Triple A Durham Bulls (7-12)
Columbus 1, BULLS 0-Andy Sonnanstine pitched seven strong innings of work, but the Bulls managed just two hits on the day and were shut out 1-0 by Columbus for their third loss in a row, dropping them to an organization-worst 7-12 on the year. Sonnanstine threw 102 pitches and faced 26 batters in taking the loss for the Bulls. He gave up the only run of the ballgame, but he surrendered just five hits and no walks while striking out seven. Steve Andrade pitched a scoreless two innings to finish out the ballgame and lower his ERA to 1.46. Ultimately, however, it was the lack of a Durham offense that doomed the Bulls. No Durham player had an extra base hit, and the two base hits that were came from the bottom of the order in SS Matt Maniscalco and CF Jeremy Owens. 2B Elliot Johnson, 1B Wes Bankston, C Shawn Riggans, and RF Justin Ruggiano all were hitless and did not reach base, while DH Jorge Cantu was hitless and had a walk.
BULLS Up Next-vs Columbus, 7:00 ET (RH Mitch Talbot)
Double A Montgomery Biscuits (9-9)
Huntsville 10, BISCUITS 3-James Houser pitched a shaky five innings of work for the Biscuits, but it was the Montgomery bullpen that gave way in a six run sixth inning and the Biscuits fell 10-3 to the Huntsville Stars on Monday night. Houser surrendered three runs in his start for Montgomery, but he also walked four and gave up five hits. Still, he was not on the hook for the loss as Montgomery when RBI singles from Jason Pridie, Josh Asanovich, and Fernando Perez tied the game up at three. It would ultimately be Montgomery's final runs of the ballgame, as Jarrod Matthews was bombed in his first losing appearance of the season. He was on the hook for three runs and retired just one batter in his outing. Mike Flanagan wasn't much better, allowing the inherited runners to score and having three runs charged to himself just for good measure. He would pitch a scoreless seventh before coming on in the eighth and allowing two singles before being removed. One of those runs scored, Huntsville's tenth of the game, before Nick DeBarr finished out the ballgame in a scoreless 1.2 innings of work. Flanagan ended up being charged with four runs on seven hits in two innings of work. The Biscuits' lineup wasn't totally absolved though. Montgomery had just one extra base hit on the evening, a double from Shaun Cumberland, while Josh Arhart and Asanovich had the only two multiple hit performances on the day in the order. Chris Nowak, Evan Longoria, and Fernando Perez each had one hit, while Reid Brignac was held without a hit. He is 1 for his last 8.
BISCUITS Up Next-vs Huntsville, 11:35am (RH Chris Mason)
High A Vero Beach Devil Rays (7-9)
Brevard County 7, V-RAYS 1-Jake McGee struggled in a four run first inning, and Vero Beach's offense regressed back to their earlier state, pounding out just two hits and one run as the V-Rays dropped their game Monday night, 7-1 to the Brevard County Manatees. McGee, getting the start for Vero Beach, surrendered all of his four runs in that first inning, though only three of them were were earned. He only went four innings on the day and struggled at avoiding baserunners. He allowed six hits and three walks on the day in taking his first loss of the season. Vero Beach would never come close to taking the lead after that, and just for good measure Kevin Lynn and Jonathan Beltre surrendered three unearned runs over the final four frames to close out the ballgame. The lone V-Ray run came when C Christian Lopez tripled and was brought home on an RBI groundout by LF Chris Cunningham. Lopez's triple was the only extra base hit of the ballgame for Vero Beach, though Cunningham, SS Neil Walton, and DH Sergio Pedroza, among others, walked.
V-RAYS Up Next-at Brevard County, 7:00 ET (RH Wade Davis)
Low A Columbus Catfish (10-8)
CATFISH 5, Rome 3 (12)-Josh Butler pitched a solid six innings of work and the Catfish scored two in the top of the 12th, their second straight extra inning game, to beat the Rome Braves 5-3 on Monday night. Columbus has played 28 innings worth of baseball over the last two nights, and have won three straight against Rome to set up a possible sweep of the R-Braves this evening when they face off. Butler pitched six innings in his fourth start of the season, giving up three runs (but just two were earned) while striking out five and walking none. The Catfish bullpen held the fort down for the last six innings of the ballgame, allowing the Catfish to tie the game in the top of the seventh with a two run rally, as well as the go-ahead two run 12th inning. Chris Kelly and Neal Frontz pitched six combined scoreless innings, and Frontz picked up his first win of the season. Meanwhile, John Matulia, Cesar Suarez, and Matt Spring each had two hits on offense for Columbus, including a triple for Matulia and a double each for Suarez and Spring. Ryan Royster also doubled for the Catfish, while Desmond Jennings picked up one hit in six at bats.
CATFISH Up Next-at Rome, 7:00 ET (RH Heath Rollins)