Rays down on the farm July 26: Biscuits sweep doubleheader

Pitching was really good throughout the system Thursday.

Triple-A Durham Bulls (67-39)

After falling behind 2-0 early, Durham scored three unanswered runs in their 3-2 win over Gwinnett. Merrill Kelly got off to a rough start walking in a run in the first inning, and he allowed another in the third. He battled through it and finished with two runs allowed on six hits and three walks in six innings with six strikeouts. The Bulls got on the board in the third inning when the Braves conceded a run on a Leslie Anderson groundout. An inning later, they did cut down a potential run at the plate, but a two out single by Jason Bourgeois gave Durham the lead. Bourgeois had two hits, as did Shelley Duncan. Kirby Yates earned the save with 1.2 scoreless innings, striking out two.

Double-A Montgomery Biscuits (15-17)

A pair of three run innings boosted Montgomery to a game one, 6-1 win over Jacksonville. Cameron Seitzer, Todd Glaesmann and Curt Casali each singled home runs in the first inning, and Mike Colla rolled. A solo home run was the only run he allowed in six innings, one of just five hits allowed by Colla with four strikeouts. Immediately after that, the Biscuits posted their second three run inning of the game, first with a Hector Guevara double followed by a two run single from Robi Estrada. This was Casali's Montgomery debut, and he went 3/3.

A three run inning helped erase an early 2-0 deficit in Montgomery's game two 4-2 win. Marquis Fleming got the spot start and allowed a run in both the first and second innings, but he retired the side in order in the third and fourth. He finished with two runs allowed (one earned) on four hits and no walks in four innings with four strikeouts. The Biscuits scored their first run in the second to cut the deficit to 2-1, and with two outs in the fourth, six straight batters knocked in base hits to take their 4-2 lead. Braulio Lara threw two scoreless innings to get the win, and Juan Sandoval pitched a scoreless seventh for the save. Estrada, Robby Price and Mikie Mahtook all had two hits.

Class-A Advanced Charlotte Stone Crabs (18-13)

Charlotte's game was suspended in the ninth.

Class A Bowling Green Hot Rods (22-11)

Two first inning runs were enough for Dylan Floro in Bowling Green's 2-0 win over Great Lakes. Andrew Toles came around to score after a double to lead off the game, and Leonardo Reginatto eventually came around to score on a throwing error. With the early run support, Dylan Floro pitched very well in 6.2 scoreless innings, striking out four and only allowing six hits and two walks. Marcus Jensen struck out five over the remaining 2.1 innings to earn the save. Reginatto, Tommy Coyle and Patrick Leonard each had two hit games, all singles.

Short-Season Hudson Valley Renegades (21-17)

Hudson Valley's lineup was smothered by Tri-City pitching again in a 1-0 loss to the ValleyCats. Including two hits, only three Renegades reached base the entire game. The hits belonged to Ariel Soriano and Oscar Hernandez, and Darryl George walked. Aaron Griffin had nothing to show for an outstanding start in which he fired six scoreless innings, allowing only three hits and a walk while striking out seven. Rick Teasley allowed the only run of the game in the ninth inning on a solo home run by Jon Kemmer.

Rookie Princeton Rays (7-26)

A late run wasn't enough in Princeton's 2-1 loss to Pulaski. An eighth inning double by Enmanuel Paulino scored the Rays' only run of the game. It only took one swing of the bat for the Mariners to score their pair of runs; a two run homer by Kristian Brito got them off to a 2-0 lead that they were able to hang on to. D.J. Slaton pitched decently despite taking the loss, allowing two runs on five hits and a walk in six innings with two strikeouts. Princeton had only three hits, and they struck out 12 times.

Rookie Gulf Coast League Rays (13-16)

The GCL Rays scored eight runs between the fourth and fifth innings in an 8-3 win over the GCL Red Sox. After falling behind 1-0 in the fourth, the Rays took advantage of an error and the Red Sox conceding a pair of runs on groundouts. They did most of the work on their own an inning later though, getting two-RBI hits from both Thomas Milone and Jeremy Hadley and scoring the fifth run of the inning on a throwing error. Grayson Garvin made his fourth rehab appearance for the Rays and didn't fare particularly well. He didn't allow any runs, but he allowed two hits, walked two and only struck out one in 2.1 innings. He was the only Rays pitcher in the game to not allow a run though, and Freddy Alvarez got the win despite allowing two runs in 3.1 innings. Hadley drove in three of the Rays' runs, and Alexander Simon had three hits.

