian Kadish was touched up for two runs on four hits in the ninth inning. The Jays' minor leaguers jumped all over the Rays' 2011 supplemental first round pick Jeff Ames, who was making his first pro appearance and knocked him out in the second inning. Gustavo Pierre had two hits, a walk, and a stolen base. Cody Bartlett went 1-for-4 but drove in two runs. Carlos Ramirez went 1-for-3 and scored two runs. Catcher Chris Schaeffer continued to hit well and had a double in three trips to the plate. Art Charles went 1-for-5 with a strikeout but he also went deep for his sixth homer. He's know gone deep six times in 13 games; last season he hit four homers in 37 games. He should be considered a sleeper after being mainly a pitching prospect in junior college, but he has a lot of work to do with pitch recognition and handling breaking balls (19 Ks in 57 at-bats).
Gulf Coast League - Off Day
Dominican Summer League Jays - Off Day
The Three Stars:
3. Les Williams - 3+ innings of scoreless relief and the win
2. Brad McElroy - three hits
1. Travis d'Arnaud - three hits and lots of power
Las Vegas vs Colorado Springs - Postponed
Portland 5 New Hampshire 2
Zach Stewart had a quality start in his return to the minors. The right-hander allowed three unearned runs in 6.0 innings. He allowed six hits and two walks while striking out four batters. Matt Daly was touched up for two runs in two-thirds of an inning. Bobby Korecky worked a scoreless inning. At the plate, Travis d'Arnaud continued to swing a hot bat with three hits, including a double and a solo home run. Fellow 2007 draft picks Michael McDade and Justin Jackson both had hits; Jackson tripled and also drove in a run.
Dunedin 9 Daytona 8
The Baby Jays came out on top in this slugfest. Ryan Tepera allowed six runs (five earned) in 5.1 innings. He gave up seven hits and two walks while striking out two. Matt Wright allowed two runs on four hits over two-thirds of an inning. Frank Gailey, Steve Turnbull, and Wes Etheridge worked scoreless innings and gave the hitters time to come back and win the game. London (Ontario) native Brad McElroy led the way with three hits, a homer and two RBI. The outfielder has been on fire since the Kenny Wilson injury allowed him to move from his back-up role to a starter's role. Ryan Schimpf (another hot hitter) and A.J. Jimenez each had two hits. Schimpf also went deep and drove in two runs. Jimenez had a double and also took a walk. Brad Glenn had one hit but drove in two runs. Kevin Nolan went 1-for-3 with two free passes. In other news, Deck McGuire has been placed on the 7-day DL after taking a line drive off his shin in his last start; there is little news on the severity of the injury.
Lansing 5 Lake County 4
Marcus Walden continued his conversion back to a starter (from reliever) with five scoreless innings of work. Unfortunately Bryan Longpre blew the lead with four runs allowed in 1.2 innings. Shawn Griffith, though, saved the day with 2.1 scoreless innings of relief. On offence, Michael Crouse and Gari Pena each had two hits. K.C. Hobson went 1-for-4 with a homer and two RBI. Jake Marisnick had a hit and a walk. On the bases, Marisnick stole a base but was also caught once. Crouse successfully nabbed two bags.
Eugene 6 Vancouver 2 (12 innings)
The bullpen continues to be the Achilles' heel in Vancouver. Jesse Hernandez worked 5.2 shutout innings before giving way to the 'pen. Alesone Escalante was brilliant again with 2.1 scoreless innings but Drew Permison coughed up the game with two runs allowed in 2.0 innings of work. Good ol' Canadian boy Brandon Kaye then allowed four runs (two earned) in 1.0 inning of work. Nick Purdy, another Canadian, finished off the game with a scoreless inning. On offence, Shane Opitz had three hits out of the nine-hole. Jonathan Jones, Bryan Kervin, Nick Baligod, Ronan Salas, and Matt Johnson each had one hit a piece.
Bluefield 8 Princeton 6
Starter Jose Vargas struggled with his control and walked five batters in 2.1 innings of work. He gave up four runs. Canadian reliever Les Williams saved the day with 3.2 scoreless innings. Andrew Sikula then worked 2.0 innings and did not allow a run. Ian Kadish was touched up for two runs on four hits in the ninth inning. The Jays' minor leaguers jumped all over the Rays' 2011 supplemental first round pick Jeff Ames, who was making his first pro appearance and knocked him out in the second inning. Gustavo Pierre had two hits, a walk, and a stolen base. Cody Bartlett went 1-for-4 but drove in two runs. Carlos Ramirez went 1-for-3 and scored two runs. Catcher Chris Schaeffer continued to hit well and had a double in three trips to the plate. Art Charles went 1-for-5 with a strikeout but he also went deep for his sixth homer. He's know gone deep six times in 13 games; last season he hit four homers in 37 games. He should be considered a sleeper after being mainly a pitching prospect in junior college, but he has a lot of work to do with pitch recognition and handling breaking balls (19 Ks in 57 at-bats).
Gulf Coast League - Off Day
Dominican Summer League Jays - Off Day
The Three Stars:
3. Les Williams - 3+ innings of scoreless relief and the win
2. Brad McElroy - three hits
1. Travis d'Arnaud - three hits and lots of power
