ORCHARD PARK Hakeem Butler Jersey , N.Y. (AP) — four players, starting with Florida linebacker Vosean Joseph in the fifth round.The Bills were relegated to filling depth needs Saturday, a day after trading their two fourth-round selections to move up and select Mississippi tight end Dawson Knox in the third round. Buffalo also traded a fifth-round pick to move up two spots and select Oklahoma offensive tackle Cody Ford at No. 38.Joseph was selected 147th overall, and ranked ninth among SEC players with 93 tackles as a junior last year.Buffalo’s next two picks were also defensive players. The Bills selected Miami safety Jaquan Johnson in the sixth round and then used their first of two seventh-round picks to choose North Carolina A&T defensive end Darryl Johnson.Darryl Johnson is listed at 6-foot-6 and 253 pounds. He led the MEAC with 10½ sacks and was the conference’s defensive player of the year last season.Buffalo closed the draft by selecting Boston College tight end Tommy Sweeney with the 225th overall pick. Sweeney had 99 catches for 1,281 yards and 10 touchdowns in 38 games.General manager Brandon Beane announced he’s already reached an agreement to sign University at Buffalo quarterback Tyree Jackson , an undrafted free agent. The 6-foot-7 Jackson was not among the 11 quarterbacks selected in the draft.Jackson left school following his junior season in which he was the Mid-American Conference offensive player of the year and helped Buffalo (10-4) set a single-season record for victories and its fourth bowl selection.Beane said the Bills are also considering signing undrafted Buffalo cornerback Cam Lewis. If his right arm isn’t healed in time for his next start, maybe Vince Velasquez can pitch with his left.
Ambidextrous, indeed.
Hit on his pitching arm by a line drive, Velasquez made a dazzling throw with his left hand, and Philadelphia overcame an early injury to its starting pitcher to beat the Washington Nationals 3-2 on Saturday night.
”It is well-known he is one of our best all-around athletes,” Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said. ”You just would never predict that.”
Velasquez was struck in the forearm by Adam Eaton’s liner in the second inning. He dropped his glove Chris Lindstrom Jersey , hustled to retrieve the ball as it deflected toward third base, and unleashed a strong toss with his opposite arm that nipped the speedy Eaton at first for the final out.
”I tried to finish the play,” Velasquez said.
The Phillies pitcher actually spent his junior season in high school as a lefty-throwing center fielder due to bone chips in his pitching arm that prevented him from taking the mound.
And on Friday night, Velasquez startled Phillies first baseman Carlos Santana by throwing a ball to him left-handed from the dugout in between innings.
”Kind of warmed up for that play today,” Velasquez joked.
So, Velasquez knew he could throw left-handed – he just didn’t know if he could make an accurate toss.
”I actually surprised myself throwing a strike right there,” he said.
After completing the play, Velasquez then dropped to the ground, writhing in pain and clutching his right arm. He was pulled from the game with a bruise, having allowed one run and three hits.
X-rays were negative, a better result than he anticipated.
Kapler said Velasquez would be further evaluated on Sunday. The pitcher said it was ”up in the air” whether he would be able to take his next turn in the rotation.
”We’ll see how it feels,” he said.
Victor Arano (1-0) followed Velasquez with two scoreless innings.
Odubel Herrera homered and Jorge Alfaro and Aaron Altherr had RBI doubles as the Phillies bounced back from a 17-7 loss. Anthony Rendon homered for the Nationals, who went deep seven times in Friday night’s romp at Citizens Bank Park, but managed just eight hits against six Philadelphia pitchers.
”I thought we were going to score more than two runs after yesterday’s performance,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. ”We had our chances.”
Yacksel Rios kept Philadelphia in front by getting out of a jam in the eighth. After Adam Morgan allowed the first two runners to reach on a single and a walk, Rios entered and got Rendon to line out to right, Juan Soto to pop out and Mark Reynolds to ground out.
Rookie Seranthony Dominguez pitched a scoreless ninth for his seventh save in his eighth chances. Dominguez retired the first two batters before pinch-hitter Daniel Murphy doubled to right, but the right-hander retired Eaton on a flyball.
”Cool as a cucumber,” Kapler said. ”A special performance.”
Jeremy Hellickson (2-1) returned to the mound for Washington after being sidelined since June 4 with a right hamstring strain. The veteran right-hander allowed three runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings with four strikeouts and two walks.
RED-HOT RENDON
Rendon is batting .396 in his last 13 games, with hits in 12 of those contests. His 85 career hits against Philadelphia are tied for his most against any opponent.
WHAT A THROW
Alfaro upped his major-league lead to 15 base runners caught stealing when he nailed the swift Trea Turner for the final out in the fifth. Turner entered second in the majors with 22 steals Kendall Sheffield Jersey , but was easily out.
”Alfaro threw a bullet,” Martinez said.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Nationals: RHP Stephen Strasburg (right shoulder inflammation), out since June 10, threw a bullpen session on Saturday. … Washington transferred 1B Ryan Zimmerman, who has been out since May 10 with a strained right oblique, to the 60-day DL.
UP NEXT
The teams close out the four-game series on Sunday afternoon with Washington LHP Gio Gonzalez (6-5, 3.68) facing Phillies RHP Jake Arrieta (5-6, 3.54).