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The Venezuelan Summer League Rays kick off their season today. It looks like there are five teams playing in 2015.
In the Southern League, Blake Snell faces what is likely his toughest test of the season.
Triple-A Durham Bulls (20-18)
Durham's offense was nowhere to be found in its 5-0 loss to Scranton. The Bulls were limited to five hits, all singles, by RailRiders starter Miguel Sulbaran and three relievers. Bulls starter Everett Teaford allowed all five Scranton runs on eight hits, including three home runs, in five innings.
Double-A Montgomery Biscuits (16-21)
Jaime Schultz and four Biscuits relievers combined to shut down Chattanooga in their 2-1 win over the Lookouts. After Schultz allowed an unearned run in the first with a bases loaded walk, the Montgomery staff was able to work out of all trouble. Schultz struck out six, but with three walks he exited after three innings. Colton Reavis and Mark Sappington each pitched two innings before Parker Markel pitched an inning for the win and Bryce Stowell recorded the save. In a 1-1 tie in the ninth, Tommy Coyle led off with a single, moved to second on Boog Powell's bunt and to third on Leonardo Reginatto's groundout before scoring on Richie Shaffer's two-out hit.
Class A-Advanced Charlotte Stone Crabs (25-12)
Charlotte's offense forgot to show up in its 4-0 loss to St. Lucie. No Stone Crab reached base more than once, and they finished with just three hits. German Marquez battled through six innings, allowing just an unearned run on four hits and a walk with four strikeouts, and Steve Ascher would later allow three unearned runs himself.
Class A Bowling Green Hot Rods (22-15)
Brent Honeywell was once again outstanding in Bowling Green's 8-3 win over Fort Wayne. The star starter fired seven no-hit innings, walked just one and only faced the minimum with eight strikeouts. He exited the game with an 8-0 lead, in part due to two-run homers from Hunter Lockwood and Casey Gillaspie, who drove in three runs. Kyle Bird allowed all three TinCaps runs.
Notable performances
AA OF Boog Powell: 2-for-3, 1 R, 1 BB
AA OF Joey Rickard: 3-for-4, 2 2B
A IF Coty Blanchard: 2-for-3, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB
A OF Hunter Lockwood: 2-for-3, 2 R, 1 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB
A+ RHP German Marquez: 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 4 K
A RHP Brent Honeywell: 7 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K
AAA C J.P. Arencibia: 0-for-4, 2 K
AAA LHP Everett Teaford: 5 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
A+ LHP Steve Ascher: 2 IP, 3 H, 3 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 0 K
A LHP Kyle Bird: 1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Today's games (probables courtesy of milb.com)
Durham @ Rochester 7:05 PM (MiLB.TV, radio stream)
Matt Buschmann* (3-2, 3.38) v. Tommy Milone (2-0, 0.00)
Montgomery @ Chattanooga 11:15 AM (radio stream)
Blake Snell (2-0, 0.00) v. Jose Berrios (4-1, 2.60)
Charlotte v. Jupiter 6:30 PM (radio stream)
Buddy Borden* (4-1, 2.54) v. Jarlin Garcia (0-1, 2.65)
Bowling Green v. West Michigan 7:35 PM (radio stream)
Greg Harris (2-2, 2.17) v. Jeff Thompson (0-4, 6.41)
*Listed as TBA on milb.com
Scouting the opposition
Rochester Red Wings (Minnesota) (updated through 5/16)
20-16 (1st in IL North)
Offense: 159 R (2nd) .725 OPS (2nd)
Pitching: 4.08 ERA (10th) 1.38 WHIP (11th)
Top 30 Prospects: RHP Alex Meyer (5), LHP Taylor Rogers (15)
Chattanooga Lookouts (Minnesota) (updated through 5/15)
23-14 (1st in SL North)
Offense: 184 R (1st) .768 OPS (1st)
Pitching: 3.83 ERA (6th) 1.31 WHIP (6th)
Top 30 Prospects: OF Byron Buxton (1), 3B Miguel Sano (2), RHP Jose Berrios (3), RHP Nick Burdi (7), IF Jorge Polanco (8), OF Max Kepler (12), C Stuart Turner (13), RHP Tyler Duffey (16), OF Adam Walker (17), RHP Jake Reed (19), RHP Zack Jones (25), OF Travis Harrison (30)
Jupiter Hammerheads (Miami) (updated through 5/16)
15-22 (6th in FSL South)
Offense: 119 R (12th) .604 OPS (12th)
Pitching: 2.87 ERA (3rd) 1.32 WHIP (9th)
Top 30 Prospects: 2B Avery Romero (5), 2B Brian Anderson (9), LHP Jarlin Garcia (10), OF Austin Dean (11), IF J.T. Riddle (17), 1B Felix Munoz (26), LHP Miguel Del Pozo (27)
West Michigan Whitecaps (Detroit) (updated through 5/16)
18-19 (T-5th in MWL East)
Offense: 157 R (4th) .675 OPS (5th)
Pitching: 3.64 ERA (11th) 1.29 WHIP (10th)
Top 30 Prospects: OF Derek Hill (3), 3B Zac Shepherd (11), RHP Joe Jimenez (14), RHP Spencer Turnbull (18), OF Michael Gerber (19), 3B Joey Pankake (30)