Down on the farm June 21: Pitching dominates

It wasn't really top prospects throwing quality innings Thursday, but they were good nonetheless. First rounder Nick Ciuffo signed, and the GCL season begins today.

Triple-A Durham Bulls (47-27)

A pair of runs was just enough to hold up in Durham's 2-1 win over Louisville. A first inning two out rally got the Bulls on the board first. After Vince Belnome doubled, the first of two doubles in the game, a Shelley Duncan single brought him home. In the fifth, Ryan Roberts drove in what would prove to be the go-ahead run in his first game with Durham. Despite struggling with his control, Matt Buschmann was able to navigate through five scoreless innings. He allowed four hits, walked four but did strike out seven. Juan Sandoval allowed the Bats' only run, he only faced one batter over the minimum in three innings with four strikeouts.

Double-A Montgomery Biscuits (1-1)

Montgomery continued Pensacola's season-long offensive woes with a 3-1 win over the Blue Wahoos. Other than a solo home run that accounted for Pensacola's only run of the game, newcomer Mike Colla pitched a solid game, allowing no other hits in seven innings with three walks and three strikeouts. C.J. Riefenhauser allowed two singles in two scoreless innings, and that was it for Pensacola's offense. Meanwhile, Cameron Seitzer and Todd Glaesmann outproduced Pensacola by themselves. They combined for five hits and each hit a solo home run. In Seitzer's case, it was his first home run of the season.

Class-A Advanced Charlotte Stone Crabs (0-0)

Charlotte was postponed because of a wet field.

Class A Bowling Green Hot Rods (1-0)

Despite issuing six walks, Bowling Green pitching was too much for Lansing in their 2-1 win over the Lugnuts. Lansing picked up their only run in the first inning, and it was unearned due to a Patrick Leonard throwing error. Sean Bierman was charged with that run, and he finished with three hits and four walks in five innings with three strikeouts. Like much of the first half of the season, Andrew Toles was the catalyst for the offense. He reached base three times, including hitting his 17th double, and stole his 42nd base. He scored the go-ahead run in the fifth inning when an error on a Tyler Goeddel sac bunt attempt allowed him to advance an extra base. Tommy Coyle also reached base three times.

Short-Season Hudson Valley Renegades (4-0)

Hudson Valley shut down another opponent in a 6-0 win over Staten Island. Three pitchers split the load for the Renegades: Benjamin Griset, Eli Echarry and Andrew Hanse. Echarry led the way with four innings, but he also allowed six of the Yankees' 11 hits and walked two. The driving force behind their offense tonight was leadoff man Julian Ridings, making his pro debut. He picked up four singles, scored a couple runs, drove in one and stole a base. Darryl George and Julian Morillo each had two hits batting eighth and ninth respectively. Out of Hudson Valley's 13 hits, only Ariel Soriano's double was for extra bases.

Rookie Princeton Rays (0-1)

Princeton's season opener didn't go particularly well with a 9-1 loss to Danville. Nothing really went well for the Rays; aside from the rough pitching, they only had seven players reach base and committed three errors. Jorge Rodriguez, who spent most of last year with the GCL Rays, got the Opening Day nod and struggled, allowing four runs in four innings on seven hits and a walk with five strikeouts. Princeton's only run in the game came off the bat of Travis Flores, a fifth inning solo home run. An 11th round pick in 2010, Flores played in a game for the first time since 2010. Geisel De La Cruz was charged with five runs (four earned) in three innings.

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Star of the day- Collective pitching staff of the organization, not including Princeton.

Goat of the day- Below average blogger for forgetting to complete this and schedule it correctly

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

Durham @ Buffalo 7:05 PM (MiLB.TV)
J.D. Martin (9-3, 2.29) v. Thad Weber (1-1, 2.20)

Montgomery v. Pensacola 8:05 PM (MiLB.TV)
Enny Romero (6-2, 2.86) v. Daniel Renken (1-5, 3.38)

Charlotte @ Bradenton 5 PM DOUBLEHEADER
David Price v. Robby Rowland (3-4, 4.34)
TBA v. TBA

Both games will be seven innings

Bowling Green v. Lansing 8:05 PM
Blake Snell (2-5, 3.88) v. Ben White (4-3, 2.79)

Hudson Valley @ Staten Island 7 PM
TBA v. TBA

Princeton @ Danville 7 PM
Nolan Gannon (0-0, -.--) v. TBA

GCL Rays v. GCL Orioles 12 PM
TBA v. TBA

*Listed as TBA on milb.com

Scouting the opposition

Buffalo Bisons (Toronto)
36-36 (3rd in IL North)
Offense: 356 R (4th) .790 OPS (1st)
Pitching: 4.92 ERA (14th) 1.49 WHIP (12th)
Top 30 Prospects: RHP John Stilson (7), RHP Chad Jenkins (18)

Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Cincinnati)
1-1 (T-3rd in SL South)
Offense: 211 R (10th) .624 OPS (10th)
Pitching: 3.89 ERA (8th) 1.35 WHIP (8th)
Top 30 Prospects: OF Ryan LaMarre (21), C Tucker Barnhart (23), SS Devin Lohman (25), RHP Chad Rogers (28), RHP Josh Ravin (31)

Bradenton Marauders (Pittsburgh)
26-42 (5th in FSL South)
Offense: 276 R (7th) .700 OPS (6th)
Pitching: 4.19 ERA (10th) 1.34 WHIP (7th)
Top 30 Prospects: SS Alen Hanson (5), OF Willy Garcia (18), RHP Adrian Sampson (21), 1B Jose Osuna (24), Zack Von Rosenberg (31)

Lansing Lugnuts (Toronto)
0-1 (T-5th in MWL East)
Offense: 290 R (13th) .653 OPS (15th)
Pitching: 3.78 ERA (6th) 1.40 WHIP (12th)
Top 30 Prospects: RHP Roberto Osuna (4), LHP Daniel Norris (8), C Santiago Nessy (14), OF Dwight Smith Jr. (16), 2B Christian Lopes (23), OF Chris Hawkins (30)

Staten Island Yankees
2-1 (2nd in McNamara)
Offense: 7 R (11th) .631 OPS (9th)
Pitching: 2.00 ERA (3rd) 1.22 WHIP (6th)
Top 30 Prospects: N/A

Danville Braves
1-0 (T-1st in APP East)
Offense: 9 R (1st) .970 OPS (2nd)
Pitching: 1.00 ERA (1st) 0.78 WHIP (4th)
Top 30 Prospects: Will have when roster is available

GCL Orioles
0-0
Offense: 0 R .--- OPS
Pitching: -.-- ERA -.-- WHIP
Top 30 Prospects: May have when roster is available