Two Dunedin catchers each hit two home runs on Wednesday. The Italian duo, Owen Carapelotti and Giaconino Lasaracina, each hit two home runs in one of Dunedin's two games. (note: neither player was born in Italy). That was the highlight of the night as Buffalo, New Hampshire and Vancouver all lost. Dunedin split a doubleheader. Vancouver's Austin Smith also had a double dinger while Jojo Parker went for a Timmy's double double (with a single added on).
Lehigh Valley 2 Buffalo 1
New Hampshire 5 Erie 6
Vancouver 4 Eugene 6
Dunedin 5 Clearwater 7 - game one
Clearwater 2 Dunedin 4 - game two
Three Stars
Third Star - Austin Smith
Second Star - Giaconino Lasaracina
First Star - Owen Carapellotti
NOTES
Buffalo played a low scoring game. LHV scored their two runs when Tommy Pham doubled them in in the third inning. LHV had three hits that inning and that was all the hits that Josh Stephen conceded in six innings. He struck out seven for his best start as a Blue Jay. Ricky Tiedemann threw one inning of relief. He gave up two hits, one again to that man Tommy Pham.
William Simoneit had two of the Bisons six hits. The Jays keep finding these older catchers who can hit AAA pitching.
Hew Hampshire and Erie traded the lead several times before Erie's run in the seventh got them the win. Austin Cates started for NH and got through five innings with two runs on the board. But they sent him back out for the sixth and that didn't go well. double, out, home run, double, single and now Cates had five runs allowed in 5.1 innings. He had just two K's.
The Cats did have eleven hits. Dub Gleed led the way with three. Aaron Parker, Alexis Hernandez and JR Freethy had two each. Hernandez also walked and is hitting .350 in AA.
Silvano Hechavarria started well, six up, six down, five strikeouts. But then came the third inning, five hits, including a home run, and a walk, led to five Eugene runs. That was it for Hechavarria, done after three innings.
The C's chipped away scoring single runs in four different innings but it wasn't enough. Jojo Parker doubled and scored the first C's run. He doubled again to drive in the second run. Austin Smith homered twice for the other two runs. Parker added a single for a three hit night. He is hitting .346 in high A. I talked about Smith in Sundays MLU. He is on a tear since he was promoted and stopped pitching.
Dunedin called up 18 year old Miguel Pantoja from the FCL roster to start for them in game one. Pantoja had a 4.62 ERA in the FCL. He did well in his debut, 3.2 innings, four hits, two walks and two K's. He was charged with two runs with one earned. Nolan Higgins came on in relief and gave up five runs and the game was gone.
Owen Carapellotti had two of Dunedin's four hits and both were home runs. He hit a solo shot in the second inning and a two run bomb in the sixth.
In game two Karson Ligon had his best start since he came off the IL. It was just three innings but he allowed two runs, one earned. The Jays catchers were having a day. Giaconino Lasaracina hit two home runs, both solo shots. Raimundo De Los Santos also hit one, a two run homer. The three home runs accounted for all four of the Jays runs. The first Lasaracina home run went 457 ft, the furthest hit by a Blue Jay in the statcast era (since 201, stat courtesy of Dunedin Blue Jays).
The first full season can be tough on young players. For example Blaine Bullard hit .310 in July and just .114 in August. Juan Sanchez hit .205 in July and .128 in August. They will be stronger next season. The long season hasn't hit Jojo Parker yet though.
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