Down On The Farm: August 27

The GCL Rays season is in the books, and everyone else has a week left in the regular season. Montgomery and Hudson Valley could join Bowling Green in the postseason.

Short Season-A Hudson Valley Renegades (46-20) ***Featured game of the day***

Hudson Valley's strong pitching staff fired another gem in their 3-0 win over Aberdeen. Although he didn't get the win, Jesse Hahn threw his 3rd straight start with five scoreless innings and only one hit allowed. In addition, he struck out a career high seven batters. In five August starts, Hahn has a 1.19 ERA and 0.53 WHIP in 22.2 innings with 28 strikeouts. The Renegades got on the board in the 6th inning with a two run single by Richie Shaffer, and they would later score their 3rd run on a squeeze bunt by Leonardo Reginatto. Shaffer is now working on a five game hitting streak that includes three multi-hit games. In relief of Hahn, Brandon Henderson's impressive season continued with two strikeouts in three scoreless innings.

AAA Durham Bulls (65-72)

As you may have seen here last night, Sean Rodriguez hit the Durham Bull to win a steak last night in Durham's 4-3 win over Norfolk. It was the first time the bull has been hit this season, and it helped the Bulls win their 6th straight game, a season high. That wasn't the only home run that came from Durham's infield Sunday; Tim Beckham hit his 6th of the season to continue a hot streak near the end of the season. He's batting .289/.333/.632 over his last 10 games with four homers. Cesar Ramos ended his extremely ineffective streak with his best start of the year. He struck out six in six scoreless innings and exited with a 4-0 lead. Rich Thompson collected three hits and three more stolen bases, giving him 28 for the season.

AA Montgomery Biscuits (34-29)

Montgomery dropped into a 1st place tie with Jacksonville after their 7-3 loss to the Suns. With a 3-2 lead going into the 6th inning, Kyle Lobstein was pitching a decent start before everything unraveled. In the 6th, he allowed five hits while only recording one out on a sac bunt. Jacksonville scored four runs that inning, and Lobstein finished with six runs allowed in 5.1 innings. Mayo Acosta's two run homer in the 5th inning provided the bulk of Montgomery's offense, but he had to leave the game in the 6th with an injury. Greg Sexton had two of Montgomery's 10 hits and reached base three times. Nick Barnese made just his second relief appearance of his career that didn't involve a rehabbing major leaguer, and he allowed a solo home run in two innings.

High-A Charlotte Stone Crabs (24-36)

Charlotte was postponed.

Low-A Bowling Green Hot Rods (38-24)

Bowling Green used some crooked numbers and another solid start by Parker Markel in their 10-4 win over South Bend. Markel allowed two runs (one earned) in six innings, and that makes seven straight quality starts in a tremendous second half turnaround for the pre-season top 15 prospect in the organization. The Hot Rods had three innings with multiple runs scored, including a four-run 9th that put a lot of distance between themselves and the Silver Hawks. Seven Hot Rods reached base multiple times, including Kes Carter who is still not injured after being installed as their leadoff hitter. Jake Hager picked up three more hits including his 20th double of the season, and Cameron Seitzer hit his 34th. Josh Sale had his second straight multi-hit game as he tries to finish his season healthy and on a high note.

Rookie Princeton Rays (35-31)

After blowing a sizable 9th inning lead, Princeton rebounded in the 10th to beat Elizabethton 8-6. A two run homer and error by John Alexander led to the E-Twins to tying the game at six in the 9th, and in the 10th, back to back bases loaded singles by Oscar Hernandez and John Alexander gave the P-Rays the necessary offense. Elizabethton suffered death by a thousand singles with only one of the 15 Rays' hits going for extra bases. The top seven hitters in Princeton's lineup each has two or more hits with Alexander leading the way with three, and he's batting .357 in his last 10 games. Kevin James started and allowed two runs (one earned) in five innings.

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Star of the day- Jesse Hahn has been great lately, but Sean Rodriguez hitting the bull is probably the most exciting thing that happened in Durham's season.

Goat of the day- If Nick Barnese is permanently in the bullpen now, he didn't get his career as a reliever off to a good start.

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

Durham is off

Montgomery v. Jacksonville 8:05 PM
TBA v. Bryan Evans (5-8, 4.86)

Charlotte v. Palm Beach 6:30 PM
Albert Suarez (5-8, 3.92) v. TBA

Bowling Green @ South Bend 7:05 PM
TBA v. Keith Hessler* (2-3, 2.78)

Hudson Valley @ Staten Island 7 PM (MiLB.TV)
Matthew Spann* (3-4, 3.26) v. Evan Rutcykj (4-5, 4.14)

Princeton @ Elizabethton 7 PM
Bruedlin Suero (4-3, 4.07) v. Angel Mata (4-3, 3.27)

*Listed as TBA on MiLB.com

Scouting the opposition

Jacksonville Suns (Miami)
34-29 (1st in SL South)
Offense: 577 R (4th) .698 OPS (7th)
Pitching: 3.90 ERA (5th) 1.32 WHIP (1st)
Top 30 Prospects: LHP Grant Dayton (17), OF Kyle Jensen (19), RHP A.J. Ramos (20), C Kyle Skipworth (21), RHP Joey O'Gara (25), 3B Zack Cox, LHP Brian Flynn

Palm Beach Cardinals
29-33 (4th in FSL South)
Offense: 507 R (11th) .671 OPS (11th)
Pitching: 3.79 ERA (6th) 1.32 WHIP (5th)
Top 30 Prospects: C Cody Stanley (24), RHP Seth Blair (28)

South Bend Silver Hawks (Arizona)
30-32 (7th in MWL East)
Offense: 631 R (4th) .696 OPS (8th)
Pitching: 4.29 ERA (15th) 1.42 WHIP (15th)
Top 30 Prospects: RHP Archie Bradley (2), RHP Tyler Green (25), RHP Jesse Darrah (26), RHP J.R. Bradley (27), LHP John Pedrotty (29)

Staten Island Yankees
24-41 (4th in McNamara)
Offense: 275 R (6th) .660 OPS (6th)
Pitching: 4.42 ERA (13th) 1.48 WHIP (13th)
Top 30 Prospects: OF Ravel Santana (7), SS Claudio Custodio (25), C Greg Bird (28), C Peter O'Brien

Elizabethton Twins
42-21 (1st in APP West)
Offense: 392 R (1st) .810 OPS (1st)
Pitching: 3.15 ERA (1st) 1.23 WHIP (2nd)
Top 30 Prospects: 3B Travis Harrison (11), RHP Hudson Boyd (18), SS Niko Goodrum (19), OF Max Kepler (20), SS Jorge Polanco (28), RHP Angel Mata (29), OF Byron Buxton, RHP J.O. Berrios