Rays prospects and minor leagues: Nick Franklin hits two-run double to secure win

Cade Gotta scored on a passed ball to get Charlotte a walk-off win while Bowling Green was trounced by the Great Lake Loons. The Montgomery Biscuits play a doubleheader today to make up the game on April 11 that was postponed in Jackson.

Triple-A Durham Bulls (20-29)

A two-run double was all the offense Durham needed in a 2-0 win over the Columbus Clippers. Nick Franklin drove in the go-ahead runs in the top of the eighth inning to give the Bulls the late cushion they needed to secure victory. Jaime Schultz pitched six shutout innings, but the win was given to Parker Markel, the champion of names in the Rays organization.

Double-A Montgomery Biscuits (24-22)

The Biscuits were on a slippery slope in their loss, culminating in a five-run inning for the Jackson Generals in Montgomery's 10-1 loss. Jacob Faria and Brett Marshall each gave up five runs, with Faria taking his fifth loss of the season. Brad Boxberger made a rehab appearance, allowing one hit and striking out one in 0.2 innings of work. The lone Montgomery came in the first inning, when Johnny Field doubled and was later driven in on a Casey Gillaspie double two batters later.

Class-A Advanced Charlotte Stone Crabs (24-26)

Charlotte chipped away at an early two-run deficit, culminating in a walk-off finish to take home a 3-2 win over the Fort Myers Miracle. Greg Harris gave up two runs in the second inning, but struck out seven in five innings of work. Jeff Howell and Mike Franco allowed two baserunners combined the last four innings, with Franco earning his second win of the year. Bralin Jackson and Alec Sole had RBI singles to eventually tie the game. Sole later scored on a passed ball to secure the Stone Crabs' 24th win of the year.

Class-A Bowling Green (24-23)

Bowling Green's game quickly became nightmarish, giving up ten first-inning runs in a 12-1 loss to the Great Lakes Loons. Starter Michael Velazquez continued to struggle, recording only two outs and allowing eight runs before having to be pulled. His ERA is now 7.75; sooner or later the Rays may have to reconsider his assignment to Class-A ball. Yoel Espinal allowed two more runs before the inning was finally over and gave up one more in the fourth. Armando Bastardo had a solid appearance in relief, striking out four in two innings. The Hot Rods managed their lone run on a Brett Sullivan RBI double, his 34th RBI of the year

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Notable Performances

Triple-A

SS Daniel Robertson: 2-for-3, R, BB
2B Nick Franklin: 2-for-4, 2B (9), 2 RBI (20), K

RHP Jaime Schultz: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
RHP Parker Markel: W (1-1), 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Dylan Floro: S (2), 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Double-A

OF Johnny Field: 1-for-4, R, 2B (10), 2 K
1B Casey Gillaspie: 1-for-3, 2B (13), BB, K

RHP Brad Boxberger: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
LHP Steve Ascher: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Class-A Advanced

OF Cade Gotta: 2-for-4, 2 R, K
1B Alec Sole: 2-for-3, R, RBI (21), BB
OF Bralin Jackson: 2-for-4, RBI (8), 2 K

RHP Jeff Howell: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
RHP Mike Franco: W (2-1), 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K

Class-A

1B/OF Joe McCarthy: 1-for-3, R, BB
C Brett Sullivan: 1-for-4, 2B (8), RBI (34)

RHP Armando Bastardo: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K

Today's probables (All probables courtesy milb.com)

Durham @ Columbus 7:15 PM ET (milb.tv, radio stream)
Austin Pruitt (3-2, 2.54) v. TBA

Montgomery v. Jackson 6:00 PM ET (milb.tv, radio stream) DOUBLEHEADER
Jared Mortensen (4-3, 3.81) v. Sam Gaviglio (2-2, 4.38) 
Taylor Guerrieri (2-3, 4.24) v. TBA

Charlotte v. Fort Myers 6:05 PM ET (radio stream)
Chris Pike (1-5, 3.71) v. Randy Rosario (2-4, 3.53)

Bowling Green v. Great Lakes 7:35 PM ET (radio stream)
Genesis Cabrera (4-2, 2.16) v. Nolan Long (2-4, 4.01)

Scouting the opposition

Columbus Clippers (Cleveland)
26-21, 1st in IL West
Offense: 201 R (T-2nd), .734 OPS (2nd)
Pitching: 3.52 ERA (10th), 1.32 WHIP (8th)
Top 30 Prospects: OF Tyler Naquin (6), RHP Mike Clevinger (7), SS Erik Gonzalez (12), 3B Yandy Diaz (15), RHP Shawn Armstrong (21), LHP Ryan Merritt (22)