The Blue Jays affiliates took three out of four Wednesday.
Buffalo 9 Lehigh Valley 2
Buffalo got all the runs it needed in the first when Alejandro Kirk doubled in a Kevin Smith walk before scoring on a two-run homer by Christian Colón, who is hitting. 308 with a .900 OPS. Dilson Herrera hit a dinger and Smith went deep for a three-run shot. Kirk, Breyvic Valera and Richard Ureña all had two hits apiece. Every Herd hitter reached base by a hit or a walk.
Bowden Francis made it through five innings in his first start with the Blue Jays organization against the Phillies affiliate. He allowed just two runs (one earned) on four hits, three walks and a hit by pitch. His strikeout, groundout and flyout totals were four apiece. Dany Jiménez (1.0IP), Trent Thornton (1.0IP) , Patrick Murphy (1.1IP) and John Axford all put up zeros on their pitching lines.
New Hampshire 10 Hartford 5
Vinny Capra is making an early bid to be the Player of the Week. After driving in five runs Tuesday, he hit a two-run home run to put the Fisher Cats ahead for good in the eighth inning and went deep again in the ninth for another two-run shot against the Rockies affiliate. The former Richmond Spider also drew a pair of walks. Six players had two-hit games for the Cats, including Tanner Kirwer who also walked and stole three bases. Otto Lopez had two doubles among his three hits and drove in three runs. Jordan Groshans was 0-for-2 before being replaced at shortstop by Chris Bec.
Maximo Castillo struck out eight over 5-1/3 innings of three-run ball on two hits and three walks. He left the bases for Marcus Reyes who was unable to strand any of the three runs and was charged with a blown save over two-thirds of an inning. Emerson Jimenez also picked up a blown save but got the win after giving up two runs in his inning of work. Fitz Stadler walked one hitter and whiffed three over two shutout frames to get his first save of the year.
Hillsboro 2 Vancouver 0
C's cleanup hitter Luis De Los Santos only got three at-bats in this one as Hops pitcher Brandon Pfaadt spun a complete game four-hitter for the Diamondbacks affiliate. Ryan Gold and Rafael Lantigua doubled. Tanner Morris singled and walked and Eric Rivera had the other base hit. Zac Cook was 0-for-3 in his debut for Monty's Mounties after being promoted from Dunedin.
Paxton Schultz was popped for two runs in the second inning but got through five, surrendering six hits and two walks while striking out seven. Adrian Hernandez struck out five over three shutout frames, scattering a hit and two walks.
Dunedin 6 Clearwater 2
Orelvis Martinez homered twice and Miguel Hiraldo also went yard to help the D-Jays knock off the Phillies affiliate. Hiraldo and Martinez had back-to-back jacks on consecutive pitches in the third. Martinez had a four-hit night and Hiraldo had three, including an RBI triple. Harrison Ray singled, walked and stole his 10th base of the year. Dasan Brown was 1-for-5 and was caught stealing.
Trent Palmer scattered a hit and three walks and rung up a batter over three shutout innings. The win went to Wilgenis Alvarado who was nicked for an unearned run on three hits and two walks while striking out three. Jefferson Herrera gave up a run over the final two frames.
*** 3 Stars!!! ***
3. Tanner Kirwer, New Hampshire
2. Orelvis Martinez, Dunedin
1. Vinny Capra, New Hampshire
Buffalo 9 Lehigh Valley 2
Buffalo got all the runs it needed in the first when Alejandro Kirk doubled in a Kevin Smith walk before scoring on a two-run homer by Christian Colón, who is hitting. 308 with a .900 OPS. Dilson Herrera hit a dinger and Smith went deep for a three-run shot. Kirk, Breyvic Valera and Richard Ureña all had two hits apiece. Every Herd hitter reached base by a hit or a walk.
Bowden Francis made it through five innings in his first start with the Blue Jays organization against the Phillies affiliate. He allowed just two runs (one earned) on four hits, three walks and a hit by pitch. His strikeout, groundout and flyout totals were four apiece. Dany Jiménez (1.0IP), Trent Thornton (1.0IP) , Patrick Murphy (1.1IP) and John Axford all put up zeros on their pitching lines.
New Hampshire 10 Hartford 5
Vinny Capra is making an early bid to be the Player of the Week. After driving in five runs Tuesday, he hit a two-run home run to put the Fisher Cats ahead for good in the eighth inning and went deep again in the ninth for another two-run shot against the Rockies affiliate. The former Richmond Spider also drew a pair of walks. Six players had two-hit games for the Cats, including Tanner Kirwer who also walked and stole three bases. Otto Lopez had two doubles among his three hits and drove in three runs. Jordan Groshans was 0-for-2 before being replaced at shortstop by Chris Bec.
Maximo Castillo struck out eight over 5-1/3 innings of three-run ball on two hits and three walks. He left the bases for Marcus Reyes who was unable to strand any of the three runs and was charged with a blown save over two-thirds of an inning. Emerson Jimenez also picked up a blown save but got the win after giving up two runs in his inning of work. Fitz Stadler walked one hitter and whiffed three over two shutout frames to get his first save of the year.
Hillsboro 2 Vancouver 0
C's cleanup hitter Luis De Los Santos only got three at-bats in this one as Hops pitcher Brandon Pfaadt spun a complete game four-hitter for the Diamondbacks affiliate. Ryan Gold and Rafael Lantigua doubled. Tanner Morris singled and walked and Eric Rivera had the other base hit. Zac Cook was 0-for-3 in his debut for Monty's Mounties after being promoted from Dunedin.
Paxton Schultz was popped for two runs in the second inning but got through five, surrendering six hits and two walks while striking out seven. Adrian Hernandez struck out five over three shutout frames, scattering a hit and two walks.
Dunedin 6 Clearwater 2
Orelvis Martinez homered twice and Miguel Hiraldo also went yard to help the D-Jays knock off the Phillies affiliate. Hiraldo and Martinez had back-to-back jacks on consecutive pitches in the third. Martinez had a four-hit night and Hiraldo had three, including an RBI triple. Harrison Ray singled, walked and stole his 10th base of the year. Dasan Brown was 1-for-5 and was caught stealing.
Trent Palmer scattered a hit and three walks and rung up a batter over three shutout innings. The win went to Wilgenis Alvarado who was nicked for an unearned run on three hits and two walks while striking out three. Jefferson Herrera gave up a run over the final two frames.
*** 3 Stars!!! ***
3. Tanner Kirwer, New Hampshire
2. Orelvis Martinez, Dunedin
1. Vinny Capra, New Hampshire
