The highlights were wins over Yankees and Padres affiliates. The lowlights were a doubleheader sweep and an affiliate barely keeping the opposition under 20 runs. It was a 2-4 night on the farm.
Sacramento, CA - The A's affiliate opened up a 5-0 lead with a run in the fourth and four more in the fifth.
Hitting - Ryan Shealy (2/4) doubled home the only run for the 51s in the sixth. Adeiny Hechavarria (2/4) to put his batting average to .383. Jayson Nix (1/3) walked and scored the lone run and Ryan Budde (1/3) also had a base on balls. Darin Mastroianni (1/5) had the other Las Vegas hit. David Cooper (0/3) reached via the base on balls but Adam Loewen (0/4), Ricardo Nanita (0/4) and Chris Woodward (0/4) each wore a collar.
Running - Mastroianni stole second and third to put his season total up to 17.
Pitching - Chad Gaudin (2-2) was gonged for five runs on six hits, two walks and hit a batter over 4 2/3 innings. He threw a wild pitch but also racked up 5 Ks. Winston Abreu stranded two Gaudin runners and pitched 2 1/3 scoreless frames by issuing just one walk while striking out two. Scott Richmond struck out two of the three batters he faced in a perfect frame.
Fielding - Budde chucked one away from behind the dish. He threw out one of three base stealers.
Trenton, NJ - A run in the first and two more in the second were just enough for the Fisher Cats to beat the Yankees affiliate.
Hitting - Kevin Howard (2/4) knocked home two runs and Travis d'Arnaud (0/3) drove in the other on a sacrifice fly to open the scoring. Callix Crabbe (1/3) drew a walk and scored twice while Anthony Gose (1/3) was hit by a pitch. Jonathan Diaz (1/2) earned a walk and scored. Dan Perales (1/4) doubled and Mike McDade (1/4) had the other New Hampshire base knock.
Running - Gose has 66 steals on the season, just a little more than Crabbe (8) and Perales (5) but Perales was also caught stealing.
Pitching - Drew Hutchison (2-0) won his second AA start by lasting five innings. He surrendered two runs on seven hits and hit a batter but his K-BB total was 6-0. However, Hutchison also threw a pair of pitches to the backstop. Lefty Frank Gailey picked up his second hold by pitching two scoreless frames and striking out two to offset one hit. Fellow lefty Clint Everts also got a hold by striking out a batter in a perfect eighth inning. Bobby Korecky earned his 11th save with a one-two-three ninth.
Fielding - Perales had two base runner kills at third base from right field and the F-Cats turned three double plays.
Lakeland 1 Dunedin 0 (Game 1 - 7 Innings)
Lakeland, FL - The Flying Tigers scratched out a run in the fifth.
Hitting - A.J. Jimenez (1/3) doubled and Brad Glenn (1/3) singled. Brad McElroy (0/2), Brian Van Kirk (0/2) and Ivan Contreras (0/1) reached on walks.
Pitching - Casey Lawrence (3-1) made one mistake in the form of solo home run but it cost him. He had a six inning complete game effort by scattering five hits and two walks. He had two Ks and nine ground ball outs.
Fielding - Dunedin converted one double play.
Lakeland 9 Dunedin 5 (Game 2 - 7 Innings)
Lakeland, FL - The D-Jays held a 4-3 lead in the fourth but the Tigers affiliate tied it in their half of the fourth before scoring five in the fifth.
Hitting - Jon Talley (2/4) tomahawked two over the fence for his 18th and 19th homers of the season and collected four RBI. Ryan Goins (2/4) knocked home the other run. Brad McElroy (3/4) had two doubles, Kevin Ahrens (1/2) was hit by a pitch and Brian Van Kirk (1/3) also made the hit column.
Pitching - Andrew Liebel was lambasted for eight hits, a walk and a hit by pitch but only allowed three runs while striking out two in 2 2/3 innings. Steven Turnbull (1-4) stranded a runner for Liebel but took the loss as he gave up three runs on two hits and three walks (one IBB) in 1 2/3 innings. Lefty Matt Wright permitted both Turnbull's runner to score and was charged with three runs of his own on three hits in 2/3 of an inning. Harold Mozingo struck out a batter in a perfect inning of work.
Fielding - Van Kirk and Glenn kicked one around in the outfield corners.
Fort Wayne, IN - The Lugnuts popped the Padres affiliate for four runs in the first.
Hitting - Marcus Knecht (2/4) had an RBI double and an RBI single to open and close the scoring. Matt Nuzzo had an RBI single but two other runs also scored on an error by the right fielder on the play. Carlos Perez (1/3), Jonathan Jones (1/4), Jake Marisnick (1/4), Peter Mooney (1/4) and Gari Pena (1/4) also collected base hits. Michael Crouse (0/2) and K.C. Hobson (0/3) each drew a base on balls.
Running - Jones stole his 7th base of the year.
