Blue Jays Minor League Recap: Buffalo's Bats Stand Out, While Young Hitters Star for Dunedin

Blue Jays Affiliate Overview (June 13-15)

Triple-A Buffalo Bisons
Series vs Syracuse Mets (New York Mets): 5-1
Season Record: 33-36

Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats 
Series vs Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies): 2-4
Season Record: 31-30

High-A Vancouver Canadians
Series vs Everett AquaSox (Seattle Mariners): 3-3
Season Record: 26-37

Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays
Series vs Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (Minnesota Twins): 3-2
Season Record: 28-34

FCL Blue Jays
Week Record: 2-2
Season Record: 22-9

DSL Blue Jays Blue
Week Record: 0-6
Season Record: 3-8

DSL Blue Jays Red
Week Record: 4-2
Season Record: 4-7

Triple-A Buffalo Bisons

• Season Record: 33-36
• Series vs Syracuse Mets (New York Mets)

June 13: Eloy Jiménez and Josh Rivera powered the Buffalo Bisons' offense, which was clicking on all cylinders Saturday. It would be needed, as the bullpen faltered late in the game. A couple of recently promoted former Fisher Cats provided the sparks for Buffalo in the first inning. Sean Keys and Jay Harry had RBI singles, while Jonatan Clase added a sacrifice fly. With the game tied up at three in the fifth, Clase gave Buffalo the lead again when he singled home Josh Kasevich on a line drive to right. After Syracuse tied the game again, a wild pitch scored Ryan McCarty, and Jiménez knocked in Kasevich on a groundout. Adam Macko came into the game in the top of the ninth to close it out for Buffalo, but imploded instead. He hit and walked a batter, then a single by Ryan Clifford brought the spotlight up close on a play at the plate. Buffalo left fielder Rafael Lantigua threw out Ji Hwan Bae, momentarily saving the game. Unfortunately for the Bisons, two batters later, Grae Kessinger doubled home two runs and gave Syracuse the lead heading into the bottom of the ninth. It wasn't a bleak time for Buffalo, as Syracuse had already turned to a position player to pitch the eighth inning, and he was back for the ninth. Rivera smoked a home run with one out in the inning, his ninth of the year. The Bisons couldn't scratch another run across home in the inning, and the game went into extras. Chase Lee managed to keep the ghost runner from scoring in the top half of the 10th, while Jiménez capped off his big day with a walk-off single. Jiménez ended the day 3-for-6, with two RBI. Rivera matched him in the hit column, going 3-for-5 himself, with the solo home run. Buffalo won 8-7 in a game that took the entire team and extra innings to win it. 

June 14: CJ Van Eyk had the mound on Sunday and went deep into the game, 5.2 innings. He was dodging baserunners for most of the game, giving up nine hits and three runs, but didn't walk anyone. Eloy Jiménez kept his hot hitting going, doubling to left field and scoring on Jay Harry's double. In the third inning, Sean Keys blasted a 111 mph, two-run home run to right field. In the next inning, William Simoneit singled home Jonatan Clase, extending the lead for Buffalo to 4-2. With Syracuse at the plate in the seventh inning, the game went into a rain delay and then was called, with Buffalo winning 4-2. 

Double-A New Hampshire

• Season Record: 31-30
• Series vs Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies)

June 13: Gage Stanifer took the mound for the Fisher Cats on Saturday for their game against the Yard Goats. It was a bit of bad, some solid, and a tiny bit of good on the day for him. He walked the first two batters of the first inning, which was followed by a sacrifice bunt and an RBI single. To finish the inning, Stanifer got a short flyout to Victor Arias, who threw out a runner trying to tag up and score at home plate. In the second inning, Stanifer started out with a groundout, another walk, and a strikeout. Then a double to right field resulted in a perfect relay from Carter Cunningham and Cutter Coffey to again get an out at home plate. In the third, Cunningham got New Hampshire on the board with a home run to center field. The bottom of the inning saw more trouble for Stanifer, though. This time, after a groundout and his fourth walk of the game, Hartford added two singles for their second run. After having command trouble all game to this point, Stanifer found something and retired the last eight batters he faced. He struck out four of those eight and threw about 65% of his pitches for strikes in that stretch. The game remained tied until the eighth inning, when New Hampshire allowed five runs on a two-run double and three-run home run. The Fisher Cats lost 7-2. 

