Buffalo
Buffalo lost the first game of a doubleheader 2-1 with Brett Oberholtzer pitching a complete game and taking the loss. Oberholtzer has started nine games and has not conceded more than three earned runs in any of them. He sports a nice 2.40 ERA yet there is little buzz about his performance. On the negative side he has only gone six innings in three of those starts, although the Jays seem to be limiting him to 90 pitches. Brett has just 33 strikeouts in 48.2 innings, not a great advertisement for the major leagues. He does limit hits, just 41 in the 48.2 innings. Jarrett Grube pitched in game two and gave up four runs in 4.1 innings. Grube has a six plus ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. He is the starter on the shortest leash in Buffalo and at 35 he could be the one to go if a starter gets promoted from AA.
The catcher offensive battle continues. In the nightcap Raffy Lopez went 2-3 with a double and a home run. Dwight Smith keeps picking up hits, one in each game to keep his average at .308. Rowdy Telez is the opposite, he was 0-5 over the two games. Roemon Fields is cooling off, he too was 0-5.
New Hampshire
The Fisher Cats and Erie also played a doubleheader and each team had nine hits over two games. New Hampshire lost both games, 3-2 and 5-1. Glenn Sparkman started game one and gave up three runs, including two home runs, in 3.2 innings. This is essentially spring training for Sparkman. He should get six starts in his 30 days, the first three we can count as spring training and we need to look closely at the second three starts. They will tell more about Sparkman's future prospects with the Jays. Conner Greene pitched into the sixth inning in game two and was charged with four runs. However he left the game with one run in and the bases loaded. Tim Mayza relieved Greene but did not provide any relief, he surrendered a grand slam. Greene was not blameless, he had to use 92 pitches in his five plus innings, fair to say he was somewhat wild. Of note, former Jay Jairo Labourt has a 1.89 ERA pitching out of the bullpen with Erie.
Richard Urena went 0-3 in game two to end his hitting streak at 11 games. It was not a hugely impressive streak as he had just one hit in eight of those games. None of the hitters had great days, just nine hits over two games is evidence of that. Harold Ramirez had three hits over the two games to lead the hitters. Ramirez had a poor April but is now hitting around .270 in May and June. Ramirez does not walk much, does not strikeout much and doesn't have much power. Ramirez has to improve on his current showing as a .270 singles hitter to make it.
Dunedin
Dunedin had the day off which combined with yesterdays rain-out gives them a rare two days off in a row.
Lansing
Lansing were outhit 14-13 but won 7-5. In other words it was a typical Lansing game in 2017. Every Lugnut hitter had a hit and four of them had two. There are absolutely no prizes for guessing who two of them were. The other two were JB Woodman and Ridge Smith. Woodman has had two very good games in a row. Woodman's troubles with the K have been well documented here. We should note that in his last three games Woodman has just two K's. I am pretty sure its a small sample size but we will keep watching in case we are wrong.
Andy Ravel tried to get through five innings but had to leave an out short. Ravel dodged and weaved giving up 12 hits and three walks in 4.2 IP. Three relievers went 4.1 innings and only conceded two hits, Ravel had tired them out. Dan Lietz is pitching well but he is 23 and in his second go around in Lansing.
Three Stars
Third Star - Raffy Lopez
Second Star - Bo Bichette
First Star - Brett Oberholtzer