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Star of the day- Griffin was great, and it's a shame his offense didn't back him up.

Goat of the day- Hudson Valley was shut out two games in a row.

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

Durham @ Columbus 7:15 PM (MiLB.TV)
Matt Buschmann (5-0, 3.44) v. T.J. House (3-10, 4.95)

Montgomery v. Jacksonville 7:05 PM (MiLB.TV) DOUBLEHEADER
Jake Thompson (7-9, 4.96) v. Anthony DeSclafani (2-1, 5.01)
Enny Romero (9-4, 2.87) v. Justin Nicolino (0-1, 12.00)

Both games will be seven innings

Charlotte @ Tampa 5:05 PM DOUBLEHEADER
TBA v. TBA
Jesse Hahn* (2-1, 2.11) v. Dietrich Enns* (0-3, 2.93)

Resumption of suspended game will be followed by nine inning game

Bowling Green @ Great Lakes 7:05 PM (MiLB.TV)
Reinaldo Lopez (5-4, 2.30) v. Brandon Martinez (1-0, 3.68)

Hudson Valley v. Aberdeen 7:05 PM
Eli Echarry* (3-2, 2.30) v. Janser Severino* (0-3, 3.90)

Princeton @ Bluefield 7:05 PM
Jorge Rodriguez* (0-4, 5.27) v. Tim Mayza (1-1, 9.53)

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

*Listed as TBA on milb.com

Scouting the opposition

Columbus Clippers (Cleveland)
50-57 (3rd in IL West)
Offense: 435 R (12th) .698 OPS (12th)
Pitching: 4.04 ERA (6th) 1.38 WHIP (5th)
Top 30 Prospects: RHP Trevor Bauer (2), RHP Danny Salazar (6), RHP C.C. Lee (10), LHP Scott Barnes (11), OF Tim Fedroff (19), SS Juan Diaz (32)

Jacksonville Suns (Miami)
16-15 (2nd in SL South)
Offense: 409 R (5th) .698 OPS (3rd)
Pitching: 3.48 ERA (6th) 1.21 WHIP (2nd)
Top 30 Prospects: OF Marcell Ozuna (5), LHP Justin Nicolino (6), C J.T. Realmuto (9), LHP Adam Conley (10), 2B Derek Dietrich (12), 3B Zack Cox (15), LHP Raudel Lazo (22), LHP Grant Dayton (25), SS Danny Black (28), 2B Noah Perio (34)

Tampa Yankees
14-15 (4th in FSL North)
Offense: 400 R (6th) .692 OPS (7th)
Pitching: 3.88 ERA (7th) 1.34 WHIP (7th)
Top 30 Prospects: CF Mason Williams (1), C Gary Sanchez (3), RHP Rafael De Paula (10), RHP Bryan Mitchell (13), RHP Corey Black (25), RHP Nick Goody (32)

Great Lakes Loons (Los Angeles)
21-12 (2nd in MWL East)
Offense: 439 R (12th) .669 OPS (15th)
Pitching: 3.75 ERA (7th) 1.37 WHIP (8th)
Top 30 Prospects: SS Corey Seager (3), RHP Scott Griggs (18), OF James Baldwin (22), OF Jeremy Rathjen (29), LHP Julio Urias, LHP Tom Windle

Aberdeen IronBirds (Baltimore)
18-17 (2nd in McNamara)
Offense: 144 R (7th) .643 OPS (8th)
Pitching: 3.32 ERA (9th) 1.26 WHIP (8th)
Top 30 Prospects: OF Mike Yastrzemski

Bluefield Blue Jays
21-12 (1st in APP East)
Offense: 163 R (1st) .730 OPS (2nd)
Pitching: 3.39 ERA (3rd) 1.30 WHIP (4th)
Top 30 Prospects: OF D.J. Davis (6), RHP Alberto Tirado (15), 3B Matt Dean (17), RHP Chase DeJong (22), 3B Mitch Nay (24), SS Dawel Lugo (26), LHP Jairo Labourt (28), RHP Yeyfry Del Rosario (29)

GCL Orioles
15-15 (2nd in GCL South)
Offense: 129 R (7th) .653 OPS (10th)
Pitching: 3.50 ERA (7th) 1.30 WHIP (6th)
Top 30 Prospects: RHP Hunter Harvey