Rays down on the farm July 17: Rays reportedly sign Betts

The agreement we reported between #Rays and 2nd-round pick Chris Betts was for $1,485,000, per ESPN's @keithlaw, about $325,000 above slot

— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) July 17, 2015

Triple-A Durham Bulls (48-43)

Durham came out of the All-Star break on the winning end of a slugfest, a 9-7 decision over Pawtucket. Trailing 4-0, the Bulls scored four in the sixth. In the eighth, they went ahead for good in the eighth when Luke Maile cleared the bases with a double. He later scored an insurance run on an error. Starter Robert Zarate allowed four runs -- three earned -- in five innings, but C.J. Riefenhauser was credited with the win despite being charged with three runs in an inning.

Double-A Montgomery Biscuits (10-9)

Montgomery survived seven Jaime Schultz walks in the Biscuits' 9-2 win over Tennessee. The seven free passes were a new career high, but he also managed to strike out eight and only allow a run in 4 2/3 innings. After the Lookouts tied the game at one in the top of the third, Johnny Field hit a two-run home run in the bottom half of the inning to start a stretch of four straight two-run innings for the Biscuits.

Class A-Advanced Charlotte Stone Crabs (7-14)

German Marquez was not at his best in Charlotte's 5-1 loss to Tampa. Already down 2-0, he allowed three more runs, although one was unearned due to a Marty Gantt error. He finished with five runs -- four earned -- allowed on eight hits and a walk in 4 2/3 innings with four strikeouts. Mike Marjama singled in the Stone Crabs' only run in the sixth.

Class A Bowling Green Hot Rods (12-9)

Hunter Lockwood tied the game in the ninth with a two-run homer, and Bralin Jackson singled in the 10th for a 4-3 Bowling Green win over Great Lakes. The Hot Rods could have won the game in the ninth with two runners on and none out after the home run, but a double play cost them. Riley Unroe led off the 10th with a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and came home on Jackson's hit. Hyrum Formo, Jordan Harrison and Brian Miller each threw three innings, but the win went to Edwin Fierro.

Short-Season Hudson Valley Renegades (13-12)

Hudson Valley's young outfielders led the Renegades to a 6-3 win over Aberdeen. Manny Sanchez, 19, and and Angel Moreno, 18, each reached base three times and combined to score three of their runs. Starter Roel Ramirez struck out four and allowed two runs in six innings, and Luis Urena earned a save with three strikeouts and an unearned run allowed over the final three frames.

Rookie Princeton Rays (13-8)

Peter Maris doubled to lead off the 10th and scored the winning run in Princeton's 7-6 win over Kingsport in 10 innings. With the bases loaded and no outs, Maris came home on a ground ball when Kingsport was unable to record an out. Earlier, Zacrey Law's third homer of the season started Princeton's scoring in the third, and David Olmedo-Barrera hit his first pro home run two innings later to tie the game at three. Starter Brock Burke allowed three runs -- two earned -- in five innings.

Rookie Gulf Coast League Rays (4-16)

The GCL Rays were postponed.

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Notable performances

AAA OF Corey Brown: 2-for-4, 1 R, 2 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K
AAA 3B Richie Shaffer: 1-for-2, 1 R, 1 RBI, 3 BB, 1 K
AAA IF Nick Franklin: 2-for-3, 1 R, 1 BB
AA OF Joey Rickard: 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 3B, 1 BB
AA IF Leonardo Reginatto: 1-for-3, 2 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB
AA 3B Patrick Leonard: 3-for-4, 2 R, 2 2B
A+ IF Andrew Velazquez: 2-for-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
A IF Riley Unroe: 1-for-1, 1 R, 1 2B, 3 BB, 1 K
A- OF Manny Sanchez: 3-for-4, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K
A- OF Angel Moreno: 2-for-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB
R+ OF Zacrey Law: 3-for-5, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI
R+ OF Landon Cray: 3-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K
R+ C Jose Rojas: 3-for-4, 2 R
R+ DH David Olmedo-Barrera: 3-for-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 K
A+ RHP Mike Franco: 1 1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
A- RHP Luis Urena: 3 IP, 1 H, 1 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 3 K

