August 21st Blue Jays Minor League Recap: Horwitz homers, 11-game hit streak

Join Jays From The Couch Each And Every Morning For Your Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Recap. You’ll Also Be Treated To Updates On The System’s Top-Rated Prospects.

The system went 2 and 3.

Buffalo- Mallex Smith singled in the 3rd inning. This turned out to be the only hit the Buffalo Bisons would get on the day. The Mets hit 3 solo home runs off Thomas Hatch in the 4th inning, cruising to a 3-0 win over the Bisons.

New Hampshire- The Fisher Cats made things more interesting with Chris Bec GRAND SLAM in the 7th inning but the Yard Goats held on for an 8-5 victory. Jordan Groshans also went yard. Reily Hovis allowed 3HR and Jon Harris allowed one, as the Yard Goats collected 4 HR on the day. Chavez Young had his hit streak snapped at 9-games, going 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts.

Vancouver- The Dust Devils scored 3 runs in the 3rd inning off Adam Kloffenstein but the C’s would respond with a run in the bottom half of the inning and added three more runs in the 5th. Kloff settled down after a rocky 3rd to pitch a clean 4, 5, and 6. Kloff struck out the side in the 6th and improved to 6-6. Spencer Horwitz continues to swing a hot bat with his 6th HR, a 3-run shot. That’s back-to-back games with a HR and an 11-game hit streak.

Dunedin- Miguel Hiraldo brought Harrison Ray home with an RBI single to walk the Mighty Mussels off in the 9th inning. Zach Britton and Jose Rivas each has 2-hit games.

Triple-A

Buffalo Bisons (55-36)

Loss 3 to 0

HR- none

Starter- Hatch 5.0IP, 4H, 3R, 1BB, 5K, and 3HRA on 77 pitches

L- Hatch (1-4, 3.33ERA)

Double-A

New Hampshire Fisher Cats (44-47)

Lose 8 to 5

HR- Jordan Groshans (7) and Chris Bec (2)

Starter- Hovis 3.0IP, 6H, 4R, 0BB, 5K, and 3HRA on 53 pitches

L- Hovis (2-3, 5.44ERA)

Advanced-A

Vancouver Canadians (44-51)

Won 4 to 3

HR- Horwitz (6)

Starter- Adam Kloffenstein 6.0IP, 3H, 3R, 1BB, 7K, and 1HRA on 77 pitches

W- Kloff (6-6, 5.83ERA)

H- Justin Maese (3) and Gabriel Ponce (1)

SV- Andrew Bash (1)

A-Ball

Dunedin Blue Jays (43-51)

won 4 to 3

HR- none

Starter- Nathaneal Perez 5.0IP, 6H, 1R, 1BB, 7K, and 1HRA on 78 pitches

W- Harry Rutkowski (1-1, 1.13ERA)

FCL

FCL Blue Jays (17-18)

No Game Played.

DSL

Blue Jays (16-10)

Loss 7 to 1

HR- none

Starter- Perez 2.0IP, 0H, 0R, 1BB, 1K

L- De Jesus (0-1, 18.00ERA)

Top Performers:

• Buffalo- none
• NH- Parker Caracci (1IP), Sean Rackoski (1IP), Kevin Vicuna (2-for-4, R, 2B), Bec (1-for-3, R, 4RBI, HR)
• Vancouver- Horwitz (1-for-3, R, 3RBI, HR, BB, K)
• Dunedin- Britton (2-for-4, R, K), Rivas (2-for-3, 2R, BB, K, SB), Perez (see above)
• DSL- Fajardo (2-for-2, R, BB, SB), Perez (see above)

Player Spotlight

Today we turn our attention to Harry Rutkowski

Signed as a free agent on July 21st after being drafted but unsigned by the Cincinnati Reds in the 28th round of this year’s Draft. The 6-foot-2 lefty has been dominant out of the Dunedin Blue Jays bullpen. Which is just want the D-Jays needed as the team has struggled to find consistent pitching all season long.

Harry entered the game in the 8th inning and got the first two batters to ground out before striking out Will Holland to end the frame. In the 9th, Rutkowski collected two more strikeouts and a pop-out to pick up his 1st professional win.

Rutkowski threw 17 of his 24 pitches for strikes, striking out three batters over two no-hit innings. He got two ground ball outs. In 5 appearances, he owns a 1-1 record with a 1.13ERA. Harry has allowed 4 hits and 3 walks in 8IP for a 0.88WHIP. He has allowed one HR and struck out 14 while posting a 0.83 GO/AO.

The Groshans and Martinez Show

Jordan Groshans played 3rd base and batted 4th for the Fisher Cats. Jordan hit his 7th home run to lead off the 2nd inning. He singled to lead off the 7th and scored on Bec’s grand slam. Jordan finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI.

In 68 games with New Hampshire, Jordan Groshans owns a .289BA with a .824OPS. He has 7HR, 21 doubles, and 37RBI.

Orelvis Martinez played 3rd base and batted 4th for the Canadians. He went 0-for-4 with a strikeout. He is now 0-for-19 since he singled in the 3rd inning of Tuesday’s game.

With Vancouver, the 19-yr-old owns a .162BA with a .558OPS, a double, and 4HR while driving in 10RBI.