Legacy Lugnuts: Guerrero, Bichette go deep for Lansing
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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette turned Class A Lansing's season opener on Friday into a family affair, as the two sons of former big leaguers both hit home runs to lead the Lugnuts past Great Lakes, 6-3, in Game 1 of a doubleheader.
Guerrero, the son of 2004 AL MVP and nine-time All Star Vladimir Guerrero, put Lansing ahead with his two-run homer to right field in the top of the fifth inning. It was one of two hits collected out of the cleanup spot by the Blue Jays' top-ranked prospect (No. 32 overall).
• Box score
Bichette, who batted third in the contest, went 3-for-4 and helped to pad Lansing's lead in the top of the seventh with a solo homer to the opposite field. The son of former Rockies slugger Dante Bichette, Bo ranks as the ninth-best prospect in Toronto's system. Both players tallied two runs and two RBIs apiece.
Right-hander Justin Maese (Blue Jays' No. 10) allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits in five innings to record the win for Lansing.
Guerrero and Bichette's performances in their first full-season game were reminiscent of their impressive professional debuts last season.
Guerrero, just 17 at the time, batted .271/.359/.449 with 23 extra-base hits and 46 RBIs over 62 games with Rookie-level Bluefield despite being the Appalachian League's youngest player. He also stole 15 bases in 20 attempts and posted an advanced 33-to-35 walk-to-strikeout ratio.
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Bichette, meanwhile, posted a robust .427/.451/.732 line, with 15 extra-base hits and 36 RBIs, in 22 games in the Rookie Gulf Coast League after being drafted by the Blue Jays in the second round.