Guerrero, Bichette pounce for Fisher Cats
Ever since word got out that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette would be opening the year as teammates in the Eastern League, a buzz has surrounded Double-A New Hampshire. On Monday night, the duo lived up to the hypee.The Blue Jays' top two prospects combined for six hits --
Ever since word got out that
The Blue Jays' top two prospects combined for six hits -- including a homer and a double -- three runs scored and two RBIs to help the Fisher Cats outslug the Yard Goats, 10-5, at Hartford's Dunkin' Donuts Park. They each went 3-for-5.
Guerrero homered for the fourth time in 11 games, and his third consecutive multi-hit effort pushed his average to a season-high .405, the third-best mark in the Minors behind No. 9 Astros prospect
Following a flyout by Bichette in the top of the first inning, Guerrero opened the scoring with a solo dinger to right-center field, his sixth homer of the season. The duo notched consecutive singles in the second and teamed up again to help produce a run in the fourth when Bichette laced his ninth double of the season, moved to third on Guerrero's infield single and scored on
Bichette singled to right in the eighth to load the bases in front of a strikeout by Guerrero, but
Guerrero has gone 34-for-75 (.453) while hitting safely in 18 of 20 games, which includes 12 multi-hit performances, 13 extra-base hits, 23 RBIs and 19 runs scored. MLB.com's No. 2 overall prospect is all over the Eastern League leaderboard. In addition to sporting the second-highest average and the third-most runs (28), the 19-year-old third baseman leads the circuit in hits (51), doubles (13) and RBIs (38). The Blue Jays' top prospect has also claimed a pair of EL Offensive Player of the Week Awards and recently made news by hitting a ball off a tee over Northeast Dental Stadium's right-field fence.
Gameday box score
Bichette, MLB.com's No. 11 overall prospect, entered Monday batting .244 over nine games this month, but he rebounded with his first multi-hit effort since May 2 and his 10th overall. His three-hit night helped him snap out of a 2-for-23 stretch that dropped his average to .264, the lowest it had been since the second game of the season. Toronto's second-ranked prospect upped his slash line to .276/.353/.403 with 13 extra-base hits and 11 RBIs in 32 games.
Starter
Michael Avallone is a contributor to MiLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @MavalloneMiLB.