AAA Durham Bulls (0-2)
Toledo 9, BULLS 2-The Toledo Mud Hens jumped out to a 6-0 lead by the end of the fifth inning, and the Bulls would not recover as they dropped their second in a row to start the season. CF Fernando Perez and RF Justin Ruggiano each had two hits in five at bats for the Bulls, including a double for Ruggiano. SS Reid Brignac went hitless in four at bats for the Bulls, but did draw a walk. 3B Evan Longoria went 0 for 4 and struck out, while 1B Joel Guzman doubled, his only hit in four at bats.
On the hill, RH Mitch Talbot took the loss for Durham, giving up three runs (two earned) in just four innings of work, surrendering eight hits and no walks while striking out two. He threw just 67 pitches as the Rays try to ease their starting prospects into the season. RH Ben Hendrickson gave away the farm for the Bulls; he was charged with six runs in just 2.2 innings of work. RH Nick DeBarr closed out the ballgame with a scoreless 1.1 inning stint.
BULLS Up Next-at Toledo, 7:00 ET (RH Chris Mason)
AA Montgomery Biscuits (0-1)
Chattanooga at BISCUITS, PPD-The scheduled game Friday evening between the Biscuits and Chattanooga Lookouts was postponed due to heavy rain in Montgomery, Alabama. The game will be made up as part of a double-header on Sunday afternoon, with the first game beginning at 3:05 ET. The second game will follow, 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game. Both games will be seven inning affairs.
BISCUITS Up Next-vs Chattanooga, 8:05 ET (RH Wade Davis)
A+ Vero Beach Devil Rays (2-0)
V-RAYS 5, St. Lucie 3-RF Garrett Groce had a solo home run among his two hits while RHP Jeremy Hellickson tossed five innings of one-run baseball as Vero Beach remained the only undefeated team in the Rays organization. SS Jairo De La Rosa had three hits for the Devil Rays and drove in two runs, while CF John Matulia had a double among his two hits. LF Ryan Royster also homered for Vero Beach.
On the mound, meanwhile, Hellickson had a superb outing to open his season. He surrendered just five hits, including a home run. The solo shot was the only run the visiting Mets would get all day off of Hellickson, as the right-hander walked none and struck out five. LH Ryan Morse followed Hellickson and gave up the final two St. Lucie runs before RHs Chris Kelly and Neal Frontz combined for four strikeouts and two shutout innings to finish off the ballgame.
V-RAYS Up Next-vs Daytona, 6:00 ET (RH Josh Butler)
A- Columbus Catfish (0-2)
Savannah 7, CATFISH 4-The visiting Sand Gnats scored six of their seven runs in the first four innings off of Columbus LHP Glenn Gibson and sat on the lead for the remaining five as the defending SALLY League champions lost their second in a row to start the season. Gibson would pitch only those four innings and was charged with four earned runs on five hits and one home run, walking one and striking out four. Three Catfish relievers would combine to limit the Sand Gnats to just one run following Gibson's departure.
Offensively, the Catfish picked it up a notch from the previous day, when they were one-hit in a shutout loss to the same team, but they still didn't produce enough to overcome the early deficit. LF Reid Fronk went three for four with two runs scored for Columbus, while stealing three bases. C Mike McCormick was the only other Columbus player to record multiple hits; he also had three, including a double, but also committed a throwing error. DH Stephen Vogt accounted for half of the Catfish's runs with a two-run shot in the sixth inning, his only hit of the night. CF Emeel Salem grounded into a double play, part of an 0 for 4 night in which he also drew a walk.
CATFISH Up Next-vs Savannah, 7:00 ET (RH Josh Johnson)