Rays down on the farm July 30: Marquez turns in season-best start

German Marquez has nasty stuff. Up to 96 with late life, a hard curve and an average CH he throws to both sides. #Rays

— Josh Norris (@jnorris427) July 30, 2015

Triple-A Durham Bulls (52-53)

Blake Snell was sharp in Durham's 5-3 win over Gwinnett. In earning his first Triple-A win, he allowed just one hit and one walk in five innings with seven strikeouts, and he was taken out after throwing 86 pitches (57 strikes). Already up 1-0, the Bulls added three more in the fourth with a two-run double from Nick Franklin and sacrifice fly from Luke Maile.

Double-A Montgomery Biscuits (18-13)

Chris Kirsch struggled in Montgomery's 5-2 loss to Tennessee. After a quick first inning, the game got out of control in the second. A batter reaching base on catcher's interference did not help, but Kirsch soon allowed an RBI single and three more runs later in the inning. He lasted just two innings, allowing four runs -- three earned -- on three hits and four walks in two innings.

Class A-Advanced Charlotte Stone Crabs (15-17)

German Marquez turned in a great effort in Charlotte's 2-0 win over Dunedin. He faced the minimum through three innings and finished with five strikeouts and just three hits and no walks scattered over seven scoreless innings. The Stone Crabs went up 1-0 on Yoel Araujo's RBI single in the second, and Andrew Velazquez drove in an insurance run in the seventh.

Class A Bowling Green Hot Rods (17-15)

Bowling Green was suspended.

Short-Season Hudson Valley Renegades (19-18)

Hudson Valley found itself behind 3-0 four batters into the game and did not get closer in its 6-3 loss to Brooklyn. Starter Roel Ramirez settled in a bit but allowed four runs on five hits and two walks in five innings with four strikeouts. Down 5-1 in the ninth, the Renegades added two runs and had the potential tying run at the plate, but Danny De La Calle struck out to end the game.

Rookie Princeton Rays (20-15)

Princeton fell in a 6-0 hole and could not get out in its 7-1 loss to Bluefield. In his first pro start, Ethan Clark left his team with an early deficit and finished with four runs allowed on nine hits in 3 1/3 innings. Porter Clayton relieved him and allowed three runs -- one earned -- in 2 2/3 frames. Blair Beck doubled in two runs in the seventh.

Rookie Gulf Coast League Rays (6-22)

The GCL Rays were rained out.

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Notable performances

AAA IF Nick Franklin: 2-for-3, 2 R, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 1 BB
R+ SS Peter Maris: 5-for-5, 1 R
R+ C David Rodriguez: 1-for-1, 1 R, 2 BB
AAA LHP Blake Snell: 5 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
A+ RHP German Marquez: 7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K
Weather affecting the Gulf Coast League

AA 1B Jake Bauers: 0-for-4, 2 K
A- 1B Hec Montes: 0-for-4, 1 RBI, 2 K
A- C Danny De La Calle: 0-for-4, 2 K
R+ 3B Brett Sullivan: 0-for-5, 1 K
R+ 2B Bill Pujols: 0-for-4, 2 K
AA LHP Chris Kirsch: 2 IP, 3 H, 4 R (3 ER), 4 BB, 3 K
R+ RHP Ethan Clark: 3 1/3 IP, 9 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

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

Durham is off

Montgomery v. Tennessee 8:05 PM (MiLB.TV, radio stream)
Jacob Faria (3-2, 2.72) v. Rob Zastryzny (0-3, 4.82)

Charlotte @ Lakeland 6:30 PM (radio stream)
TBA v. Kevin Ziomek (5-8, 4.02)

Bowling Green v. West Michigan 8:05 PM (radio stream) DOUBLEHEADER
TBA v. TBA
Brad Wallace (1-2, 4.11) v. Spencer Turnbull (8-2, 2.81)

Completion of suspended game following seven-inning game

Hudson Valley v. Brooklyn 7:05 PM (radio stream)
TBA v. TBA

Princeton v. Bluefield 7 PM (radio stream)
Spencer Moran (2-0, 3.00) v. Juliandry Higuera (4-0, 1.14)

GCL Rays/GCL Twins 11 AM DOUBLEHEADER

Both games will be seven innings

*Listed as TBA on milb.com

Scouting the opposition

Tennessee Smokies (Cubs) (updated through 7/26)
14-17 (3rd in SL North)
Offense: 431 R (3rd) .710 OPS (3rd)
Pitching: 3.52 ERA (4th) 1.31 WHIP (4th)
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)

Lakeland Flying Tigers (updated through 7/28)
7-24 (6th in FSL North)
Offense: 336 R (11th) .626 OPS (9th)
Pitching: 3.53 ERA (9th) 1.33 WHIP (9th)
Top 30 Prospects: LHP Kevin Ziomek (4), 2B Javier Betancourt (20), C Grayson Greiner (24), RHP Endrys Briceno (31)

West Michigan Whitecaps (Detroit) (updated through 7/26)
18-13 (1st in MWL East)
Offense: 389 R (13th) .649 OPS (14th)
Pitching: 3.70 ERA (12th) 1.31 WHIP (10th)
Top 30 Prospects: OF Derek Hill (3), 3B Zac Shepherd (11), C Arvicent Perez (12), RHP Joe Jimenez (14), RHP Spencer Turnbull (18), OF Michael Gerber (19), 3B Joey Pankake (30)

Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets) (updated through 7/26)
19-18 (T-2nd in McNamara)
Offense: 130 R (13th) .613 OPS (13th)
Pitching: 2.74 ERA (1st) 1.14 WHIP (1st)
Top 30 Prospects: C Brandon Brosher (29)

Bluefield Blue Jays (updated through 7/25)
17-19 (4th in APP East)
Offense: 164 R (1st) .718 OPS (4th)
Pitching: 3.61 ERA (4th) 1.31 WHIP (3rd)
Top 30 Prospects: LHP Matt Smoral (11), LHP Nick Wells (28)

GCL Twins (updated through 7/25)
16-12 (2nd in GCL South)
Offense: 96 R (14th) .614 OPS 13th)
Pitching: 2.54 ERA (3rd) 1.14 WHIP (4th)
Top 30 Prospects: 1B Lewin Diaz (18)