Rays prospects and minor leagues 8/9: Justin Williams homers for Montgomery

Both Charlotte and the GCL Rays were postponed yesterday as Florida was battered by rain. They will each play a doubleheader today.

Triple-A Durham Bulls (53-63)

Durham was off.

Double-A Montgomery Biscuits (25-19)

Montgomery fended off a late rally from the Tennessee Smokies to preserve a 5-3 win. Justin Williams opened up the scoring with a two-run home run, his fourth in 18 games of Double-A action. Willy Adames hit a RBI single and Jake Depew scored on an error to round out a four-run second for the Biscuits. Kean Wong drove in a run in the eighth inning to give Montgomery a five-run advantage. Chris Kirsch posted seven scoreless innings before allowing two runs in the bottom of the eighth. Kyle Winkler prevented any more runs to score in the inning, but surrendered one more in the ninth before striking out two batters in a row with a runner on third to end the game.

Class-A Advanced Charlotte Stone Crabs (22-19)

Charlotte was postponed due to rain.

Class-A Bowling Green Hot Rods (29-14)

Bowling Green came from behind to tie and eventually win 3-2 in twelve innings against the West Michigan Whitecaps. Michael Velasquez allowed two runs to the Whitecaps over his five innings, allowing eight hits and two walks. The Hot Rods were held scoreless until the eighth, when Kewby Meyer brought them within one with a RBI single. They then tied the game in the bottom of the ninth when Zacrey Law drove in a run on a single. Tim Ingram was effective in relief, tossing three scoreless innings while giving up just one hit. Ingram ended up winning the game, as Kevin Padlo drove in the winning run on a double in the twelfth inning.

Short-Season Hudson Valley Renegades (29-20)

Hudson Valley overcame an early two-run deficit to pull out a 5-2 victory over the Mahoning Valley Scrappers. Adrian Navas allowed two runs by the third, but settled down from there. He went six innings, striking out five in his third win this year. The Renegades erased the Scrappers' lead with a four-run fourth, which included two-run triples from Nathaniel Lowe and Miles Mastrobuoni. Lowe picked up another RBI on a groundout in the eighth to add some insurance. Jayson McKinley struck out the side in order in the ninth to secure his third save.

Rookie Princeton Rays (23-20)

Princeton swept both sides of their doubleheader with the Bluefield Blue Jays, making up their postponed game from July 15. In Game One, Princeton's offense built a comfortable lead to carry them to a 6-3 win. A sacrifice fly from Oscar Rojas and RBI single from Bobby Melley gave the Rays an early two-run lead. Princeton then blew the game wide open in with a four-run third inning. Joshua Lowe hit a home run for the second day in a row, a two-run blast, in the inning. Ethan Clark won his fifth game of the year despite an unimpressive start, allowing three runs on four hits and two walks in six innings. Reign Letkeman netted his second save of the year with a hitless ninth.

In Game Two, the Rays' offense took over in a 11-2 battering of the Blue Jays. Willy Ortiz allowed Bluefield two unearned runs in the first, but gave up just three hits over the next five innings while striking out nine batters. Meanwhile, Andrew Deramo of the Blue Jays was roughed up, allowing eight runs on eleven hits to the Rays. Eleardo Cabrera led the way with three RBIs, while Isaac Bernard and Emilio Gustave drove in two each. Joshua Lowe and Deion Tansel each hit solo home runs, with Lowe's being his second of the day. Rene Pinto went 4-for-4 and is now 6-for-12 since being promoted to Princeton from the GCL Rays.

Rookie GCL Rays (14-23)

The GCL Rays were also postponed due to rain.

The preceding stories were not generated by the Associated Press computer using data from and in cooperation with MLBAM.

