Rays down on the farm August 9: Brett gets first AA homer

Lenny Linsky got a surprise start for Charlotte, but the GCL was rained out again.

Triple-A Durham Bulls (74-46)

Leslie Anderson's first inning home run helped Durham to a 7-3 win over Rochester. Just two batters after Tim Beckham singled home the first run of the game, Anderson's three run blast provided what would prove to be the winning run of the game. Mike Montgomery hit a bump in the road when he allowed a pair of runs in third innings, but the final line was still okay. He struck out seven and allowed the two runs on six hits and a pair of walks in five innings. The Bulls added three insurance runs in the eighth thanks to hits by Vince Belnome and Shelley Duncan as well as a groundout from Mike Fontenot. Kevin Kiermaier reached base three times as Durham's leadoff hitter.

Double-A Montgomery Biscuits (22-24)

Three home runs weren't enough for Montgomery in their 9-8 loss to Tennessee. After falling behind 2-0 in the first inning, the Biscuits had an answer for the Smokies in the third. After Ryan Brett led off the inning with his first Double-A home run, Shawn O'Malley doubled and scored on Mikie Mahtook's two run shot. With two outs, Kyeong Kang's solo homer capped off the four run inning. A wild pitch would extend Montgomery's lead to three runs, but that's the largest it would be. Still up 6-4 in the seventh, Tennessee got to Jim Patterson with four runs to take the lead. They would get an insurance run an inning later, and it proved to be crucial. Montgomery scored a pair of runs with no outs in the ninth, but Cameron Seitzer lined into a double play to empty the bases. Todd Glaesmann struck out to end the game. Starter Victor Mateo allowed four runs (two earned) in five innings. Mahtook had a four hit game, drove in four runs and stole a base, and Brett and O'Malley each reached base three times.

Class-A Advanced Charlotte Stone Crabs (25-17)

Lenny Linsky got a spot start and pitched well in Charlotte's 3-1 win over Fort Myers. It was Linsky's first professional start, and as far as I can tell, he didn't start at Hawaii either. He threw four scoreless innings, struck out three and only allowed two hits and a walk. Before he even took the mound, a bases loaded walk by Alejandro Segovia gave the Stone Crabs a 1-0 lead. In the sixth, Kes Carter tripled home a pair of runs to extend their lead to 3-0. Jake Partridge relieved Linsky and got the win with a scoreless inning of relief. The top two hitters in Charlotte's lineup, Willie Argo and Jake Hager, each reached base three times, and Argo stole two bases to reach 30 for the season.

Class A Bowling Green Hot Rods (28-19)

A five run inning sunk Bowling Green in their 7-4 loss to Great Lakes. RBI hits by Luke Maile and Andrew Toles in the first and second innings gave the Hot Rods a 2-0 lead, but the Loons got to Jeff Ames in the fourth. A failed sac bunt after the first two runners reached helped Ames, but a three run homer by Devin Shines gave Great Lakes the lead. They would hit three more extra base hits in the inning, and it would be Ames' last inning of the game. He allowed five runs on eight hits and four walks, but he did strike out seven. Justin O'Conner reached base three times, and Andrew Toles got his 50th steal of the season.

Short-Season Hudson Valley Renegades (25-25)

Hudson Valley was postponed.

Rookie Princeton Rays (12-35)

Princeton could only manage two hits in their 3-1 loss to Bluefield. The first hit was a leadoff double Spencer Edwards, and he came around to score on consecutive groundouts. Their second hit came off the bat of Elias Torres, a two out single in the ninth that brought the go-ahead run to the plate. Starter Jorge Rodriguez pitched well, allowing just one run on six hits and no walks in six innings with four strikeouts. Luis Cabrera took the loss, but both runs charged to him were unearned. He pitched three innings, allowed two hits and a walk and struck out four.

Rookie Gulf Coast League Rays (17-23)

The first game of the GCL Rays' doubleheader was suspended, and the second game was postponed.

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Star of the day- Linsky's season has not been good so far, but maybe the start can get him going.

