Down On The Farm: May 2

After a rough weekend, the Rays affiliates started getting some positive results to start the week. On the day it was announced that Tim Beckham would be suspended for 50 games, Reid Brignac started at shortstop for Durham and reached base four times.

AAA Durham Bulls (8-18)

Jesus Feliciano's two out walkoff single in the 10th inning gave Durham a second straight win by a 5-4 score against Louisville. Newcomer Lance Pendleton made his first start for the Bulls and threw four solid one-run innings. His opponent, Brett Tomko, is remarkably still in professional baseball. He allowed two runs on seven hits and five walks in five innings for the Bats. Like Monday's win against Indianapolis, Feliciano's run scoring hit brought home Shawn O'Malley. Both Feliciano and O'Malley had three hit games, and Feliciano drove in three of Durham's runs. Both teams had pitchers charged with blown saves; Cesar Ramos' came in the top of the 9th when he allowed his first run since April 5th. Reid Brignac had a four walk game and scored once.

AA Montgomery Biscuits (11-15)

After Matt Buschmann put the Biscuits in an early hole, a late rally against the Tennessee bullpen gave Montgomery a 6-5 win. A two run home run by Logan Watkins and two out single by Michael Burgess gave the Smokies a quick 3-0 lead. The Biscuits answered with a run in the second, but they wouldn't score again until the 7th. Consecutive triples to open the inning by Brad Coon and Hak-Ju Lee got the inning off on a positive start, and Tyler Bortnick brought home Lee with a groundout to make it a 4-3 game. Lee had his third straight multi-hit game. In the 8th, Kyeong Kang
his a two run dinger to give Montgomery their first lead. Coon stole two bases to set up Tyler Bortnick's single that proved to bring in the winning run. Rays Prospects star Henry Wrigley reached base four times.

High-A Charlotte Stone Crabs (12-13)

Charlotte started off their three game series with Bradenton on a high note with a 4-1 win. Braulio Lara won a pitcher's duel with one of the FSL's hottest starters, Eliecer Navarro. While Navarro struck out five in five innings only allowing two runs, Lara went six one-run innings. Shortstop Derek Dietrich hit his first home run of the season, just Charlotte's 4th so far in 2012. Robby Price's two hit game included a two run double in the 6th inning that gave the Stone Crabs a more comfortable three run margin. Mike Mahtook's season gave him nine hits in his last two games, but he's still looking for his first professional home run.

Low-A Bowling Green Hot Rods (14-11)

Bowling Green was off.

Star of the day- Jesus Feliciano had three hits and knocked in the winning run for the second consecutive day.

Goat of the day- No one thanks to the 3-0 record.

Today's games (probables courtesy of milb.com)

Durham v. Louisville 11:05 AM (MiLB.TV)
TBD v. Jeff Francis* (2-2, 3.30)

Montgomery @ Tennessee 11:30 AM (MiLB.TV)
Jake Thompson (0-1, 4.26) v. Nicholas Struck (2-2, 3.29)

Charlotte @ Bradenton 6:30 PM
Wilking Rodriguez (0-3, 6.63) v. Tyler Waldron (2-1, 5.95)

Bowling Green @ South Bend 7:05 PM
Jake Floethe* (2-1, 4.38) v. J.R. Bradley (2-2, 5.89)

*Listed as TBD on milb.com

Scouting the opposition

Louisville Bats (Cincinnati)
9-17 (4th in IL West)
Offense: 103 R (9th) .683 OPS (9th)
Pitching: 4.87 ERA (13th) 1.61 WHIP (14th)
Top 30 Prospects: 3B Todd Frazier (9), 1B Neftali Soto (11), 2B Chris Valaika (21), RHP Josh Judy (23)

Tennessee Smokies (Cubs)
11-15 (4th in SL North)
Offense: 84 R (9th) .668 OPS (8th)
Pitching: 3.63 ERA (5th) 1.34 WHIP (4th)
Top 30 Prospects: RHP Trey McNutt (4), Dae-Eun Rhee (11), RHP Dallas Beeler (12), OF Jae-Hoon Ha (18), 2B Logan Watkins (23), RHP Marcus Hatley (26), RHP Casey Weathers (27)

Bradenton Marauders (Pittsburgh)
11-14 (4th in FSL South)
Offense: 96 R (6th) .632 OPS (10th)
Pitching: 3.51 ERA (6th) 1.22 WHIP (4th)
Top 30 Prospects: RHP Gerrit Cole (1), RHP Jameson Taillon (2), Alex Dickerson (11), LHP Colton Cain (13), 1B OF Evan Chambers (26), OF Mel Rojas (29)

South Bend Silver Hawks (Arizona)
15-10 (2nd in MWL East)
Offense: 106 R (8th) .664 OPS (11th)
Pitching: 3.87 ERA (11th) 1.31 WHIP (10th)
Top 30 Prospects: RHP Archie Bradley (2), RHP Tyler Green (25), RHP Jesse Darrah (26), RHP J.R. Bradley (27), LHP John Pedrotty (29)

Notable State Lines...

• Josh Lueke: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
• Reid Brignac: 0-2, 4 BB
• Stephen Vogt: 1-5
• Marquis Fleming: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR
• Hak-Ju Lee: 2-5, 3B. 2 Ks (Stand Up Triple was ripped off a LHP, bouncing off the top of the RF wall in a hurry)
• Tyler Bortnick: 1-4, BB, K
• Henry Wrigley: 2-3, 2 BB
• Braulio Lara: 6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 Ks
• Ty Morrison: 1-4, 2 Ks, SB (6)
• Hector Guevara: 0-4, K
• Derek Dietrich: 1-4, HR (1), K
• Mikie Mahtook: 1-4
• Riccio Torrez: 0-4, K