Gulf Coast League season gets underway in just a few hours. It feels unusual that it's starting before the Appy League, but it's also entirely possible that is how it goes every season and I did not notice until now.
Triple-A Durham Bulls (39-32)
Matt Moore's first rehab appearance with Durham was a mixed bag in the Bulls' 5-2 loss to Columbus. He struck out seven in 5 1/3 innings and 67 of his 92 pitches were strikes, but he allowed three runs on seven hits and a walk, including back-to-back home runs in the fourth that put the Clippers ahead for good. Corey Brown's first-inning solo home run and Luke Maile's solo shot in the second accounted for Durham's offense.
Double-A Montgomery Biscuits (34-34)
Montgomery was canceled.
Class A-Advanced Charlotte Stone Crabs (0-0)
Charlotte enjoyed the last day of its All-Star break.
I apologize for not making a post that featured a Florida State League All-Star Game recap. The FSL South emerged as 6-0 winners. Jake Bauers took home MVP honors with a third-inning double that scored the first two runs of the game, and Jacob Faria, the South squad's starter, struck out two in an inning of work. Chris Kirsch was credited with the win with a scoreless third inning. Willy Adames reached base twice and scored, Marty Gantt struck out twice, Buddy Borden allowed a hit and struck out a batter in two-thirds of an inning, and Brad Schreiber recorded the final two outs of the game.
Class A Bowling Green Hot Rods (37-33)
Bowling Green's offense struggled in all but one inning in its 3-2 loss to Fort Wayne. Down 2-0 in the third, Riley Unroe singled home a pair of runs to tie the game, but the Hot Rods could do no further damage when Bralin Jackson grounded into a double play and Casey Gillaspie grounded out. They would collect only three hits over the final six innings. Starter Henry Centeno allowed all three runs -- two earned -- on seven hits and a walk in 5 2/3 innings.
Short-Season Hudson Valley Renegades (3-0)
It took 15 innings, but Hudson Valley finally completed its suspended game with a 2-1 win over Aberdeen. The Renegades tied the game at one in the third on Angel Moreno's two-out double, but they would not get another hit until Jake Cronenworth's 11th-inning single. In the 15th, Alex Schmidt singled, moved up to second on a wild pitch and scored on Danny de la Calle's two-out hit. Starter Cameron Varga was long gone after allowing a run in five innings, but the bullpen was fantastic with Tomas Michelson and Michael Velasquez combining for seven strikeouts in six scoreless innings to finish the game.
The Renegades had a much more conventional game two win by a 9-1 score. Starter Roel Ramirez only allowed one run over five innings, and he got plenty of support from the bats. Hec Montes' sacrifice fly and Taylor Hawkins' double in the first put Hudson Valley up 2-0, and the Renegades were up 6-0 before the IronBirds finally got on the board. A half inning later, Hawkins tripled home a run before Schmidt's first professional home run put them up eight runs.
Notable performances
A- IF Jake Cronenworth: 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB
A- OF Angel Moreno: 2-for-5, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 K
A- C Taylor Hawkins: 2-for-3, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 RBI, 1 BB
A- 3B Alex Schmidt: 2-for-3, 3 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB
A- OF Cade Gotta: 3-for-4, 1 RBI
A- RHP Cameron Varga: 5 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
A- RHP Tomas Michelson: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
AAA UT Vince Belnome: 0-for-4, 3 K
A OF Bralin Jackson: 0-for-4, 2 K
A- OF Manny Sanchez: 0-for-4, 2 K
A- OF Jose Paez: 0-for-6, 4 K
A- DH Josh Rapacz: 0-for-6, 1 K
A- 1B Hec Montes: 0-for-4, 2 K
AAA RHP Ernesto Frieri: two-thirds IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
Today's games (probables courtesy of milb.com)
Durham is off
Montgomery is at the All-Star break
Charlotte v. Bradenton 7 PM (radio stream)
TBA v. TBA
Bowling Green is at the All-Star break
Hudson Valley v. Lowell 7:05 PM (radio stream)
TBA v. TBA
GCL Rays v. GCL Red Sox 12 PM
*Listed as TBA on milb.com
Scouting the opposition
Bradenton Marauders (Pittsburgh) (updated through 6/20)
0-0
Offense: 282 R (3rd) .691 OPS (2nd)
Pitching: 3.71 ERA (11th) 1.28 WHIP (9th)
Top 30 Prospects: OF Austin Meadows (3), C Reese McGuire (5), SS JaCoby Jones (13), LHP Steven Brault (18), 3B Wyatt Mathisen (22), LHP Cody Dickson (24)
Lowell Spinners (Boston) (updated through 6/20)
3-0 (1st in Stedler)
Offense: 25 R (2nd) .729 OPS (5th)
Pitching: 2.33 ERA (4th) 1.22 WHIP (7th)
Top 30 Prospects: Will not be updated until next series
GCL Red Sox (updated through 6/20)
Haven't played yet
Offense: Haven't played yet
Pitching: Haven't played yet
Top 30 Prospects: Will not be updated until next series