The #BlueJays begin the second half with a trip to the Bronx Zoo with a golden opportunity to cut into the 24-1/2 game deficit they face in the AL East. #LetsGoBlueJays

Patrick Kivlehan homered in the eighth to earn a win for Buffalo. New Hampshire had four players hit a home run as they ran up the score. Dunedin lost two games, Bluefield one, the GCL Jays lost too. Lansing and Vancouver won. Vancouver are having a tough season but they have been hitting better since Philip Clarke arrived.

Jim Bouton's playing career was not without accomplishment.

It was a quieter night on the farm. Buffalo and New Hampshire are off for their all-star games. Vancouver had a scheduled day off. The other five teams all won. Dunedin have been hot all season, they won to run their record to 57-28. Lansing had a great start from Troy Miller and another Griffin Conine home run. Bluefield have won 10 of the last 13. Their hitters have been hot, they have scored in double figures in three of their last eight games. I highlight some of them below. The GCL and DSL Jays also won. Dalton Pompey and Patrick Cantwell are on the rehab trail.

The #BlueJays affiliates were 0-2 Tuesday night. Dunedin's game in Tampa was rained out. #LetsGoBlueJays

#BlueJays affiliates dropped four out of five Tuesday night. Buffalo and New Hampshire had the day off. The Gulf Coast League Jays were rained out. #LetsGoBlueJays

It's the battle of the birds as the final match-up before the all-star break. Baltimore are in first place for the number one pick next season with their 25-61 record. The Blue Jays are a full seven games better, in fourth. Your Blue Jays have been playing better but there are some enforced changes for this weekend. Marcus Stroman will not pitch before the break, resting his "cramp" that's obviously was not a cramp. The enigma, wrapped in a riddle that is Aaron Sanchez will pitch tonight, who knows what that will bring.

In the DSL, the Jays had the first eight hitters of an inning walk, scoring five runs. That must have been fun to watch. The ninth hitter hit into a double play to spoil the excitement. Josh Winkowski was excellent for Dunedin who kept up their winning ways. Elsewhere Buffalo, New Hampshire, Vancouver, Lansing and Bluefield all lost.

It was a mixed bag on the farm. Buffalo split a doubleheader with Patrick Kivlehan hitting a home run in both games. Nate Pearson was pulled early in New Hampshire's loss. Dunedin made it exciting but Cullen Large and Cal Stevenson delivered an extra innings win. Lansing won, the sad sack Vancouver Canadians lost. Bluefield put up 14 runs for the second night in a row.

The #BlueJays affiliates won three out of eight Tuesday. Buffalo's game was rained out. Monday saw the affiliates go 3-4. #LetsGoBlueJays

I know, it's four weeks away.

The Jays take their good, Royals level, form against the jet-lagged Red Sox. Can the Jays hitters continue their good hitting against the three big Red Sox starters? Will the Red Sox have any carry-over from their London trip? Maybe they will get sleepy in the middle innings, it will be bed time in London at game time.

I miss Earl Weaver, and I do wonder from time to time what he'd make of where the game has gone these days.

Its a long weekend, four game, battle at the bottom with the teams with the third and fourth fewest wins in baseball battling it out for draft pick order. For the Jays Justin Smoak is back and Billy McKinney is gone, to Buffalo we assume.