The affiliates won three of seven games on Monday. The Bisons are back over the .500 mark and the Gulf Coast Jays are in the win column for the first time. However, the best performances were turned in by the boys in Bluefield.

Another first-place showdown is on the menu for the next three nights as the Blue Jays take on the Yankees at the Dome. As per usual, more roster moves have been made as outfielders Anthony Gose and Kevin Pillar have been summoned from Triple-A Buffalo. Catcher Erik Kratz goes back to Buffalo, Brett Lawrie is on the 15-day disabled list with a fractured digit and Jose Bautista has a sore left hamstring.

Anthony Gose will look to improve on his batting line of .233/.347/.291 in 34 games with Toronto this season. He is 3-for-6 in the stolen base department.

The affiliates were 4-2 today, with wins coming for Buffalo, New Hampshire, Lansing and Vancouver.  There was a bunch of strong hitting performances across the board that helped their teams to victory.

Buffalo split a doubleheader, Brad Glenn had four hits. Deck McGuire was hot and cold. New Hampshire had a late lead but Tyler Ybarra lost the lead and the game. Dunedin won behind Dwight Smith and Kendall Graveman. Lansing fell short but Chase De Jong had an excellent start. Zak Wasilewski and Boomer Collins led Vancouver to a win. Bluefield were shut down by good pitching. The GCL Jays had to face Jason Marquis who, as you would expect, shut them down.

Eight games on the farm on Friday and five wins. Jon Diaz propelled the Bisons to a win with a home run and a bases loaded walk. Aaron Sanchez ran hot and cold. Lansing broke out the big bats, Dawel Lugo had three hits. Vancouver swept a doubleheader, Miguel Castro dominated in his start. Bluefield won thanks to strong pitching.

New Hampshire led but frittered it away. Dunedin trailed early and their comeback fell one run short. The GCL Jays lost their opener.

This isn't going to be easy for me...

Some more fireworks in New Hampshire and Kyle Drabek shined in relief as the affiliates went 4-3 tonight.

Canadians owners Jake Kerr (left) and Jeff Mooney unveil the 2013 Northwest League championship banner with help from the Amherst Little League baseball club prior to the home opener against Spokane.

Tercet has had to go on the DL so here is your abbreviated minor league update. Buffalo were rained out mid-way, and Lansing are on their all-star break so there were three teams in action. Vancouver and Dunedin lost easily so New Hampshire drew all the attention. Daniel Norris made his first AA start and mostly it was good. He did start a beanball war that led to a multitude of ejections. The Bluefield Blue Jays start play tonight.

The affiliates had another disappointing day, winning just one of five games - none of them south of the border. Lansing - save for four Lugnuts - had the night off because of the Midwest League All-Star Game.

A first-place throwdown in the American League East begins tonight. Two teams enter the Bronx Zoo, one will emerge victorious. Maybe Munenori Kawasaki will be the difference. The Toronto Star says Kawasaki has been called up from Buffalo due to the possibility that first baseman Adam Lind or reliever Brett Cecil will head to the disabled list.


Munenori Kawasaki is back from Buffalo after hitting .276 with nine runs batted in. The 33 year-old lefthanded hitter was batting .378 in his past 10 contests with the Bisons. He was 3-for-12 in three games with the Jays earlier this season.

A 1-3 Monday for the affiliates was marred by an epic bullpen collapse in which a seven-run lead was blown. Still, there were some nice efforts turned in with the bats, including one by a top five prospect. New Hampshire and Lansing did not partake in any rawhide activities.

The affiliates were 1-3 on Sunday, despite strong pitching across the board.  Liam Hendriks, Scott Copeland, Jeremy Gabryszwski, and Miguel Castro started for the affiliates and were all brilliant.

Aaron Sanchez made his highly anticipated AAA debut on Saturday. On paper it was not a good start, he gave up five runs in four plus innings. But there were some mitigating factors that made his start not as bad as it seems from the stat line. New Hampshire were shutout and lost 1-0. Lansing and Vancouver won. Several Dunedin players did well at the FSL all-start game.

Franklin Barreto had four hits leading Vancouver to a win in their first game. Buffalo and New Hampshire each rode a couple of home runs to wins. Lansing had more errors than hits and that means a loss. Dunedin had the day off.