Pitching - Lefty Justin Nicolino pitched two shutout innings by scattering two hits and a walk while ringing up two. Tyler Powell (3-5) earned the win by going five innings as he gave up a run on six hits and two walks with two Ks. Eight of his 11 outs in play were of the ground ball variety. Dustin Antolin pitched 1 2/3 innings and did not allow a run despite two hits and a walk while striking out two. Danny Barnes issued a walk but stranded an Antolin runner as he got the final out of the game.
Fielding - Perez had a passed ball and was 0-for-1 throwing out base stealers. The Lugnuts turned two double plays.
Boise, ID - The Canadians led 1-0 in the third but the Cubs affiliate took the lead for good with two runs in the sixth.
Hitting - Kevin Patterson (2/4) got aboard three times by earning a free pass. Matt Newman (1/3) doubled, Pierce Rankin (1/3) singled and scored and Nicholas Baligod (0/3) had the only run batted in with a fielder's choice. Jonathon Berti (0/3) took one for the team.
Running - Baligod was picked off at first.
Pitching - Blake McFarland (6-7) was one out short of a quality start as he yielded three runs over 5 2/3 innings on six hits (one HR) and three walks. He struck out only one but had seven ground ball outs. Eric Brown stranded a McFarland runner and lasted 1 1/3 scoreless innings by allowing two hits and getting two Ks. Lefty Shane Davis was burned for two runs on three hits (one HR) in his one inning of work.
Fielding - McFarland threw one away on a pick-off attempt but the C's turned four DPs.
Danville, WV - The Braves affiliate scored a converted touchdown in the first to put the Jays out of their misery.
Hitting - Kevin Pillar (3/4) doubled and drove in a run, Art Charles (2/4) drove in a pair and Matt Johnson (2/4) had the other multi-hit effort. Leo Hernandez (1/2), Ronald Melendez and Gustavo Pierre (1/5) rounded out the hit total with Pierre collecting an RBI. Chris Hawkins (0/0) and Cody Bartlett (0/3) drew the only walks.
Pitching - Tucker Jensen (0-2) gave up as many earned runs as outs he earned. He was tagged for 10 runs (five ER) over 1 2/3 innings on seven hits and three walks while only getting one strikeout. Myles Duvall stranded a Jensen runner but allowed three runs (two ER) on three hits (one HR), two walks and one hit by pitch with one punchout over 2 2/3 innings. Jonathan Lucas also went 2 2/3 innings and stranded two Duvall runners. However, he surrendered a run on a hit and a HBP but racked up 3 Ks. Milciades Santana was slapped around for five runs on two hits, two walks and a plunk without getting an out. Infielder Matt Johnson allowed three Santana runners to score but did not give a run of his own as he gave up one hit over one frame.
Fielding - Bartlett had two clanks at short and Carlos Ramirez botched one in left. Hernandez had a passed ball.
*** 3 Stars!!! ***
3. Marcus Knecht, Lansing
2. Jon Talley, Dunedin
1. Drew Hutchison, New Hampshire
Extra Innings...
THE FAN590's Jeff Blair catches up with Jays director of Latin American operations, Marco Paddy, on the seven recent signings.
The Toronto Sun's Bob Elliott has a feature on lefty Daniel Norris. His East Cobb, Georgia coach James Beavers:
“He’s the most talented pitcher I’ve had since Kris Benson, but most scouts compare him to Philadelphia’s Cole Hamels.”
The Las Vegas Review-Journal has a feature on Adeiny Hechavarria. 51s manager Marty Brown:
"I've had a lot of really good middle infielders play for me -- Jhonny Peralta, Brandon Phillips, Maicer Izturis -- but Hetch is one of the most special, as far as being able to do the things he can do with the glove, his arm strength, his overall range and his reads off the bat."
Also from The Las Vegas Review-Journal is an article on 51s hitting coach and former Jay Chad Mottola. 51s first baseman David Cooper:
"He's my favorite hitting coach I've ever had, and that's saying a lot because I thought really highly of my guy last year. He understands what you go through as a hitter."
Sportsnet's Shi Davidi profiles pitching prospects Noah Syndergaard and Justin Nicolino. Jays roving hitting instruction Rich Miller:
"Syndergaard basically will go after hitters. He's going to be a power pitcher but he does throw strikes. Nicolino is not afraid to pitch inside, he can change speeds, he's got a good breaking ball, and a good changeup."
The Vancouver Province has a conversation with general manager Alex Anthopoulos. He comments on Lansing's Marcus Knecht and Michael Crouse:
Knecht was a third-round pick [in 2010], Crouse was a late-round pick. One of our pro scouts, Kevin Briand, deserves all the credit for Crouse. He's a tremendous athlete, great tools. His instincts are outstanding. Knecht probably has as good a raw power as we have in the organization.
The Vancouver Sun says infielder Jonathon Berti and pitchers Justin Nicolino and Drew Permison have been named the Northwest League All-Star team. Congratulations to them!
