New York Yankees – 11 JNT – 4
In Boca Chica, the New York Yankees Dominican Summer League squad pounded out fourteen hits en route to an 11-4 drubbing of the Junior National Team.
Starter Tom Robson (Ladner, BC) issued a walk and three consecutive singles as the Yanks scored two runs in the bottom of the 1st.
The Juniors were able to get one of the runs back in the 2nd when Brendan Hendriks (Cochrane, AB) hit and RBI single that scored Dustin Houle (Penticton, BC). After Houle scored, Gareth Morgan (Toronto, ON) drew a walk to load the bases with two out, but the runners were left stranded.
In the 4th, Houle picked up his second hit of the game and Cory Scammell (Edmonton, AB) walked with only one out, but again, the Juniors failed to cash in any runs.
Robson sailed through three innings until the 5th where the Yankees used three hits and took advantage of a JNT error to put three runs on the board. All three runs came with two outs.
Robson finished his outing by going five innings and giving up five runs (four earned) on eight hits and two walks, while fanning eight Yankees.
The Yankees blew the game wide-open in the 6th off JNT reliever Steven Dressler (Burlington, ON) when they put up five runs. The big blow of the inning came on a three-run homer with nobody out. Dressler was removed from the game in favour of Michael Clouthier (Guelph, ON).
Brendan Hendriks kept his hot bat going in the 7th when he picked up his second RBI of the game on a single that scored Justin Marra (Toronto, ON).
Both clubs traded runs in the 8th and the Juniors looked poised to make a comeback in the 9th when they loaded the bases with none out, but were only able to score one run when Justin Marra walked with the bases loaded.
Toronto Blue Jays – 2 JNT - 0
At San Pedro de Macoris, the Junior National Team received solid pitching performances from Andrew Marra (Windsor, ON) and Dayton Dawe (London, ON), but couldn’t muster any offence as they fell to the Toronto Blue Jays Dominican prospects 2-0.
In the top of the 1st, the Juniors had an opportunity to take an early lead after Brendan Hendriks (Cochrane, AB) walked and Justin Atkinson (Surrey, BC) singled. Both runners were left on base following a fly-out and strikeout to end the inning.
Atkinson’s single was one of two hits the JNT had all game.
After two scoreless innings, the Jays led-off the 3rd inning with a triple, which was followed by a sac-fly to give them a 1-0 lead.
The Jays would add to their lead the very next inning when a one-out double scored a runner from second base. Marra had hit the second batter of the frame who took second on a passed ball before coming around to score.
Aside from the two runs, Marra had a strong outing, pitching five innings, giving up two runs on four hits while striking out four.
The Juniors were stymied at the plate all day as they struck out eight times all together.
Dawe replaced Marra to start the 6th and managed to get out of the inning with the bases loaded when the DH flied-out to end the threat. Dawe had given up a single and two walks to load the bases.
In total, Dawe threw three scoreless innings walking four and giving up one hit, while striking out two.
Brandon Collins (Toronto, ON) got the Juniors second hit of the game to lead-off the 9th but was left stranded.
The Juniors also faced the New York Yankees prospects today, details will be available soon.
Notes: The Juniors will play a doubleheader on Wednesday (May 25th) with Game 1 set for 10:30am ET in Boca Chica against the Texas Rangers, while Game 2 is schedule for 6pm ET in Santo Domingo against MLB Supreme Tournament…Scheduled starters are Jesen Dygestile-Therrien (Montréal, QC) for Game 1 and Skylar Janisse (Maidstone, ON) for Game 2… The Dominican Summer League Camp is an important step in the process as the JNT will attempt to qualify for the 2012 World Junior Baseball Championship (scheduled for Seoul, South Korea) at the Americas World Junior Qualification Tournament in Cartagena, Colombia from September 23rd - October 2nd, 2011… For more information on the JNT program, please click here.
