DotF: Torres, Estrada help Trenton to a win on Opening Day

• The RHP Dillon Tate mystery has been solved. Josh Norris says he’s dealing with a shoulder issue. That’s why he wasn’t on an Opening Day roster. Sucks. Hopefully it’s minor and he can get back on a mound soon.
• LHP Jordan Montgomery will make his next start with Triple-A Scranton on Tuesday, according to Shane Hennigan. He started for High-A Tampa on Thursday only because the weather forecast in the Northeast was terrible, and the Yankees wanted to make sure he got his work in and remained lined up for April 16th, the first day they need a fifth starter.

Triple-A Scranton (4-2 loss to Buffalo) this is their season opener after a pair of rainouts, so here’s the full lineup per Opening Day tradition

• SS Tyler Wade: 1-4, 1 R
• LF Clint Frazier: 1-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 2 K — keep the extra-base hits coming
• CF Dustin Fowler: 0-4, 1 K
• C Kyle Higashioka: 0-4, 1 RBI, 1 PB, 1 E (fielding) — passed ball and an error, but he also threw out both runners who tried to steal … he’s heading to Baltimore to join the Yankees tomorrow following the C Gary Sanchez injury
  
• 2B Rob Refsnyder: 1-3, 1 BB — got picked off first … this is now his fourth season at this level
• RF Mason Williams: 2-4
• 3B Donovan Solano: 0-3, 1 RBI, 1 K — he led the International League with 163 hits last season
• 1B Ji-Man Choi: 1-4, 1 K
• DH Mark Payton: 1-3, 1 2B
• RHP Johnny Barbato: 4 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 1/2 GB/FB — 48 of 76 pitches were strikes (63%) … and thus begins his audition as a starting pitcher
• LHP Jason Gurka: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 4/0 GB/FB — 21 of 35 pitches were strikes (60%)
• RHP Gio Gallegos: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K — 25 of 38 pitches were strikes (66%)

Double-A Trenton (6-2 win over Erie) same deal as Scranton, this is their Opening Day after two rainouts, so here is the full lineup

• CF Rashad Crawford: 1-5, 1 K
• 2B Thairo Estrada: 3-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 HBP — the Summer of Thairo 2.0 has arrived in Trenton
• SS Gleyber Torres: 2-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 K — nice season debut for the top prospect … the Gleyber Torres Watch is in the sidebar, in case you haven’t seen it yet
  
• 1B Mike Ford: 2-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 E (fielding) — I feel like he’s spent more time here, but this is only his 43rd career game with the Thunder
• 3B Miguel Andujar: 0-5, 2 K — get ’em tomorrow, Miggy
• RF Billy McKinney: 0-4, 1 K — get ’em tomorrow, Billy
• DH Dante Bichette Jr.: 2-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 K — ah yes, time for the annual “is DBJ turning it around???” April hot streak
• LF Zack Zehner: 1-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K
• C Francisco Diaz: 1-3, 1 R, 1 BB
• RHP Chance Adams: 5.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 5 K, 6/2 GB/FB — 48 of 85 pitches were strikes (56%) … a few too many walks, but a very nice season debut for last year’s breakout pitcher
• LHP Caleb Frare: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 1/0 GB/FB — 17 of 30 pitches were strikes (57%), plus he picked a runner off first … he had a frickin’ ton of pickoffs last year, I dunno how many because the stats aren’t kept anywhere, but it was a lot … easily more than ten, possibly more than 15
• RHP J.P. Feyereisen: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 3/0 GB/FB — 11 of 17 pitches were strikes (65%) … a little surprised he’s not in Scranton, but he should be there soon enough

High-A Tampa (5-4 loss to Lakeland in 16 innings, walk-off style)

• SS Jorge Mateo: 0-4, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 HBP, 2 SB, 1 E (throwing) — reminder: the center field stuff won’t matter if he doesn’t start hitting
• 2B Nick Solak: 1-6, 1 BB, 2 K
• CF Tito Polo: 0-5, 1 BB, 3 K
• LF Trey Amburgey: 0-7, 4 K — threw a runner out at third
  
• RF Austin Aune: 2-5, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 BB, 2 K — strikeouts and extra-base hits: the Austin Aune story
• DH Jhalan Jackson: 1-6, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 K
• 3B Abi Avelino: 1-5, 1 BB — got picked off second …  too many middle infielders and not enough roster spots … he seems to be getting the short end of the playing time stick so far
• RHP Domingo Acevedo: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 6 K, 5/2 GB/FB — 41 of 62 pitches were strikes (66%), plus he picked a runner off first … that’s the first four-walk outing of his career … he’s usually around the zone despite being 6-foot-7 and having those long limbs
• RHP Colten Brewer: 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 3/1 GB/FB — 36 of 47 pitches were strikes (77%) … nice organizational debut for the former Pirates fourth round pick who came over as a minor league Rule 5 Draft pick this past offseason … Brewer kinda stalled out as a starter with the Pirates and I figured the Yankees would stick him in the bullpen and see what happens

Low-A Charleston (6-4 win over Lexington)

• 2B Oswaldo Cabrera: 0-3, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K
• DH Blake Rutherford: 1-3, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K — his go-ahead two-run single capped off their five-run seventh inning … he’s 5-for-11 (.455) with three walks and three strikeouts so far
• C Donny Sands: 1-4, 1 RBI, 2 K, 1 PB — he’s only been catching full-time for a year, so I’m guessing we’ll see quite a few wild pitches and passed balls this season
• CF Estevan Florial: 1-4, 1 R, 1 K, 1 SB
• RF Isiah Gilliam: 0-3, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 SB
• SS Diego Castillo: 1-4, 1 R, 1 RBI
• RHP Jio Orozco: 4 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 1 HB, 0/2 GB/FB — 42 of 69 pitches were strikes (61%) … 19-year-old came over in the Ben Gamel trade last year
• RHP Anyelo Gomez: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 1/0 GB/FB — 20 of 30 pitches were strikes