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The affiliates had just one win and it took a one hitter to make it happen. The Dunedin Jays one-hit Tampa, led by Graham Spraker. Alejandro Kirk scored the only run. The Bisons were beaten handily although Cavan Biggio had three hits. Andrew Sopko pitched well for New Hampshire but the anemic offense couldn't help. Lansing were shut out.

Buffalo

Gwinnett beat Buffalo 9-2 thanks to four home runs. Jacob Waguespack gave up two of them and six runs in total over five innings. His ERA is now 5.60. Zach Jackson and Francisco Rios also were taken deep.

The Bisons did come up with nine hits. Cavan Biggio was 3-4 and drove in both runs. Reese McGuire had two hits. Lourdes Gurriel was 0-4 and played left field. Jonathan Davis had a double and a walk.


New Hampshire

The Fisher Cats lost to Portland 3-1. It was a tale of two pitchers. Andrew Sopko, who has been one of the best 2018 pickups by the Jays, threw five shutout innings, three hits, one walk and five K's. Sopko's ERA is 2.34. Free agent Willy Ortiz pitched three innings, allowed three runs, and took the loss. The tie breaking hit was a two run home run in the bottom of the eighth.

New Hampshire hitters are the worst in the EL. They didn't change that on Wednesday with five hits. The leading hitter on the team is Santiago Espinal with a 742 OPS. Espinal had two hits in this game. Forrest Wall had one hit and he is the second best hitter on the team.


Dunedin

The Jays scored a run in the fourth inning and that was enough as their pitchers combined on a one hitter. Graham Spraker started and went six innings. He conceded the one hit, added one walk and had five K's. His ERA is down to 1.99. Three relievers combined to only allow a walk, Emerson Jimenez, Bryce Wilson and Dany Jimenez.

It will come as no surprise that Dunedin's only run was scored by Alejandro Kirk. Kirk had two doubles. Kirk's OPS is already over 1100. Christian Williams also had two hits to bump his batting average over .300. Demi Orimoloye singled in the only run. The Jays won even though Ryan Noda and Cullen Large were hitless and walk-less.


Lansing

Lansing lost 6-0 although they were only outhit 10-7. Jordan Groshans came back from the IL and was the DH. He had two hits. Reggie Pruitt also had two hits. All of the seven hits were singles. Tanner Kirwer had one hit but also walked twice.

Juan De Paula has hit around good, in 3.2 innings he walked four and gave up eight hits. He was charged with five runs. Josh Hiatt pitched much better, he just allowed an unearned run. In 4.1 innings, he just had two hits and one walk.



Three Stars

Third Star - Alejandro Kirk

Second Star - Andrew Sopko

First Star - Graham Spraker


Boxes

One Hitter For the Win | 14 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
Mike Green - Thursday, May 09 2019 @ 09:52 AM EDT (#373852) #
For his minor league career to date, Kirk has 52 walks, 34 extra-base hits and 30 strikeouts in 349 career PAs. He is 20. 
Gerry - Thursday, May 09 2019 @ 12:36 PM EDT (#373865) #
Patrick Murphy has pitched five hitless innings so far today. He seems to be back on track.
bpoz - Thursday, May 09 2019 @ 01:10 PM EDT (#373866) #
It takes a few days for things to sink in for me.

So the AAA ball is similar to the ML ball and easier to hit. So J Davis in Buffalo may have his best HR hitting season. Vlad will hit longer HRs. V big A Judge will also hit v long HRs. A Kirk has a knack for making hard contact so ...

The pitchers in AAA are not happy???
GabrielSyme - Thursday, May 09 2019 @ 04:42 PM EDT (#373870) #
Jonathan Davis with a three-true outcomes day: a home run, three walks and two strikeouts in six plate appearances.

He certainly looks like he's figured out AAA after a so-so performance following his promotion last year. The unfortunate thing is he's pretty much an ideal 4th outfielder for a team with three entrenched starters - can play centre, useful as a defensive replacement in the corners, can pinch run, etc..., but we have less use for a stable 4th outfielder in a rebuilding year.

All the same, with neither McKinney nor Hernandez hitting much, I don't think it would hurt to call Davis up, and give him a chance to start most of the time.
Mike Green - Thursday, May 09 2019 @ 04:59 PM EDT (#373872) #
That's about right, GabrielSyme.  The added benefit is that if you take some of the defensive load off Grichuk, it might be good for his batting.  Couldn't hurt anyways. 
Shoeless Joe - Thursday, May 09 2019 @ 06:27 PM EDT (#373874) #
I had high hopes for Murphy heading into the season, glad to see he is starting to turn it around.
GabrielSyme - Thursday, May 09 2019 @ 06:43 PM EDT (#373875) #
Hi Mike - I hadn't seen your comments on Davis in the other thread when I posted the comment above. I might prefer to give Brito a little more time before trying to pass him through waivers - he did have an excellent line in AAA last year, and I think he's still likely to be claimed (hello Miami!). Instead, I'd be inclined to send McKinney or Teoscar down if Brito shows signs of life, and call Davis up to take one of their places.

On another note, Patrick Murphy had his best start of the season in New Hampshire today. Even though his ERA has been unimpressive, he's been pretty good even before today in NH (1.17 WHIP now 1.01, over 9 K/9). He isn't showing any eye-popping numbers (good groundball rate, strikeout rate, walk rate, but nothing outstanding) but he is continuing to make progress.
scottt - Thursday, May 09 2019 @ 07:24 PM EDT (#373877) #
Brito is 26 and has a golf swing that seems useless against anything other than a low fastball.
It's hard to see any upside there.

bpoz - Thursday, May 09 2019 @ 07:42 PM EDT (#373878) #
A Kirk is at it again. Hits a double that scores a run. Picks off a guy on 1b.
PeterG - Thursday, May 09 2019 @ 08:24 PM EDT (#373879) #
Nice piece on Patrick Murphy:

https://www.milb.com/milb/news/blue-jays-patrick-murphy-soars-in-double-a-new-hampshire-gem/c-306991234?tcid=tw_article_306991234
bpoz - Thursday, May 09 2019 @ 08:37 PM EDT (#373880) #
I read that PeterG. I am optimistic about P Murphy. I read the article again. He has a 98 mph FB and a V good curve. I don't know what else he has and how it is progressing.
scottt - Thursday, May 09 2019 @ 10:03 PM EDT (#373882) #
Kirby Stead is closing in AA. 14 K, 0 BB, WHIP of 0.385.
McClelland has decent numbers, but is not dominating despite the 100mph fastball.

dan gordon - Friday, May 10 2019 @ 01:48 AM EDT (#373890) #
Snead (not Stead) was promoted to Buffalo 5 days ago, and has 2 good appearances for the Bisons since then. Possibly we see him in Toronto this year if they need a lefty.
Glevin - Friday, May 10 2019 @ 04:13 AM EDT (#373892) #
I'd DFA Brito and call up Feierabend and one of Gurriel, Biggio, or Davis. I could also see the Jays trying to grab Altherr on waivers and see if he can rebound.
One Hitter For the Win | 14 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.