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Representing Charlotte will be catcher Curt Casali and pitchers Ryan Carpenter and Jesse Hahn. Jake Hager was selected, but his injury will keep him out. Top prospects such as Gary Sanchez (Yankees), Javier Baez and Jorge Soler (Cubs), Justin Nicolino (Miami) and Noah Syndergaard (Mets) were also selected, so if you're in the area Saturday, it's worth checking out.
Triple-A Durham Bulls (42-25)
After falling behind 7-2 through four and a half innings, Durham exploded with an eight run fifth to top Indianapolis 10-7. That big inning bailed out Mike Montgomery and some shoddy defense. Alex Colome started the game, but since he was working on short rest, he was limited to recording the first eight outs and allowing one run. Montgomery was used in relief, and he allowed six runs (two earned) on four hits and four walks with three strikeouts in 3.1 innings. An error by Montgomery himself started a two run fourth for the Indians, and it was Vince Belnome's miscue the next inning that started a four run frame. In Durham's huge inning, 13 batters went to the plate, and a combination of hits, walks and poor defense allowed them to take the lead. Mike Fontenot's bases clearing double was the big hit of the inning. That was just one of three times on base for Fontenot, one of seven Bulls to reach base multiple times. Brandon Guyer stole two bases, Tim Beckham drove in a pair of runs, and Wil Myers had one hit and two strikeouts.
Double-A Montgomery Biscuits (34-32)
Montgomery fell behind early and allowed Jacksonville to pull away late in an 8-2 loss to the Suns. In the second inning, Jacksonville jumped out to a 3-0 lead against Jake Thompson with an inning that included a two run homer by Andy Ciriaco. Two innings later, Montgomery pulled within one thanks to RBI hits by Robby Price and Mark Thomas, but that was as close as the game would get. Jacksonville countered in the sixth with their second home run hit off Thompson, and that was a run of five straight Suns runs to close the game. Despite eight strikeouts in 6.2 innings, Thompson struggled, allowing six runs on six hits and three walks. No Biscuit was able to reach base more than one time as rehabbing Marlins starter Nate Eovaldi was able to cruise through six innings of work.
Class-A Advanced Charlotte Stone Crabs (29-35)
Charlotte came out on the wrong side of a pitcher's duel in a game one 2-1 loss to Tampa. Each team scored one run in the first inning, with Charlotte's coming on a two out double by Richie Shaffer to score Drew Vettleson. After that, the starters, Sean Black and Parker Markel, settled in and pitched decent games. Markel allowed one run in five innings on five hits and two walks with two strikeouts. In the top of the seventh, Lenny Linsky allowed a leadoff single, and the go-ahead run scored on a single that followed a sacrifice bunt. Jake DePew was the only Stone Crab to reach base twice.
Three home runs led Charlotte to a game two 6-4 win. Curt Casali, Taylor Motter and Jeff Malm all homered, and it was Malm's two run shot in the fifth that broke a 4-4 tie in a back and forth game that saw two ties and two lost leads from the Stone Crabs. The culprit of the first blown lead was a surprise: Jesse Hahn. He allowed three earned runs in five innings, doubling his earned runs allowed on the season, but he did strike out five and only allow two hits and a walk. Felipe Rivero would get the win in relief, allowing just an unearned run in the game's final three innings. Drew Vettleson reached base four times, and Motter and Malm each did three times.
Class A Bowling Green Hot Rods (36-29)
A four run sixth inning broke the game open for Bowling Green in a 7-3 win over Dayton. After tying the game up at two an inning earlier, the Hot Rods poured it on with one out. With Marty Gantt already on third thanks to a single, wild pitch and groundout, Ryan Dunn's double tied the game. He would be followed by another double, walk, single and then a two run single by Tommy Coyle that scored the third and fourth runs of the inning. Starter Dylan Floro was hit around a little bit, but he limited the damage to two runs in six innings with five strikeouts and no walks. Bowling Green's outfield was at the center of most of the production Thursday. Gantt, Dunn and Joey Rickard combined to reach base nine times. Justin O'Conner appeared to be human, not hitting a home run but reaching base twice.
Star of the day- Malm heating up again would be nice.
Goat of the day- Thompson ate innings, but they were pretty poor ones.
Today's games (probables courtesy of milb.com)
Durham v. Indianapolis 7:05 PM (MiLB.TV)
Mike Montgomery (2-0, 4.05) v. Andy Oliver (3-2, 3.27)
Montgomery @ Jacksonville 7:05 PM (MiLB.TV)
Jake Thompson* (6-5, 4.71) v. Jay Jackson* (2-4, 2.96)
Charlotte is at the All-Star break
Bowling Green @ Lansing 7:05 PM
Sean Bierman (2-2, 2.28) v. TBA
*Listed as TBA on milb.com
Scouting the opposition
Indianapolis Indians (Pittsburgh)
45-23 (1st in IL West)
Offense: 330 R (4th) .756 OPS (4th)
Pitching: 3.40 ERA (1st) 1.26 WHIP (1st)
Top 30 Prospects: RHP Kyle McPherson (7), C Tony Sanchez (12), LHP Andy Oliver (13), RHP Vic Black (16), RHP Brandon Cumpton (25), RHP Duke Welker (26)
Jacksonville Suns (Miami)
33-30 (4th in SL South)
Offense: 257 R (5th) .697 OPS (3rd)
Pitching: 3.48 ERA (5th) 1.22 WHIP (2nd)
Top 30 Prospects: OF Christian Yelich (2), OF Jake Marisnick (4), C J.T. Realmuto (9), LHP Adam Conley (10), 3B Zack Cox (15), LHP Raudel Lazo (22), LHP Grant Dayton (25), SS Danny Black (28), OF Kyle Jensen (31), 2B Noah Perio (34)
Lansing Lugnuts (Toronto)
31-35 (4th in MWL East)
Offense: 285 R (11th) .666 OPS (13th)
Pitching: 3.82 ERA (6th) 1.41 WHIP (13th)
Top 30 Prospects: RHP Roberto Osuna (4), LHP Daniel Norris (8), C Santiago Nessy (14), 2B Christian Lopes (23), OF Chris Hawkins (30)