AAA Durham Bulls

Chris Richard hit a two-run home run in the top of the ninth, helping the Bulls erase a four-run deficit in defeating Lehigh Valley 5-4 on Saturday night.

David Price was scratched from his scheduled start (for obvious reasons), so Jason Childers made his first start since 2002.  He pitched only three innings, allowing four runs on seven hits.  The combination of Julio DePaula (four innings) and Winston Abreu (2-0, two innings) pitched six innings of scoreless relief.

After Lehigh Valley jumped out early, Jon Weber hit a three-run homer for Durham to bring them within one in the fifth.  Weber went 1-for-4 with three RBI.  Matt Joyce was 1-for-4 and he is now batting .317 for the season.  As a team, though, the Bulls struck out 15 times.

Durham, now 26-16, will finish the four-game series this afternoon with Wade Davis facing Carlos Carrasco in a battle of righties.



AA Montgomery Biscuits
The Biscuits got six solid innings from Heath Rollins, and Matt Spring drove in two runs in leading Montgomery to a 4-1 win over Jacksonville.

Rollins (5-2, 3.38) went six, allowing just one run on four hits.  He walked three and struck out three.  Calvin Medlock pitched the ninth for his 11th save of the year.


Desmond Jennings went 1-for-5 and is now in a mini-slump, going just 2 for his last 12.  His average now stands at .383 for the season.  Rashad Eldridge was 1-for-4 with two runs scored, and Jason Perry and Fernando Cortex each had two hits. 

This evening, righty Aneury Rodriguez (2-5, 5.84) will square off against righty Kyle Winters (0-1, 4.50) in game four of the series.




A+ Charlotte Stone Crabs
In a Saturday night pitcher’s duel, the Stone Crabs were defeated 2-1 by Fort Myers. 

Jeremy Hall (4-3) started and went six innings for Charlotte, allowing two runs on four hits, while striking out four and walking three.  Raynor Oliveros pitched two innings of scoreless relief, striking out one batter.

Fort Myers scored in the bottom of the first, but the Stone Crabs responded in the top of the second.  Nevin Ashley hit an RBI single to tie the score.

Cody Cipriano continued to impress, going 3-for-4, and he is now 7-for-11 in his last three games.  He is batting .337 for the season.

Today, Darin Downs (5-1) is scheduled to face David Bromberg (3-0) at Charlotte Sports Park.



A Bowling Green Hot Rods
After scoring only one run on eight hits in the first game on Saturday, the Hot Rods exploded for nine runs on 15 hits in the nightcap, defeating Savannah 9-4.

Chris Andujar (5-2) pitched five innings for the win.  He gave up four runs (three earned) on six hits, while walking one and striking out five.  Tommy Rafferty pitched two scoreless innings of relief.

Kyeong Kang went 3-for-4 and drove in two runs, as did Michael Sheridan, who hit a two-run homer in the fifth.  Robi Estrada also had three hits, and Tim Beckham went 2-for-4, raising his average to .301 for the year.
In game one, the Hot Rods allowed only one hit, while getting eight of their own, yet lost 2-1 to Savannah.  

Frank De Los Santos (3-3) took the loss after allowing just a two-run homer in the first.  He struck out six and walked three in six innings of work.

Bowling Green had chances, though, going 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position.  Jake Jefferies was 2-for-4, and Estrada also had two hits.  Beckham was 1-for-3 with a strikeout, and Kang was 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout.

The Hot Rods eight-game road trip continues on Sunday afternoon in Charleston against the RiverDogs.  Righty Joe Cruz (0-1, 1.86) goes for the Hot Rods against righty Hector Noesi (1-1, 1.39).

Notes from the Farm
*Rays righty Chad Bradford, who is recovering from elbow surgery, is scheduled to make his first rehab appearance today with Charlotte.