Down on the farm May 24: Montgomery returns to Durham

After the best start in the organization, Bowling Green has cooled off a bit as of late.

Triple-A Durham Bulls (28-19) ***Featured game of the day***

With two outs in the ninth and a three run lead, a rain delay prematurely ended Durham's 8-5 win over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Three of the RailRider runs came in that ninth inning, but the tying run wasn't even at the plate when the game was called. The big story Thursday was Mike Montgomery's return to the Bulls after two appearances with Charlotte, and he was solid. He used 69 pitches (42 strikes) to work five innings, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out two, and he was helped out by some early offense. Durham put up four runs in the first inning before Montgomery even took the mound, topped off by a two run home run by Shelley Duncan against his former organization. Three innings later, a big home run would finish another four run frame for Durham, this one being a three run blast by Wil Myers. It would be his only hit in five at-bats. Brandon Guyer and Vince Belnome each reached base three times.

Double-A Montgomery Biscuits (22-24)

Despite a first inning run, Montgomery was shut down by Jackson in a 3-1 loss. Each team scored a first inning run, first Jackson in the top half of the inning on a two out wild pitch by Matt Buschmann. The Biscuits would score theirs on a fielding error. Mariners prospect Brad Miller delivered the big blow of the game in the third inning. With a runner on third, his two run homer gave the Generals the 3-1 lead they would not relinquish. Buschmann ended up striking out nine in five innings, but he also allowed six hits and walked four batters. Only five Biscuits hitters would reach base, and all three hits of the game were singles.

Class-A Advanced Charlotte Stone Crabs (20-26)

After falling behind 8-6 in the 11th inning, Charlotte came back to beat Clearwater in a 9-8 thriller. With one out and up by two runs, the Threshers conceded the seventh run on a groundout but could not record the elusive 27th out. After he tied the game up with a single, Ryan Brett stole second base and came home on Jake Hager's walkoff hit. The late heroics bailed out an ineffective Ryan Carpenter who worked the first 6.1 innings. He struck out eight and only walked one, but he also allowed two solo home runs on his way to being charged with six runs. Carpenter has now allowed 13 runs (10 earned) in his last two starts. Fortunately for the Stone Crabs, they were just as productive against Clearwater starter Nick Hernandez, Angel's nephew. Four Stone Crabs reached base three times, led by the suddenly hot Alejandro Segovia who had three hits, including his seventh double of the year.

Class A Bowling Green Hot Rods (27-16)

Brandon Henderson was roughed up in relief of Blake Snell in the resumption of Wednesday's game, resulting in a 4-3 loss for Bowling Green. Before Henderson even came out to pitch, he was given a 1-0 lead thanks to a walk parade grand marshaled by Miguel Sulbaran. He walked two and allowed a single to load the bases with two outs, and Joey Rickard picked up an easy RBI with the third walk of the inning. Great Lakes would have an interesting inning of their own in the third though, loading the bases with three infield singles before Tyler Ogle cleared them with a double. The Hot Rods would tie the game up, but the Loons scored the go-ahead run in the sixth when Bowling Green failed to turn a one-out double play as a runner came home to score. Tommy Coyle reached base twice and stole two bases, and Rickard walked three times.

A first inning run did in Bowling Green in another one run loss, this time by a 1-0 score. The Hot Rods conceded that run on a groundout, likely expecting to score at some point. Dylan Floro was sharp nonetheless, finishing with one run allowed in six innings with five strikeouts and no walks. Only seven Hot Rods would reach base (including two more times by Coyle), and five were left on base due to two double plays. Coyle hit his seventh double of the year and stole his 17th base.

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Star of the day- It was nice to see Montgomery not walk the park in his second start for Durham.

Goat of the day- Bowling Green's offense, save Coyle, did not have a good day.

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

Durham @ Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 7:05 PM (MiLB.TV)
Alex Colome (3-5, 2.86) v. Graham Stoneburner (2-2, 3.00)

Montgomery v. Jackson 8:05 PM (MiLB.TV)
Jake Thompson (2-5, 7.09) v. Roenis Elias (2-3, 2.90)

Charlotte @ Ft. Myers 7:05 PM
TBA v. Jason Wheeler (5-0, 4.25)

Bowling Green v. Great Lakes 6 PM DOUBLEHEADER
Sean Bierman (2-1, 1.54) v. Jharel Cotton (1-3, 3.96)
TBA v. TBA

Both games will be seven innings

*Listed as TBA on milb.com

Scouting the opposition

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (Yankees)
21-24 (3rd in IL North)
Offense: 174 R (14th) .693 OPS (13th)
Pitching: 3.94 ERA (8th) 1.37 WHIP (7th)
Top 30 Prospects: RHP Brett Marshall (6), RHP Mark Montgomery (11), OF Melky Mesa (18), 2B Corban Joseph (27), OF Thomas Neal (28)

Jackson Generals (Seattle)
20-24 (3rd in SL North)
Offense: 192 R (5th) .694 OPS (5th)
Pitching: 3.21 ERA (2nd) 1.21 WHIP (4th)
Top 30 Prospects: RHP Taijuan Walker (2), SS Brad Miller (9), RHP Carson Smith (16), OF Leon Landry (17), 2B Jack Marder (20), C John Hicks (21), OF Francisco Martinez (22), OF Julio Morban (24), 3B Vinnie Catricala (26), RHP Chance Ruffin (27), LHP Anthony Fernandez (30)

Fort Myers Miracle (Minnesota)
33-13 (1st in FSL South)
Offense: 244 R (1st) .790 OPS (1st)
Pitching: 3.22 ERA (3rd) 1.18 WHIP (2nd)
Top 30 Prospects: 3B Miguel Sano (1), 2B Eddie Rosario (8), SS Levi Michael (16), RHP Madison Boer (22), LHP Jason Wheeler (25), RHP Adrian Salcedo (27), 1B Kennys Vargas (29), RHP Matt Summers (30), OF Nate Roberts (32), RHP Zack Jones (33)

Great Lakes Loons (Los Angeles)
16-29 (7th in MWL East)
Offense: 169 R (15th) .642 OPS (16th)
Pitching: 4.42 ERA (14th) 1.44 WHIP (13th)
Top 30 Prospects: SS Corey Seager (3), SS Jesmuel Valentin (14), RHP Scott Griggs (18), RHP Zach Bird (19), OF James Baldwin (22), RHP Angel Sanchez (25), OF Jeremy Rathjen (29)