June 14: The offense was the highlight of the game for both teams on Sunday in the game between New Hampshire and Hartford. Jorge Burgos put the first run on the scoreboard in the first inning on an RBI single to right field. In the bottom of the second, Harford answered with an Aidan Longwell home run, Zach Kokoska RBI triple, and a Dyan Jorge RBI single. In the fourth, Nick Goodwin launched a home run for the Fisher Cats. A Roc Riggio home run and a wild pitch would put Hartford back up two by the fifth inning. In the sixth, Dub Gleed added a sacrifice fly, and then Carter Cunningham hit a home run for the second straight game, this time in the seventh. Hartford added a single in the bottom of the seventh, before the Fisher Cats took the lead back in the eighth on a wild pitch. New Hampshire would hold on for the win, taking this one 7-6. 

High-A Vancouver 

• Season Record: 26-37
• Series vs Everett AquaSox (Seattle Mariners)

June 13: After Vancouver won the first three games of the series, allowing just five runs in those games, the Canadians' pitching struggled in the last three games of the series, allowing 11 runs on Friday, and once again allowing double-digit runs on Saturday. Landen Maroudis allowed five runs in 3.1 innings; he’s struggled heavily as he goes deeper into games. He gave up one run in his first three innings pitched, but then four runs in the fourth inning before getting taken out. The Canadians bullpen allowed five runs themselves, with Carson Myers responsible for four, and Jonathan Todd allowing one. Tucker Toman hit his fifth homer of the season in the fifth, and Manuel Beltre had his fourth homer of the season in the seventh to get two runs on the board. The Canadians then had a three-run eighth inning to bring it within five, and Alexis Hernandez hit homer number eight in the ninth, but that was all as the Canadians lost 10-6. 

June 14: The Canadians didn’t allow double-digit runs in this game, but still gave up nine in a back-and-forth contest. Gilberto Batista started for the Canadians and almost immediately gave up a two-run homer in the first inning. Tucker Toman hit his second homer in two games to make it a one-run game, and the Canadians took the lead back an inning later after an error allowed Eric Snow to score, before Kendry Chirinos and Sam Shaw both drove in runs on RBI singles. Everett took the lead back in the third as Batista gave up two runs, with an Alexis Hernandez error making one of them unearned. However, Chirinos had RBI number two to even it up in the fourth. Shaw took the lead back with his second RBI single, and Toman made it a two-run lead with a sac fly. Jack Eshleman pitched three scoreless innings to put the Canadians in line for the win, but Trace Baker loaded the bases, walked in a run, then gave up a three-run homer, which ended up losing the game for Vancouver, 9-7. 

Single-A Dunedin

• Season Record: 28-34
• Series vs Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (Minnesota Twins)

June 13: The Jays put up two touchdowns against the Mighty Mussels, as they tallied up 16 hits and four walks in a massive rout. Silvano Hechavarria has finally started to settle down in Dunedin after struggling immensely earlier in the year, going five scoreless innings, lowering his season ERA to 6.75. His strikeouts have not come yet, as he only struck out one batter, but it was an encouraging start. Aldo Gaxiola got the game going in the second inning, with a 102.7 mph homer. Then, JoJo Parker had one of his four hits in the third for a two-RBI triple in the third, and he was driven in by a Juan Sanchez double for an early 4-0 lead. Raimundo De Los Santos and Brock Tibbitts also had multi-RBI nights, and the D-Jays led 10-0 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning. Luis Fonseca pitched two scoreless innings, but got one out in the eighth before allowing a two-run homer to a rehabbing Walker Jenkins. Diego Dominguez allowed two more runs with a wild pitch and a balk to make the game slightly closer. The Mighty Mussels were forced to put position player Irvin Nunez on the mound, and he ended up loading the bases for Jake Cook, who hit his first professional homer for a grand slam. Sanchez capped it off with a sac fly, as the Jays won 15-5. 

