Rays down on the farm August 3: Shaffer promoted to majors

Fans have been asking about Richie Shaffer, and they will get his wish after it was announced he would be added to the big league roster. The Rays hope he can spark the inconsistent offense with two months left in the season.

Triple-A Durham Bulls (52-56)

Durham's offense was helpless without Richie Shaffer in its 5-0 loss to Gwinnett. Shaffer had one of the Bulls' two hits and also walked before getting the call, and Luke Maile had their other hit. Starter Bradin Hagens allowed a run on two hits and four walks in 5 1/3 innings, and Gwinnett added insurance against Everett Teaford late.

Double-A Montgomery Biscuits (20-15)

A late collapse cost Montgomery in its 5-3 loss to Mississippi. After the Biscuits added a run in the seventh, Ryan Garton recorded two outs with two runners on base and was close to getting out of the inning. However, a walk would load the bases, and Mississippi hit back-to-back singles that scored four runs. Starter Austin Pruitt allowed a run on five hits and two walks in six innings.

Class A-Advanced Charlotte Stone Crabs (16-18)

Charlotte was canceled.

Class A Bowling Green Hot Rods (19-18)

Someone finally figured out Jose Mujica in Lansing's 4-1 loss to Lansing. Mujica, though, wasn't terrible but allowed a season-high three runs on six hits and a walk in five innings with three strikeouts. The biggest culprit in the loss were the unproductive Hot Rods bats, which had just four hits. None of those hits contributed to their only run of the game in the first inning.

Short-Season Hudson Valley Renegades (20-21)

Cameron Varga set a new career-high with six strikeouts but struggled in Hudson Valley's 8-5 loss to Auburn. The Doubledays scored four runs against him in the second, but the Renegades scored a pair of runs in each of the next two innings to tie the game. Varga then allowed a leadoff triple in the fifth that led to the go-ahead run. He finished with five runs -- two earned -- allowed on eight hits in five innings with no walks. Starter Brock Burke allowed three runs in four innings, and Alexis Tapia tossed two scoreless frames in his Rays debut.

Rookie Princeton Rays (23-16)

Princeton allowed six unanswered runs to close its 9-3 loss to Pulaski. Ian Gibaut was tasked with holding a 3-3 lead in the seventh, but instead, he allowed three runs on three hits and committed an error that prolonged the inning. An inning later, Ty Jackson replaced Gibaut with two runners on base and walked four straight batters.

Rookie Gulf Coast League Rays (8-26)

The GCL Rays were off.

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Notable performances

A- IF Jake Cronenworth: 3-for-3, 2 R, 1 3B, 2 BB
A- OF Cade Gotta: 2-for-4, 1 BB

A UT Coty Blanchard: 0-for-4, 2 K
R+ OF Angel Perez: 0-for-4, 2 K
AAA LHP Everett Teaford: 1 1/3 IP, 4 H, 3 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 1 K
AA RHP Ryan Garton: two-thirds IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
A- RHP Justin McCalvin: 3 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
R+ RHP Ian Gibaut: 1 2/3 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
R+ RHP Ty Jackson: one-third IP, 0 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 0 K

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

Durham v. Indianapolis 7:05 PM (MiLB.TV, radio stream)
Matt Andriese (2-2, 2.39) v. Radhames Liz (3-3, 1.02)

Montgomery @ Mississippi 8 PM (MiLB.TV, radio stream)
TBA v. Zack Bird (0-0, -.--)

Charlotte is off

Bowling Green is off

Hudson Valley v. Tri-City 7:05 PM (radio stream)
TBA v. TBA

Princeton is off

GCL Rays @ GCL Red Sox 12 PM

*Listed as TBA on milb.com

Scouting the opposition

Indianapolis Indians (Pittsburgh) (updated through 8/1)
63-46 (1st in IL West)
Offense: 426 R (7th) .687 OPS (9th)
Pitching: 3.17 ERA (5th) 1.26 WHIP (2nd)
Top 30 Prospects: RHP Tyler Glasnow (1), 1B Josh Bell (4), RHP Nick Kingham (6), IF Alen Hanson (7), C Elias Diaz (11), OF Willy Garcia (12), RHP John Holdzkom (16), RHP Casey Sadler (17)

Mississippi Braves (updated through 7/31)
20-16 (T-2nd in SL South)
Offense: 367 R (9th) .642 OPS (10th)
Pitching: 3.54 ERA (5th) 1.37 WHIP (7th)
Top 30 Prospects: RHP Lucas Sims (2), RHP Jason Hursh (6), 3B Rio Ruiz (10), RHP Mauricio Cabrera (14), RHP Zack Bird, OF KD Kang

Tri-City ValleyCats (Houston) (updated through 8/1)
23-19 (1st in Stedler)
Offense: 190 R (2nd) .684 OPS (4th)
Pitching: 3.87 ERA (10th) 1.35 WHIP (10th)
Top 30 Prospects: None

GCL Red Sox (updated through 8/1)
21-12 (1st in GCL South)
Offense: 154 R (3rd) .645 OPS (13th)
Pitching: 2.35 ERA (1st) 1.27 WHIP (9th)
Top 30 Prospects: OF Yoan Aybar (31)