Game 18: Bluefield Blue Jays at Burlington Royals

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BLUE JAYS (7-10)

1 Dwight Smith Jr. CF

2 Dickie Joe Thon SS

3 Santiago Nessy C

4 Art Charles 1B

5 Christian Lopes 2B

6 Eric Arce LF

7 Matt Dean 3B

8 Jacob Anderson DH

9 Nico Taylor RF

RHP Roberto Osuna (1-0, 1.00)
RHP Jeremy Gabryszwski (0-0, 2.70) will piggyback

ROYALS (11-7)

1 Terrance Gore LF

2 Humberto Arteaga SS

3 Bubba Starling CF

4 Patrick Leonard 3B

5 Kenny Diekroeger DH

6 Fred Ford RF

7 Beau Maggi C

8 Mark Threlkeld 1B

9 Jose Rodriguez 2B

RHP Daniel Hernandez (1-0, 1.76)

FIRST-PITCH TIME: 7:00 P.M.

BROADCAST INFO: Listen live right here for Blue Jays pregame at 6:45. The games are also carried on local radio on WKEZ 1240 AM The Rooster Classic Country

WEATHER: 99 without a cloud in the sky...well at least it's still in double digits.

UMPIRES: PLATE James Floyd  FIELD Jordan Albarado


ABOUT LAST NIGHT...: It was a long night for the Blue Jays as they were drilled 13-3 by the visiting Danville Braves on Friday in their homestand finale. Felix Marte homered twice, one of which was a grand slam, and drove in five runs. Edison Sanchez and Carlos Franco also homered for first-place Danville. The heart of the order each scored twice and combined to go 6-for-14 with four long balls and ten runs batted in. The loss sends Bluefield into a last-place tie with Pulaski at 7-10, three and a half games behind the Braves.

VS. THE ROYALS: These two clubs met in Burlington early last week and the visiting Jays won two out of three for their only series win so far in 2012. Art Charles belted two home runs in a 10-5 win in the opener on June 25 and Tom Robson, Kevin Comer and Colby Broussard combined on a four-hitter in a 3-0 win on June 26. The Baby Jays missed a chance at a sweep on the 27th, with Burlington coming back from 3-1 down in the seventh inning to win 4-3. The Royals struggled last year to a 24-44 finish and the Jays feasted on Burlington in 2011, going 7-2 in the season series. Bluefield took two of three at home from July 18-20, with the only loss coming in 11 innings. They swept the Royals a week later on the road by a combined score of 22-3. They played again at Bowen Field from August 16-18 and won the series again, winning a rain-shortened rubber game. Returning reliever Les Williams pitched five scoreless innings against the Royals spanning two appearances.


TONIGHT'S PITCHERS


RHP ROBERTO OSUNA: Coming into the season ranked 30th on Baseball America’s list of the top Toronto prospects, Osuna has had a great start to 2012. He pitched three innings against Danville on Monday and allowed his first earned run of the season on three hits. He struck out four without walking a batter, improving his K-to-BB ratio to 11-to-0. He started in Burlington on June 27 and allowed only an unearned run on one hit in three innings. Only 17 years old, this right-hander was signed out of the Mexican League, which is considered to be similar to a AA or AAA level of play. Although he put up a 5.49 ERA in 19.2 innings for the Diablos Rojos, it’s worth noting that many players in that league are 10-20 years older than him. His fastball consistently sat in the low 90s last weekend, though he got it up to 93-94. Roberto’s uncle Antonio was a reliever for 11 major league seasons, mostly spent with the Dodge.

RHP JEREMY GABRYSZWSKI: The 19-year-old righty out of Crosby, TX was terrific in four shutout innings in his Monday start against Pulaski. He allowed three singles and whiffed two with no walks. In his first game against the Royals on June 27, he got off to a good start in relief as he didn’t give up a hit for three and one-third innings and led 3-1. But he gave up back-to-back homers in the seventh that tied the game. He was taken in the second round of last year’s draft, splitting time between the Gulf Coast League and Bluefield. After four and one-third scoreless innings in three GCL games, Gabryszwski moved up to the Appy League on August 29, turning in a shutout inning of relief at Danville. He relieved twice in the postseason for the Jays, allowing two runs in four and two-thirds innings. A graduate of Crosby High School, he had committed to play college ball at Lamar before signing with Toronto.

RHP DANIEL HERNANDEZ: Right-hander Daniel Hernandez has been one of the Appy League’s best hurlers in 2012. His 1.76 ERA ranks fourth in the circuit and he leads the league in WHIP (0.65) and baserunners per nine innings (5.87). He hasn’t issued a walk yet in 15.1 innings, only teammate Yender Caramo, who starts tomorrow, has gone more innings without issuing a free pass (16.1). He makes his second start against Bluefield. He held the Jays to two runs, one earned, in five innings on June 27, taking a no decision in an eventual Burlington win. He beat the Braves on Monday with five and one-third innings of two-run ball, striking out eight without issuing a walk. 2012 marks his first action in 22 months after recovering from Tommy John surgery. He went 2-0 with a 2.19 ERA and 13 strikeouts over the course of 12.1 innings prior to the injury. Hailing from Miami, Hernandez attended Miami Dade College and put up eye-popping numbers in being named Southern Conference Pitcher of the Year. He won all nine decisions with a 1.37 ERA in 65.2 innings while striking out 72 and only walking 22. He was offered a scholarship from Florida International, but he signed with Kansas City after being taken in the 12th round in 2010.

AT THE QUARTER POLE: After last night’s game, the Blue Jays reached the exact one-fourth mark of the season. Through 17 games in the 68-game season, Bluefield is 7-10. They are two games behind last year’s pace as the 2011 started 9-8 en route to a 40-28 record and the East Division title.

SEVEN COSTANZA: Right fielder Nico Taylor ran his hitting streak to seven last night. That ties recent call-up Carlos Ramirez, who Taylor has replaced as the regular right fielder, for the Jays’ longest hitting streak of the season. After starting the season in an 0-for-13 funk, Taylor is 10-for-22.

NIGHTLY ART CHARLES ON BASE STREAK UPDATE: Art Charles walked twice in last night’s loss, extending his on-base streak to 17 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 25. 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 40 of his last 41 games. His .452 on base percentage is tied for fifth-best in the league, in part because his 19 walks also lead the loop. He’s tied for third in the league in home runs with four.
 

Pregame Audio: Hitting Coach Paul Elliott


Bluefield Blue Jays Game Notes 7-7

Check out the @BluefieldJays Twitter page for mid-game updates