June 14: Cancelled

FCL Blue Jays

• Season Record: 22-9

June 13: Giacomo Taschin was on the mound for the FCL Blue Jays and continued his good start to the season against the FCL Phillies. He went four innings, gave up three hits, one walk, and three runs. He struck out six on the day. In the second inning, the Blue Jays scored first when Keegan Pieternella lined an RBI single to center field. The Phillies quickly responded with a solo home run. In the fourth, the Blue Jays scored via a wild pitch, and again the Phillies answered with a home run. Then came the fifth inning, Franklin Rojas cleared the bases with a two-run triple for the Blue Jays. In the seventh inning, the Blue Jays added two runs on a wild pitch and a fielder's choice, as they won this one 6-4. 

June 15: The Monday game between the FCL Blue Jays and the FCL Phillies was a wild one. The Phillies took a three-run lead in the top of the first inning, with an RBI single and a two-run home run from Esterling Rodriguez. In the fourth, the Blue Jays answered with four runs. Kennew Blanco hit an RBI single, and later Giaconino Lasaracina hit a bases-clearing three-run double. In the eighth inning, Lasaracina hit another double with the bases loaded, driving in three more runs. Andres Arias would double and bring him home and then score on a groundout later in the inning. The Blue Jays won 9-3.

DSL Blue Jays Blue

• Season Record: 3-8

June 13: Down on the island Saturday, it was Blue Jay team versus Blue Jay team, as BJB faced off against BJR. BJB left fielder Michael Mesa kicked off the fun with his second home run of the season, a two-run blast to right field. He would end the day raising his OPS to .981, and he continues to be one of the brightest spots for BJB. BJR countered in the third inning, loading the bases up and getting a sacrifice fly from Gabriel Porras. In the top of the fourth, BJB used some more power to extend their lead. Juan Caricote smacked a solo home run to right field, his first of the season. In the bottom half of the inning, a throwing error by BJB catcher Isay Veras allowed BJR to get another run across the plate. Later in the inning, another error by BJB first baseman Eiker Lothar allowed two more runs to score, as BJR took the lead 4-3. In the bottom of the fifth, BJR added to their lead, Ayberson Ortega singled home a run, and another would score on a wild pitch. Later in the inning, Fabian Gonzalez hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Ortega. BJR took the game 8-3, with BJB only getting three hits in the game. 

June 15: BJB tried to waive the white flag on Monday against the DSL Pirates Black team. Heading into the sixth inning, BJB was down 5-1. Once the final out of the game was recorded, BJB had lost 25-2, giving up 20 runs in the sixth and seventh innings. 

<Men In Black neuralyzer flash>

DSL Blue Jays Red

• Season Record: 4-7

June 13: Down on the island Saturday, it was Blue Jay team versus Blue Jay team, as BJB faced off against BJR. BJB left fielder Michael Mesa kicked off the fun with his second home run of the season, a two-run blast to right field. He would end the day raising his OPS to .981, and he continues to be one of the brightest spots for BJB. BJR countered in the third inning, loading the bases up and getting a sacrifice fly from Gabriel Porras. In the top of the fourth, BJB used some more power to extend their lead. Juan Caricote smacked a solo home run to right field, his first of the season. In the bottom half of the inning, a throwing error by BJB catcher Isay Veras allowed BJR to get another run across the plate. Later in the inning, another error by BJB first baseman Eiker Lothar allowed two more runs to score, as BJR took the lead 4-3. In the bottom of the fifth, BJR added to their lead, Ayberson Ortega singled home a run, and another would score on a wild pitch. Later in the inning, Fabian Gonzalez hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Ortega. BJR took the game 8-3, with BJB only getting three hits in the game. 

June 15: Victor Espiritu had himself a game on Monday for BJR. He pitched five innings, struck out five, only walked one, and didn't give up a run. Up 1-0 in the sixth, Aneudi Severino doubled home Gabriel Porras to start off a big inning for BJR. They would score two runs from RBI groundouts and a fourth run from an Alex Linares single to third base. BJR capped off a good two-game stretch with another win, taking this game 4-1. 

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