Lafayette Drillers Flashback: Jay Dillard

The Lafayette Drillers, a Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, called Lafayette, Louisiana their home for two years, from 1975-1976.

The Drillers, who played their home games at Clark Field, were co-champions of the Texas League in 1975 with the Midland Cubs, finishing 72-57, before going 58-76 in 1976, the last year of affiliated professional baseball in Lafayette.

A number of outstanding players, who eventually made it into Major League Baseball ranks played at Clark Field in 1975 & 1976, including five former Lafayette Driller players.

All summer long, we’re taking a look back at some of the former players for the Drillers.

Today, Jay Dillard.

Dillard was a starting pitcher for the Drillers during both the 1975 and 1976 seasons.

A native of San Jose, California, Dillard went to Branham High School, before being drafted in the 20th round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the San Francisco Giants in 1971.

The 6-foot-5, 190-pound Dillard made minor league stops in Great Falls, Montana, and Decatur, Georgia, before joining the Drillers in 1975.

With Lafayette, Dillard pitched in 20 games in ’75, starting 15, going 7-4, with a 3.95 earned run average.

In 98 innings pitched, Fuqua allowed 90 hits, 43 earned runs, and 63 walks, while striking out 57 hitters.

Dillard finished sixth in starts, and fifth in innings pitched in 1975.

The right-hander returned to Lafayette in 1976, going 8-5 with a 2.30 ERA, which led the '76 club.

Dillard made it to the AAA level in the late part of 1976, going 1-6 with a 9.75 ERA. with Phoenix, before ending his professional career with AA Waterbury in 1977, going 7-9 with a 5.24 ERA.

Dillard concluded his seven-year professional career going 39-45 with a 3.99 ERA. over 145 appearances.