AA C Justin O'Conner: 0-for-5, 3 K
A+ IF Pat Blair: 0-for-4, 2 K
A- 3B Matt Dacey: 0-for-4, 2 K
R+ 3B Brett Sullivan: 0-for-6, 2 K
A+ RHP German Marquez: 4 2/3 IP, 8 H, 5 R (4 ER), 1 BB, 4 K

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

Durham v. Pawtucket 7:05 PM (MiLB.TV, radio stream)
Bradin Hagens (1-0, 1.29) v. Joe Kelly (0-1, 2.57)

Montgomery v. Tennessee 8:05 PM (MiLB.TV, radio stream)
Chris Kirsch (0-1, 3.00) v. Pierce Johnson (4-0, 1.26)

Charlotte @ Tampa 7 PM (radio stream)
TBA v. Rookie Davis (5-4, 3.18)

Bowling Green v. Great Lakes 8:05 PM (radio stream)
Brad Wallace (0-1, 10.38) v. Pablo Fernandez (0-0, 2.25)

Hudson Valley @ Aberdeen 7:05 PM (MiLB.TV, radio stream)
Travis Ott (2-1, 3.26) v. TBA

Princeton v. Kingsport 7 PM
Deivy Mendez (1-1, 3.97) v. TBA

GCL Rays v. GCL Orioles 12 PM

*Listed as TBA on milb.com

Scouting the opposition

Pawtucket Red Sox (updated through 7/14)
39-53 (5th in IL North)
Offense: 321 R (13th) .655 OPS (13th)
Pitching: 3.75 ERA (9th) 1.30 WHIP (7th)
Top 30 Prospects: LHP Henry Owens (2), OF Rusney Castillo (3), RHP Matt Barnes (8), 3B Garin Cecchini (10), 2B Sean Coyle (17), LHP Edwin Escobar (18), OF Bryce Brentz (21), RHP Steven Wright (22), RHP Pat Light (30)

Tennessee Smokies (Cubs) (updated through 7/13)
8-11 (3rd in SL North)
Offense: 393 R (3rd) .715 OPS (3rd)
Pitching: 3.35 ERA (2nd) 1.27 WHIP (2nd)
Top 30 Prospects: OF Billy McKinney (6), OF Albert Almora (7), RHP Pierce Johnson (9), LHP Rob Zastryzny (14), RHP Corey Black (16), OF Jacob Hannemann (17), OF Bijan Rademacher (21), 1B Dan Vogelbach (25)

Tampa Yankees (updated through 7/13)
11-9 (2nd in FSL North)
Offense: 328 R (8th) .626 OPS (10th)
Pitching: 3.20 ERA (7th) 1.18 WHIP (2nd)
Top 30 Prospects: 3B Miguel Andujar (10), SS Tyler Wade (13), SS Abiatal Avelino (15)

Great Lakes Loons (Dodgers) (updated through 7/13)
7-14 (8th in MWL East)
Offense: 325 R (15th) .654 OPS (13th)
Pitching: 3.50 ERA (8th) 1.28 WHIP (7th)
Top 30 Prospects: RHP Grant Holmes (4), OF Alex Verdugo (5), C Julian Leon (11), 1B Justin Chigbogu (31)

Aberdeen IronBirds (Baltimore) (updated through 7/13)
13-12 (T-3rd in McNamara)
Offense: 83 R (14th) .629 OPS (13th)
Pitching: 3.78 ERA (7th) 1.27 WHIP (7th)
Top 30 Prospects: LHP Travis Seabrooke (31), OF D.J. Stewart

Kingsport Mets (updated through 7/13)
11-11 (2nd in APP West)
Offense: 107 R (1st) .698 OPS (4th)
Pitching: 4.90 ERA (10th) 1.39 WHIP (8th)
Top 30 Prospects: None

GCL Orioles (updated through 7/15)
10-11 (3rd in GCL South)
Offense: 72 R (13th) .618 OPS (14th)
Pitching: 2.64 ERA (4th) 1.08 WHIP (3rd)
Top 30 Prospects: RHP Ofelky Peralta (29), SS Ryan Mountcastle