Rays down on the farm May 7: Casali hits again in Durham loss

Montgomery's offense has been near the top of the league this year, but they only have four runs in their last four games.  Losing an on-base machine like Curt Casali does that to you.

Triple-A Durham Bulls (20-13)

Former Bull Wil Rhymes delivered a big hit late in Durham's 3-2 loss to Syracuse.  Juan Sandoval replaced Nathan Karns in the seventh holding a 2-1 lead, but the Chiefs quickly got to work.  After a sac bunt moved two runners into scoring position with one out, Rhymes hit a two run double to put Syracuse up 3-2.  Only one Bull was able to reach base after that.  Durham scored their first run of the game in the second with a solo home run by Wilson Betemit, and Justin Christian's fifth inning two out single drove in the second.

Karns was able to limit Syracuse to one run in six innings, but he had trouble throwing strikes and was in and out of trouble all night.  He allowed five hits and four walks with three strikeouts, and only 57 of his 100 pitches were strikes.  In his second game with Durham, Curt Casali reached base three more times and hit his second double.

Double-A Montgomery Biscuits (18-14)

In a pitchers' duel between Dylan Floro and former Rays draft pick Andrew Heaney, Floro blinked first in Montgomery's 6-1 loss to Jacksonville.  Before the teams traded runs in the fourth inning, Heaney retired the first 11 batters of the game, and Floro only allowed three baserunners in the first three innings himself.  In the sixth with one out recorded at home already, Floro allowed a two run double and was taken out of the game.  After an inherited runner scored, Floro finished with the line of four runs on nine hits and one walk in 5.1 innings with three strikeouts.

While the Suns were tacking on runs against the Biscuits bullpen, Montgomery had a few chances to add runs but couldn't take advantage.  Three runners reached scoring position, and two even got as far as third base.  Unfortunately, there were two outs each time, and they couldn't get the big hit.  Luke Bailey and Joey Rickard each had two of Montgomery's eight hits.

Class-A Advanced Charlotte Stone Crabs (16-16)

Charlotte piled on a lot of runs late in a 9-5 win over St. Lucie.  Down 3-2 in the sixth inning, the Stone Crabs scored two runs, their first of three straight multi-run innings.  Andrew Toles' RBI single tied the game, and Hector Guevara's squeeze bunt put Charlotte ahead.  The Mets tied the game again an inning later with an unearned run, but their defense coughed up a pair of unearned runs of their own.  An inning later, after Leonardo Reginatto singled home Toles, Tyler Goeddel delivered the biggest blow of the game, a two run inside the park homer.  Charlotte batters were putting pressure on St. Lucie pitchers all game, reaching base 18 times.  Goeddel reached four times, Jake DePew walked three times, and Toles had three hits with two steals.

Austin Pruitt struggled with the over the fence variety of home run, allowing two when the Mets took an early lead.  He was charged with four St. Lucie runs (three earned) on six hits and two walks in 6.1 innings with two strikeouts.  Jose Alberto Molina was credited with the win, but he was also tagged with a blown save for allowing an inherited runner to score.

Class A Bowling Green Hot Rods (14-17)

For the third time in 2014, Jake Faria baffled South Bend in Bowling Green's 3-2 win over the Silver Hawks.  With tonight's five scoreless innings, Faria has pitched 16.1 innings against South Bend and has only allowed an unearned run.  He only allowed one hit Tuesday, but he walked three, doubling his season total.  He struck out five.  Brad Schreiber and Jorge Rodriguez each threw two innings of relief and struck out four, but Rodriguez gave up two runs and had to work hard to preserve the lead.

Bowling Green first got on the board in the third inning on a Yoel Araujo solo home run, his third in the last six games, all of which have come against South Bend.  The Hot Rods added their other two runs in the sixth inning with back to back bases loaded singles from Ty Young and Pat Blair.  With two hits and a walk, Juniel Querecuto extended his hitting streak to 10 games and has hits in 22 of his 26 games this season.

CLICK HERE FOR ALL BOX SCORES

Star of the day- Faria continues to post some of the most impressive stats in the organization.

Goat of the day- Depending on the stats you look at, Floro has been bad or just unlucky this year.

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

Durham @ Syracuse 7 PM (MiLB.TV, radio stream)
Enny Romero (2-4, 4.50) v. Ryan Tatusko (1-4, 2.20)

Montgomery v. Jacksonville 8:05 PM (MiLB.TV, radio stream)
Jared Mortensen (3-0, 3.08) v. Angel Sanchez (0-4, 4.99)

Charlotte @ Bradenton 6:30 PM (Radio stream)
Roberto Gomez* (1-2, 4.67) v. Chad Kuhl (3-2, 5.08)

Bowling Green @ South Bend 10:35 AM (Radio stream)
Chris Kirsch (1-4, 6.12) v. Jose Martinez (1-0, 3.60)

*Listed as TBA on milb.com

Scouting the opposition

Syracuse Chiefs (Washington)
16-15 (4th in IL North)
Offense: 117 R (13th) .696 OPS (9th)
Pitching: 3.34 ERA (3rd) 1.17 WHIP (1st)
Top 30 Prospects: OF Brian Goodwin (3), OF Eury Perez (20), RHP Blake Treinen (23), RHP Christian Garcia (24)

Jacksonville Suns (Miami)
15-17 (T-3rd in SL South)
Offense: 131 R (7th) .673 OPS (8th)
Pitching: 3.97 ERA (7th) 1.35 WHIP (7th)
Top 30 Prospects: LHP Andrew Heaney (1), LHP Justin Nicolino (4), RHP Anthony DeSclafani (5), RHP Jose Urena (7), C J.T. Realmuto (10), RHP Angel Sanchez (16), RHP Nick Wittgren (18), LHP Grant Dayton (21), LHP Edgar Olmos (23), RHP Tyler Higgins (25)

Bradenton Marauders (Pittsburgh)
16-16 (T-3rd in FSL South)
Offense: 100 R (12th) .620 OPS (11th)
Pitching: 3.59 ERA (6th) 1.29 WHIP (4th)
Top 30 Prospects: RHP Tyler Glasnow (3), OF Josh Bell (7), C Jin-De Jhang (24)

South Bend Silver Hawks (Arizona)
17-15 (3rd in MWL East)
Offense: 149 R (6th) .673 OPS (12th)
Pitching: 3.89 ERA (9th) 1.31 WHIP (6th)
Top 30 Prospects: RHP Braden Shipley (2), OF Stryker Trahan (8), 1B Daniel Palka (17), C Michael Perez (20), LHP Daniel Gibson (21), RHP Geordy Parra (22), SS Joe Munoz (26), 2B Jamie Westbrook (27), 2B Andrew Velasquez (28)