Triple A Durham Bulls (7-11)
Toledo 7, BULLS 4 (16)-The Bulls scored one in the eighth to tie their game Sunday with the Toledo Mud Hens late, but little did they know that the first eight innings would literally be half the battle in a 7-4 loss in 16 innings. The Bulls, along with every other Rays affiliate, played in extra innings today, as the Rays and Columbus played a combined 31 innings worth of baseball today. Add in Montgomery, and you have 42 innings worth of baseball between three teams, and 49 among the organization's four active teams. Jeff Niemann started the game for Durham and surrendered three runs in five innings, while striking out eight. Seth McClung and Chad Orvella combined to shut out the Mud Hens for the next five innings, while Jeff Ridgway and Scott Dohmann combined to give up just one run over the next five innings. That lone run was scored in the 12th off of Ridgway, and was matched by a Jorge Cantu RBI single in the bottom half of the inning. Cantu finished 3 for 7 in the ballgame, and had a double while also scoring a run. He was the only Bull with three hits in a game that featured 13 total from the Durham lineup. DH Wes Bankston added two hits for Durham, as did 3B Joel Guzman. Guzman hit a two run home run in the second inning, walked, and singled in a run later, however he also had two errors on the day, one fielding and one throwing. 2B Elliot Johnson tripled for the Bulls, one of his two hits on the day, while C Shawn Riggans and RF Justin Ruggiano also had a hits for Durham. Ruggiano's hit was a double, and Riggans was hit twice by pitches in five and seven at bats, respectively. The only Durham hitter to have seven hitless at bats was SS Jorge Velandia. Ultimately Durham lost when Tim Corcoran surrendered three Mud Hen runs in the top of the 16th inning. He allowed four hits in taking his first loss of the season.
BULLS Up Next-vs Columbus, 7:00 ET (RH Andy Sonnanstine)
Double A Montgomery Biscuits (9-8)
Huntsville 2, BISCUITS 1 (11)-Derek Feldkamp pitched five solid innings, but the Biscuits left 11 men on base and lost in 11 innings, 2-1 to the Huntsville Stars. The Biscuits pounded out nine hits on the day, two each from SS Brooks Badeaux, 3B Evan Longoria, and RF Shaun Cumberland. Badeaux had the only extra base hit of the day for the Biscuits, while Reid Brignac also had a hit, as well as an intentional walk. Chris Nowak drove in Badeaux with an RBI single in the first for Montgomery's only run, and he later walked. On the mound, meanwhile, Feldkamp kept the Biscuits in the game, giving up just a lone run in the fourth. He also walked one and struck out five. Richard De Los Santos did an excellent job of holding the fort down for Montgomery over his three perfect innings, and Nick DeBarr added a scoreless ninth (albeit with two walks). Even the losing pitcher, Brian Henderson, really didn't pitch that poorly. His lone hit given up proved to be a long one, a solo home run to be exact that ended up being the winning run, but he only walked one outside of that in two innings of work.
BISCUITS Up Next-vs Huntsville, 8:05 ET (LH James Houser)
High A Vero Beach Devil Rays (7-8)
Yesterday-OFF
V-Rays Up Next-at Brevard County, 7:00 ET (LH Jake McGee)
Low A Columbus Catfish (10-8)
CATFISH 8, Rome 3 (16)-Woods Fines pitched a fantastic six innings of work for the Catfish, but the game would not be won for another ten innings as Columbus became the only affiliate in the Rays organization to record a win on the day, 8-3 in 16 innings over the Rome Braves. The Columbus lineup pounded out 17 hits on the day, four by CF Desmond Jennings, who reached base a total of five times on the day. He scored two runs, and had a double among his collection of base hits, though he was also caught stealing. RF Quinn Stewart and 2B Joel Callender each had three hits for the Catfish, while Stewart doubled, scored a run, and drove in three of Columbus' eight runs. 3B Cesar Suarez and LF Ryan Royster were the last players with two hits for Columbus. Suarez doubled and scored a run, as well as drove in a run on the day, while also reaching base on a walk. C Nevin Ashley and DH John Matulia were hitless for the Catfish, though Ashley was replaced in the eighth inning. Matulia didn't record a hit in eight at bats, the only regular to play all 16 innings without recording a hit. The Catfish only used three pitchers on the day, led off by Fines, who gave up but one run in his six innings of work while striking out five. Ryan Morse pitched the following six in his first relief appearance of the season, though he allowed the tying two Rome runs to score in the ninth, only one of which was earned. Those were the only runs he allowed in his outing, as he struck out seven and walked just two while allowing four hits. Ryan Reid, however, was clearly the best pitcher from either team in the ballgame. He went four perfect innings of work and struck out four in earning his first win of the season.
CATFISH Up Next-at Rome, 7:00 ET (RH Josh Butler)