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The organization was a tale of two levels Monday. The upper levels combined for 24 runs, and the two lower level affiliates combined for 24 fewer runs.
Triple-A Durham Bulls (37-21) ***Featured game of the day***
Durham scored runs in six of eight innings and pounded Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 15-2 Monday afternoon. The Bulls lineup put pressure on the RailRiders all game long, putting 26 runners on base and collecting eight extra base hits. Already up 10-1, Durham's biggest inning came in the seventh when they batted around and scored five runs. SWB allowed the second run of the inning on a groundout for the first out of the inning, but everything unraveled from there. A Jason Bourgeois single scored the third run, and the Bulls picked up two more thanks to four straight batters reaching via walk or hit by pitch. Every Bull reached base multiple times, led by Bourgeois and Vince Belnome combining to get on nine times. Bourgeois and Shelley Duncan each hit solo home runs. Wil Myers hit two doubles, and Rich Thompson drove in four. Jeff Beliveau got the win, but it was Matt Buschmann pitching decent baseball as the game's starter. He only lasted four innings, but he struck out six and only allowed one run.
Double-A Montgomery Biscuits (29-28)
Late insurance runs proved to be key in Montgomery's 9-7 win over Pensacola. Two fielding errors in the ninth aided the Blue Wahoos in their three run inning, but fortunately the Biscuits scored three of their own in the eighth to extend their lead to just enough. Montgomery scored all nine of their runs in three separate multi-run innings. After falling behind 2-0 in the top of the first, RBI singles by Cameron Seitzer and Todd Glaesmann tied the game up in the bottom half. That was the start of a three RBI game for Seitzer who drove in two runs in the Biscuits' four run third inning. Bailed out by the productive lineup, Jake Thompson picked up the win despite pitching poorly. He was charge with four runs, two earned, on five hits and five walks in 5.1 innings while striking out five. Only two of Pensacola's runs were earned thanks to five Montgomery errors.
Class-A Advanced Charlotte Stone Crabs (25-30)
Charlotte's offense provided no support for Jesse Hahn in their 3-0 loss at Dunedin. Hahn wasn't particularly sharp, but he still only allowed an unearned run in four innings. He allowed six hits, struck out two and walked one. With Jake Floethe now with Montgomery, Kevin Brandt was inserted as Hahn's tag team partner and allowed two runs in four innings of his own. Charlotte had chances with seven hits and four walks, but they were just one for 11 with runners in scoring position and left every runner on base. Ryan Brett had two hits, including his seventh for extra bases in 14 games this year.
Class A Bowling Green Hot Rods (30-27)
Jeff Ames received even less support in Bowling Green's 5-0 loss to South Bend. The Hot Rods only managed two singles, one each by Andrew Toles and Luke Maile. With five walks though, they did have opportunities to score but had no hits with runners in scoring position. Like Hahn, Ames wasn't his best Monday. He only allowed two runs in five innings, but he walked three and only struck out two. Four Bowling Green pitchers combined to walk seven Silver Hawks. Joey Rickard stole two bases, and manager Jared Sandberg was ejected early on.
Star of the day- Jason Bourgeois
Goat of the day- Lower level offenses were a real dud on Monday.
Today's games (probables courtesy of milb.com)
Durham @ Indianapolis 7:05 PM (MiLB.TV)
Alex Colome (4-5, 2.60) v. Brandon Cumpton (4-3, 3.51)
Montgomery v. Pensacola 8:05 PM (MiLB.TV)
Merrill Kelly (4-5, 3.73) v. Daniel Renken (1-4, 3.77)
Charlotte @ Dunedin 6:30 PM
Roberto Gomez (3-6, 6.19) v. Jesse Hernandez (4-4, 2.60)
Bowling Green is off
*Listed as TBA on milb.com
Scouting the opposition
Indianapolis Indians (Pittsburgh)
40-19 (1st in IL West)
Offense: 289 R (4th) .772 OPS (3rd)
Pitching: 3.29 ERA (1st) 1.22 WHIP (1st)
Top 30 Prospects: RHP Gerrit Cole (1), RHP Kyle McPherson (7), C Tony Sanchez (12), LHP Andy Oliver (13), RHP Vic Black (16), RHP Brandon Cumpton (25), RHP Duke Welker (26)
Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Cincinnati)
20-36 (5th in SL South)
Offense: 168 R (10th) .630 OPS (10th)
Pitching: 3.90 ERA (8th) 1.36 WHIP (8th)
Top 30 Prospects: RHP Kyle Lotzkar (12), OF Ryan LaMarre (21), C Tucker Barnhart (23), SS Devin Lohman (25), RHP Chad Rogers (28), RHP Josh Ravin (31)
Dunedin Blue Jays
30-23 (1st in FSL North)
Offense: 212 R (8th) .679 OPS (9th)
Pitching: 3.12 ERA (1st) 1.15 WHIP (1st)
Top 30 Prospects: RHP Aaron Sanchez (1), C A.J. Jimenez (11), LHP Tyler Ybarra (31)