On Monday, Bowling Green saved the Rays organization from being swept (Rays and Bulls did not play). The excitement of the early season is starting to wear out, and the real performers will soon separate themselves from those who just had a good start to the season. After the jump is a full recap of Monday down on the farm.
AAA Durham Bulls (11-20)
Game postponed.
AA Montgomery Biscuits (14-18)
The Montgomery Biscuits were defeated by the Chattanooga Lookouts on Monday night by the score of 5-3. The bullpen was strong and the hitting was solid, but Jacob Thompson struggled once again, surrendering five runs in his five innings of work. Omar Luna lead the offensive charge of the Biscuits, going 2-3 with two walks. Despite collecting nine walks and eight hits, the Biscuits couldn't push across many runs, coming up short in the end.
High-A Charlotte Stone Crabs (14-17)
In a close and exciting game, the Crabs were beaten by the Clearwater Threshers by the score of 6-5. Clearwater scored in the first inning off of the Crab's starter Wilking Rodriguez. In the third inning, the Crabs countered with three runs of their own, with a Cody Rogers homerun and doubles from Acosta and Morrison. The scored evened up in the bottom of the inning thanks to a homerun and several hits. Charlotte scored a run in the fourth and a run in the fifth, but the Threshers offense would not give up, scoring three more runs, including one in the bottom of the eighth inning. After coming off a strong start, Rodriguez never found his rhythm, stumbling through 4.2 innings. Acosta collected two multiple base hits for the Stone Crabs.
Low-A Bowling Green Hot Rods (17-14)
The Bowling Green Hot Rods are already a good team. If Joshua Sale proves to be an offensive force, they can be a great team. So far, Sale has provided the offensive boost, and the Hot Rods were victorious on Monday night, winning 4-0. Hot Rod's pitchers' Jake Floethe and Andrew Bellatti surrendered only two hits on the day, striking out seven and walking four. Sale and Vettleson both collected doubles for the Hot Rods.
Star of the day: Mayo Acosta
Goat of the day: Wilking Rodriguez
Today's Games (probables courtesy of Milb.com)
Durham @ Syracuse, 5:00 PM, Game 2, (doubleheader)
Paduch v. Duke
TBD v. TBD
Montgomery @ Chattanooga, 7:15 PM
Dyer v. Eovaldi
Charlotte v. Daytona, 6:30 PM
TBD v. TBD
Bowling Green v. Lake County, 11:35 AM
Rivero v. Araujo
Notable Stat Lines:
- Jacob Thompson: 5 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 7 Ks, HR
- Marquis Fleming: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 1 K
- Hak-Ju Lee: 1-4, BB, 2 Ks
- Tyler Bortnick: 0-4, BB, CS
- Kyeong Kang: 1-5, 2B, K
- Henry Wrigley: 1-4, BB
- Wilking Rodriguez: 4.2 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 6 Ks, HR
- Ty Morrison: 1-5, 2B, K
- Riccio Torrez: 1-3
- Mikie Mahtook: 2-4, CS
- Derek Dietrich: 1-4, K
- Cody Rogers: 1-4, HR, 2 Ks
- Hector Guevara: 1-4, E
- Jake Floethe: 6 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 Ks
- Andrew Bellatti: 3 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 4 Ks
- Ryan Brett: 1-4, K, E (3)
- Drew Vettleson: 1-4, 2B, K
- Jeff Malm: 0-3, K
- Todd Glaesmann: 0-4, K
- Joshua Sale: 2-3, 2B, SB
- Jake Hager: 0-2
- Tyler Goeddel: 1-2, BB, K, SB
Thoughts and Discussion:
- I was able to catch some of the Montgomery games on Milb TV. Jacob Thompson struggled mightily with his command, leaving balls up in the zone where his fastball really flattened and became hittable. His fastball generated few swings and misses, with most of them coming when his delivery straightened out. At his best and during brief good mechanical stretches, he got excellent downhill plane on his fastball, making it almost unhittable low in the zone. His slider and changeup, which he rarely threw, both generated some swinging strikes. His upside is that of a 2-4 starter, but he really needs to work on getting that excellent downhill plane, or else his upside looks far more dim.
- Kyeong Kang was impressive, with his last homerun being a very deep drive. His potential is that of a late developer, a guy who had good command of the strike zone and developed power. He really needs to get to AAA, just like fellow teammate Henry Wrigley, who was also impressive.
- Joshua Sale has reached has reached base six times in his first three games. How many times did he reach base six times in three games last year? Zero (by my count). #smallsamplesizes
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MrNegative went to the Port Charlotte game last night. I asked him for a few thoughts, and here is what he said,
Dietrich can't play short! Wiling throws hard but command is an issue. Umpires with quick fuses....park was enjoyable