Game 16: Danville Braves at Bluefield Blue Jays

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BRAVES (10-6)

1 Logan Robbins CF

2 Eric Garcia SS

3 Aris Alcantara 1B

4 Josh Elander C

5 Felix Marte RF

6 Blake BrownDH

7 Trenton Moses 3B

8 Gerardo Reyes 2B

9 Kurt Fleming LF

RHP Mauricio Cabrera (0-0, 1.29)

BLUE JAYS (7-8)

1 Dwight Smith Jr. CF

2 Jorge Vega-Rosado 2B

3 Santiago Nessy C

4 Art Charles 1B

5 Christian Lopes SS

6 Eric Arce LF

7 Dickie Joe Thon DH

8 Matt Dean 3B

9 Nico Taylor RF

LHP Deivy Estrada (1-1, 8.00)

FIRST-PITCH TIME: 7:05 P.M.

BROADCAST INFO: Sorry folks, only the final game of the series will be broadcast (Friday). Listen live right here for other Blue Jays broadcasts.

WEATHER: 73 and overcast. We had a big storm come through earlier today, but thankfully we had the tarp covering the infield.

UMPIRES: PLATE Andrew Freed  FIELD Jimmy Lott

ABOUT LAST NIGHT...: The Blue Jays celebrated the Fourth of July in a big way and Santiago Nessy provided early fireworks before the postgame ceremonies. In his first at bat coming off the disabled list, the catcher hit a two-run homer as the Baby Jays beat the Danville Braves 4-3 in front of 2,296 at Bowen Field. Daniel Norris started for Bluefield and struggled with his command despite striking out seven. He walked four batters in three and one-third innings, allowing one run on one hit, a second-inning homer to center field off the bat of Felix Marte. Tucker Jensen was first out of the bullpen and was terrific in facing the minimum in two and two-thirds innings of relief. The righty struck out three in recording his first victory of 2012. The Jays plated another run in the fifth when Dwight Smith singled and Eric Arce followed with an RBI double. Another Bluefield run came home in the seventh when Nico Taylor stroked a leadoff double against Ignacio Geronimo then scored on a Smith single to make it 4-1. Those insurance runs would prove necessary because of Danville’s eighth-inning rally against Brandon Dorsett. Dorsett worked a 1-2-3 seventh with two strikeouts, but two singles and an error loaded the bases for the Braves. Marte hit a two-out single to drive in two and bring the visitors within a run, but Dorsett buckled down to get Blake Brown on a groundout to end the threat. Dorsett allowed only the two unearned runs before handing the game to Colby Broussard for the final three outs. After a two-out error put the tying run at first in the ninth, Broussard (S, 2) struck out Levi Hyams swinging to end the game. The party kept going after the win with a great fireworks show on the field. Players and fans sat back and enjoyed the wonderful display on a beautiful evening at the ballpark.

VS. THE BRAVES: The Blue Jays lost the season series to Danville in 2011, but they got the last laugh when they won the East Division title by a game after a great pennant race. Bluefield was swept in three games in the Bowen Field-opening series from June 24-26, but took two of three at Danville from July 8-10. The two teams were tied atop the division at 38-27 heading into the final three games of the season at Danville. The Baby Jays routed the Braves 11-4 on August 28, then clinched the title the next night when five pitchers combined on a three-hitter in a 5-1 win. Danville won the inconsequential finale 19-4, but it was the Jays who playoff bound for the first time since 2002.



TONIGHT'S STARTING PITCHERS

LHP DEIVY ESTRADA: A native of Valencia, Venezuela, this lefty looks to get back in the win column after a nightmarish third inning in Kingsport on Saturday. He only recorded seven outs and allowed seven runs, though all of the Mets runs were unearned. Estrada potsed a 2.25 ERA in the GCL in 2011, but he had an ERA of 6.94 in Bluefield upon his promotion. He did contribute the clinching victory in the Mercer Cup last year, turning in five shutout innings on August 10. He allowed only four hits, striking out six without walking a man. He took a tough loss in the final game of the Appy League Championship Series when he gave up one earned run in five innings, but was charged with the defeat. He spent the 2010 season in the GCL and was in the DSL in 2009 when he K’d more than one batter per inning (48 in 44 IP).

RHP EDUARDO CASTILLO: After spending a year and a half in the Dominican Summer League and a season and a half in the Gulf Coast League, right-hander Eduardo Castillo has struggled in his first three starts in the Appy League in 2012. His 10.67 ERA is the highest among all qualified picthers in the league and he was shelled in Greeneville on Saturday. He served up three homers and eight runs in four innings and took the loss. In 54 GCL innings in 2011, he pitched to a 5.17 ERA


WELCOME BACK: Catcher Santiago Nessy had quite a return from the disabled list in Wednesday’s victory. He had injured his hamstring in the home opener on June 22 and missed the last ten games. But he wasted no time in his return when he knocked a two-run homer in the first inning that gave the Jays a quick 2-0 lead against Danville starter Mauricio Cabrera.

REAL AMERICAN: Tucker Jensen celebrated the Fourth of July by coming in from the bullpen to the strains of Rick Derringer’s “Real American.” Inspired by Hulk Hogan’s old entrance music, the righty pitched two and two-thirds hitless innings to pick up the victory. In addition to getting his first win of 2012, he also lowered his ERA to 2.13, the tenth-lowest mark in the Appalachian League. His WHIP of 0.79 is the fourth-best in the circuit.

TAYLOR-MADE: After starting the season in an 0-for-13 funk, outfielder Nico Taylor has been swinging the bat very well, going 6-for-15 while notching a hit in five straight games. He doubled in the seventh inning and scored what turned out to be the deciding run on Wednesday.

THE TERMINATOR: Even though he didn’t start and received only one plate appearance last night, catcher Seth Conner still extended his hitting streak to four games. He entered in the seventh inning for Santiago Nessy behind the plate then doubled in the bottom half of the inning. The Rogersville, MO is 8-for-10 over the four-game span.

CHARLES IN CHARGE: When Art Charles walked in the first inning last night, he extended his on-base streak to 15 games, spanning every Blue Jays game this season. He’s the only Appy Leaguer to reach in every game so far in 2012. Art’s on-base streak dating back to last season is up to 23. The day before he began that streak on August 23, 2011, he had just had a 15-gamer snapped, so the Bakersfield native has reached in 38 of his last 39 games. His .476 on base percentage is one point off the league lead, in part because his 16 walks also lead the loop.


Bluefield Blue Jays Game Notes 7-5

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