September 29th Recap: Polanco, Smith, and White for Buffalo in Series Opener

Join Jays From The Couch Each And Every Morning For Your Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Recap and Year in Review Of The System’s Prospects

Let me start by wishing my baby girl a very Happy Birthday Emma. Hope you had a great day. Lots of love, Mom and Dad.

Buffalo- The Bisons improve to 5-1 in the Final stretch portion of the season. The Herd batters wasted little time setting the tone for this game, scoring 4-runs in the 1st inning. Kevin Smith cashed in Otto Lopez with his 27th double of the year. Gregory Polanco continues to be a productive bat with an RBI single and Tyler White provided the big blow with a 2-run HR, 4-0.

Kevin Smith hit a solo HR in the 3rd inning, giving Buffalo a 5-1 advantage. Mark Payton of the Mets cut the lead to 5-3 with the Mets 2nd HR of the night, a 2-run jack. Gregory Polanco put the game on ice in the 5th with a 2-run home run to bring home Lopez, 7-3.

Buffalo finished with 3 doubles and 3 HR.

Casey Lawrence allowed 3 runs on 4 hits, including two home runs. Rafael Dolis followed with one shutout inning, striking out 2 and walking 1. Tyler Saucedo struck out two and allowed two hits but held the Mets off the board in one inning. Dany Jimenez was perfect in the 8th, striking out one batter while getting a ground ball out and fly ball out. Hobie Harris follows suit with almost an identical inning to finish the game.

DSL Blue Jays- no game

Triple-A

Buffalo (76-47) and (5-1)

Won 7 to 3

HR- Kevin Smith (20), Tyler White (13), and Gregory Polanco (7)

Starter- Lawrence 5.0IP, 4H, 3R, 3BB, 4K, and 2HRA on 87 pitches

W- Lawrence (7-2, 4.85ERA)

DSL

Blue Jays (35-19)

No Game

Top Performers:

• Buffalo- Cullen Large (3-for-4, K), Otto Lopez (2-for-5, 2R, 2B), Kevin Smith (2-for-5, 2R, 2RBI, 2B, HR, K), Tyler White (1-for-4, R, 2RBI, HR)

Spotlight

Normally I prefer to reserve the Spotlight portion to highlight prospects. Tonight is the exception. The addition of the 30-yr-old Gregory Polanco has energized the Herd’s offense. Since joining Toronto’s Triple-A team on September 2nd, the native of Santo Domingo, DR. in 21GP owns a .351BA with 6 doubles, 7HR, 20RBI, and 5SB in 5 attempts.

With 1-out, 1-on, and 1-in in the 1st inning, Polanco singled to LF to drive in Smith. He would score on White’s 13th HR of the season, 4-0. In the 3rd, following Kevin Smith’s 20th HR to leadoff the inning, Polanco kept the good times rolling with another single. Gregory was erased as Tyler White grounded into a double play.

In the 5th inning with two-out and Otto Lopez standing on 2nd base, Polanco jumped on the 1st pitch of the at-bat, sending the pitch over the wall in right centre field, 7-3. Polanco hit a one-out doubled in the 7th but White hit a fly ball out and Gabriel Moreno grounded out to end the threat.

He grounded out to end the 9th inning, finishing 4-for-5 with 2 runs scored, 3RBI, a double and a HR.