Rays down on the farm April 10: Romero much better in win

Otherwise, wins were hard to come by in the organization.

Triple-A Durham Bulls (4-3)

Enny Romero was sharp and received nice run support in Durham's 8-1 win over Charlotte. The Knights' only run was unearned after a throwing error by Romero allowed the leadoff batter in the sixth to reach base. He wouldn't finish the inning because of his pitch count, but he was efficient, throwing 64 of his 95 pitches for strikes. He lasted 5.2 innings, allowing three hits and two walks while striking out eight. C.J. Riefenhauser and Kirby Yates each struck out three in 1.2 innings of relief.

The Bulls provided early support with individual runs in the second and third innings. Justin Christian led off the fifth with a home run, and two batters later Jerry Sands doubled home Kevin Kiermaier after his bunt single. Kiermaier and Sands combined to provide insurance in the eighth when Kiermaier tripled home two runs and came home to score on a Sands single. Sands had three hits, two of which were doubles. Christian reached base three times, and Vince Belnome walked four times.

Double-A Montgomery Biscuits (3-3)

Mobile cruised to victory in Montgomery's 6-0 loss to the BayBears. After hitting the leadoff batter in the second inning, Victor Mateo allowed four singles to put Mobile up 3-0 early. Mateo would pitch into the sixth inning, allowing four runs in 5.1 innings on seven hits and two walks with three strikeouts. Andrew Bellatti gave up the last two Mobile runs.

Seven of the nine Biscuits reached base, but they were only one for nine with runners in scoring position and left 10 runners on base. Richie Shaffer had two of Montgomery's eight hits, one of which was a double. Willie Argo, Joey Rickard and Ryan Brett all stole their first bases of the season. Diamondbacks prospect Chase Anderson struck out six in six scoreless innings.

Class-A Advanced Charlotte Stone Crabs (1-5)

Charlotte gave up some late runs in their game one 4-2 loss to Fort Myers. After the Miracle scored a first inning run, they gave it right back to Charlotte when a Marty Gantt single followed a hit batter and two wild pitches that moved Patrick Leonard to third base. In the 5th, starter Leonel Santiago walked two batters with one out, and Jose Alberto Molina allowed one of those inherited runners to score, as well as one of his own. Santiago struck out four and walked one in 4.1 innings. Molina walked four batters in 1.2 innings of work.

In the seventh, now down 4-1 due to a bases loaded walk, Charlotte tried to mount a rally. Hector Guevara's sac fly cut the lead to two, and a two out hit by Leonardo Reginatto moved Andrew Toles up to second and put the tying run on base, but Justin O'Conner struck out to end the game. Reginatto had three hits, and Tyler Goeddel had two.

In game two, a five run Charlotte fifth inning made the game interesting, but it wasn't enough to get out of a huge early hole in their 10-6 loss. Bruedlin Suero got the spot start and got crushed, allowing six Miracle runs (five earned) in 1.2 innings, but Ryan Garton couldn't provide much relief. He allowed two more runs to score in the third inning, and he gave up two more in the fifth to put the game out of reach.

A Gantt double scored the first run for the Stone Crabs in the fourth, but they really went to work an inning later. With two outs in the inning, Charlotte strung together four straight hits, including a two run double from Leonard to score four runs, and Gantt scored the fifth on a wild pitch. Goeddel was the only Stone Crab to not reach base. Maxx Tissenbaum caught game two and picked up two hits, and Leonard hit two doubles. Andrew Toles reached base three times.

Class A Bowling Green Hot Rods (2-4)

Jake Faria stumbled early, and Bowling Green couldn't get out of the early hole in their 5-2 loss to Burlington. Aided by a pair of Juniel Querecuto errors, the Bees scored all five runs in the first two innings, four of which came in the first. Those didn't help, but Faria also allowed three extra base hits in the first two innings that allowed the Bees to go up 5-0. Faria struck out three in four innings, allowing the five runs (three earned) on five hits and a walk.

The Hot Rods offense continued to struggle, only collecting four hits and walking twice. James Harris finally did get his first hit of the season though, a third inning solo home run that began to cut into the deficit. With two outs an inning later, Alexander Simon singled to extend the inning, and Kean Wong tripled him home, but he was the last Hot Rod to reach base.

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Star of the day- With Matt Moore sidelined for a while, eyes will turn to Romero with Durham.

Goat of the day- Suero's poor start didn't even give Charlotte a chance in game two.

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

Durham v. Charlotte 11:05 AM (MiLB.TV, radio stream)
Matt Andriese (0-1, 5.40) v. Eric Surkamp (0-0, 3.00)

Montgomery @ Mobile 8:05 PM (Radio stream)
Dylan Floro (0-0, 7.20) v. Andrew Chafin (0-0, 1.80)

Charlotte @ Fort Myers 7:05 PM (Radio stream)
Reinaldo Lopez (0-1, 20.25) v. Tyler Duffey (1-0, 4.50)

Bowling Green @ Burlington 12:30 PM (Radio stream)
Jake Faria (0-0, 0.00) v. Clint Sharp (0-0, 2.25)

*Listed as TBA on milb.com

Scouting the opposition

Charlotte Knights (White Sox)
4-3 (T-2nd in IL South)
Offense: 20 R (10th) .619 OPS (14th)
Pitching: 3.00 ERA (4th) 1.33 WHIP (6th)
Top 30 Prospects: 3B Matt Davidson (4), 2B Carlos Sanchez (12), OF Jared Mitchell (13), RHP Jake Petricka (21)

Mobile BayBears (Arizona)
4-2 (T-1st in SL South)
Offense: 23 R (5th) .630 OPS (7th)
Pitching: 1.69 ERA (1st) 1.06 WHIP (4th)
Top 30 Prospects: RHP Matt Stites (9), RHP Jake Barrett (11), 3B Jake Lamb (12), RHP Chase Anderson (23), LHP Andrew Chafin (24)

Fort Myers Miracle (Minnesota)
5-1 (1st in FSL South)
Offense: 43 R (1st) .725 OPS (2nd)
Pitching: 2.70 ERA (6th) 1.34 WHIP (9th)
Top 30 Prospects: RHP J.O. Berrios (5), 2B Jorge Polanco (10), OF Max Kepler (11), OF Adam Brett Walker (16), LHP Mason Melotakis (18), 3B Travis Harrison (25), SS Niko Goodrum (26)

Burlington Bees (Anaheim)
4-2 (T-1st in MWL West)
Offense: 23 R (T-8th) .707 OPS (6th)
Pitching: 1.86 ERA (1st) 0.97 WHIP (1st)
Top 30 Prospects: RHP Victor Alcantara (15), RHP Mike Clevinger (17), OF Mike Fish (18), RHP Joe Krehbiel (23), SS Erick Salcedo (27)