Jays rough up Dodgers, split doubleheader in Creemore

June 10, 2015 · 0 Comments

By Jake Courtepatte

The Aurora Jays AA baseball team has managed no less than five runs in all but one game so far this season, and that offensive trend continued last week against the Bolton Dodgers.

There was early trouble for the Jays, who were down 2 – 0 in the top of the first when starting pitcher Andrew Bukovec allowed both Luc Ratcliffe and Andrew English to cross the plate off a Michael Gemmiti single.

Bukovec then settled in to strike out the side before hosting a three-up, three-down second inning to regain control of the game.

Back-to-back doubles started the Jays off on the right foot offensively in the bottom half of the first, leading to a four-run inning. The game was theirs from then on, firing off 18 hits in an 18 – 4 win, including two home runs from Chris Fafalios and one from Ian Rettie.

That was matched by a strong performance from Bukovec, who went five innings giving up four runs and striking out seven. Ian Milne came in for the sixth, blanking the Dodgers before a mercy-ruled end of the game.

“It was a rough night,” said Dodgers coach Andrew English. “Our pitchers couldn’t find their game, and we just couldn’t get to theirs.”
The Jays headed to Creemore on a high for a doubleheader on Sunday, taking on the Braves in the early afternoon before testing out the newcomers Barons squad.

Defensively, the Braves matchup was certainly nothing memorable. The two teams combined for nine errors in the contest, but it was the Jays offence that once again put them on top.

Twelve hits drove in seven runs for the Jays in a 7 – 5 victory. Rettie and Michael Keon both crossed the plate twice for the Jays, Rettie doing so once after a hard-run triple.

On the mound, Keon was also dealing. In his first start of the year, he put in five innings of work giving up five runs while striking out four. He held the Braves scoreless through the first three innings before starting to show signs of fatigue.

Rob Spencer pitched an almost perfect final two innings to secure the win.

Their two-game winning streak was cracked later that day by the Creemore Barons, who are putting up some big numbers so far in their first season of NDBL action. Jamie Hanna, Jeremy Mills, and Kurt Roy all hit solo home runs against the Jays, with Roy stepping up for a two-run homer later in the game to hand the Barons an 8 – 5 win.

Now holding onto a 7 – 3 record, the Jays will be looking to return to their position at the top of the standings with two games against lowly teams this week. After hosting the Lisle Astros following press-time Tuesday evening, a matchup with the Orangeville Giants is scheduled for Friday, winners of just one game so far this season.

For stats, schedules, and more information, visit www.ndbl.ca.