Goat of the day- Patterson had a tough time trying to handle Tennessee's tough lineup.

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

Durham v. Charlotte 7:05 PM (MiLB.TV)
Merrill Kelly (6-2, 2.59) v. Jason Berken (9-11, 4.15)

Montgomery @ Tennessee 7:15 PM (MiLB.TV)
Mike Colla (5-2, 3.64) v. Dae-Eun Rhee (0-1, 1.80)

Charlotte @ Ft. Myers 7:05 PM
TBA (7-6, 4.80) v. Taylor Rogers (9-5, 2.99)

Bowling Green v. Great Lakes 8:05 PM
Jordan Harrison (2-2, 3.38) v. Miguel Sulbaran (6-3, 3.05)

Hudson Valley @ Mahoning Valley 7:05 PM
Chris Kirsch* (1-3, 3.68) v. Robert Whitenack (3-4, 3.86)

Princeton v. Pulaski 7:05 PM
German Marquez* (1-3, 3.41) v. Edwin Diaz (3-1, 1.53)

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

*Listed as TBA on milb.com

Scouting the opposition

Charlotte Knights (White Sox)
56-63 (3rd in IL South)
Offense: 498 R (10th) .707 OPS (11th)
Pitching: 4.26 ERA (10th) 1.38 WHIP (8th)
Top 30 Prospects: SS Carlos Sanchez (3), RHP Erik Johnson (4), LHP Charlie Leesman (11), 1B Andy Wilkins (12), RHP Jhan Martinez (13), SS Marcus Semien (14), OF Blake Tekotte (15), RHP Jake Petricka (16), RHP Simon Castro (20), LHP Santos Rodriguez (21), OF Avisail Garcia

Tennessee Smokies (Cubs)
26-19 (1st in SL North)
Offense: 497 R (2nd) .730 OPS (1st)
Pitching: 3.57 ERA (6th) 1.33 WHIP (8th)
Top 30 Prospects: SS Javier Baez (1), OF Brett Jackson (5), SS Arismendy Alcantara (10), 3B Christian Villanueva (12), OF Matt Szczur (14), RHP Tony Zych (22), RHP Trey McNutt (24), RHP Matt Loosen (27)

Fort Myers Miracle (Minnesota)
22-21 (4th in FSL South)
Offense: 565 R (1st) .766 OPS (1st)
Pitching: 3.59 ERA (4th) 1.29 WHIP (3rd)
Top 30 Prospects: OF Byron Buxton (2), SS Levi Michael (16), RHP Tyler Jones (23), LHP Jason Wheeler (25), RHP Adrian Salcedo (27), LHP Chad Rodgers (28), 1B Kennys Vargas (29), OF Nate Roberts (32), RHP Zack Jones (33)

Great Lakes Loons (Los Angeles)
28-18 (1st in MWL East)
Offense: 504 R (10th) .680 OPS (14th)
Pitching: 3.70 ERA (7th) 1.37 WHIP (9th)
Top 30 Prospects: RHP Scott Griggs (18), OF James Baldwin (22), OF Jeremy Rathjen (29), LHP Julio Urias, RHP Chris Anderson, LHP Tom Windle

Mahoning Valley Scrappers (Cleveland)
20-28 (5th in Pinckney)
Offense: 157 R (14th) .655 OPS (7th)
Pitching: 3.09 ERA (6th) 1.23 WHIP (6th)
Top 30 Prospects: LHP Luis Lugo (12), RHP Dace Kime, C Sicnarf Loopstok

Pulaski Mariners
30-17 (2nd in APP East)
Offense: 230 R (2nd) .733 OPS (2nd)
Pitching: 3.39 ERA (4th) 1.24 WHIP (4th)
Top 30 Prospects: LHP Luiz Gohara (12), 3B Joe DeCarlo (13), RHP Edwin Diaz (19)

GCL Orioles
22-20 (2nd in GCL South)
Offense: 164 R (11th) .635 OPS (10th)
Pitching: 3.34 ERA (5th) 1.22 WHIP (3rd)
Top 30 Prospects: RHP Hunter Harvey