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Notable Performances

Double-A

SS Willy Adames: 2-for-4, RBI (47), BB, K
1B/3B Patrick Leonard: 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 2B (17)
OF Justin Williams: 2-for-4, R, HR (4), 2 RBI (17)
2B Kean Wong: 2-for-3, RBI (45), BB
C Jake Depew: 1-for-4, R, 2B (7), K

LHP Chris Kirsch: W (6-5), 7.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K

Class-A

OF Zacrey Law: 2-for-5, RBI (37), BB, K
3B Kevin Padlo: 1-for-4, 2B (17), RBI (59), 2 BB, 2 K
1B Kewby Meyer: 1-for-4. RBI (27)
OF David Olmedo-Barrera: 1-for-5, 2B (13), K
2B Matt Eureste: 1-for-2, R, BB, K
IF Peter Maris: 1-for-2, R

RHP Tim Ingram: W (1-1), 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

Short-Season

OF Garrett Whitley: 1-for-3, 2 R, BB, K
OF Ryan Boldt: 2-for-4, R
1B Nathaniel Lowe: 1-for-4, R, 3B (2), 3 RBI (27), 2 K
3B Jim Haley: 2-for-3, R, BB
2B Miles Mastrobuoni: 1-for-4, 3B (2), 2 RBI (11)
SS Bill Pujols: 1-for-2, 2B (8)

RHP Jayson McKinley: S (3), 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K

Rookie (Princeton)

Game 1

OF Eleardo Cabrera: 1-for-3, 2 R, 2B (7), BB
OF Oscar Rojas: 1-for-3, RBI (14), K
1B Bobby Melley: 3-for-4, R, 2 RBI (24)
3B Joshua Lowe: 2-for-3, R, HR (2), 2 RBI (3)
2B Robbie Tenerowicz: 2-for-3, 2B (12)

RHP Reign Letkeman: S (2), 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K

Game 2

OF Issac Bernard: 1-for-3, 2 R, 2 RBI (11), BB, K
C Rene Pinto: 4-for-4, 2 R, RBI (2)
OF Eleardo Cabrera: 2-for-3, 3 RBI (28)
OF Emilio Gustave: 1-for-4, 2 RBI (29), K
3B Joshua Lowe: 2-for-3, R, HR (3), RBI (4), BB
2B Robbie Tenerowicz: 1-for-4, R, 2B (13), 3 K
C Blake Grant-Parks: 1-for-4, R, RBI (4), K
SS Deion Tansel: 2-for-3, 3 R, HR (1), RBI (1), BB
1B Devin Davis: 1-for-4, R, 2B (4), 2 K

RHP Willy Ortiz: W (6-0), 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 9 K
LHP Alex Estrella: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K

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

Durham @ Pawtucket 7:05 PM ET (milb.tv, radio stream)
Austin Pruitt (8-7, 3.28) v. Henry Owens (6-6, 4.06)

Montgomery @ Tennessee 7:05 PM ET (milb.tv, radio stream)
Yonny Chirinos (4-2, 4.24) v. Zach Hedges (1-1, 2.50)

Charlotte @ Jupiter 5:00 PM ET (radio stream) *DOUBLEHEADER*
Chris Pike (3-9, 4.18) v. Jeff Brisham (4-5, 3.80)
TBA v. James Buckelew (3-1, 2.19)

*Both games will be seven innings*

Bowling Green v. West Michigan 7:35 PM ET (radio stream)
Blake Bivens (5-3, 2.87) v. Eudis Idrogo (4-3, 4.59)

Hudson Valley @ Williamsport 7:05 PM ET (radio stream)
TBA v. Bailey Falter (1-5, 3.46)

Princeton v. Bluefield 7:00 PM ET (radio stream)
TBA v. Kyle Weatherly (3-0, 5.02)

GCL Rays @ GCL Red Sox 10:00 AM ET *DOUBLEHEADER*

*Both games will be seven innings*

Scouting the opposition

Pawtucket Red Sox
60-55, 4th in IL North
Offense: 454 R (7th) .694 OPS (7th)
Pitching: 3.41 ERA (5th) 1.26 WHIP (5th)
Top 30 Prospects: LHP Brian Johnson (6), 1B Sam Travis (7), SS Deven Marrero (8), RHP Pat Light (11), SS Marco Hernandez (12), RHP Noe Ramirez (26), 2B Sean Coyle (28)

Tennessee Smokies (Cubs)
18-25, 4th in SL North
Offense: 446 R (6th) .690 OPS (5th)
Pitching: 3.97 ERA (8th) 1.39 WHIP (9th)
Top 30 Prospects: 2B Ian Happ (3), RHP Duane Underwood (4), 3B Jeimer Candelario (10), OF Mark Zagunis (11), RHP Paul Blackburn (19), RHP Jen-Ho Tseng (20), RHP Brad Markey (23), C Victor Caratini (24), OF Jacob Hannemann (26), RHP Andury Acevedo (29), RHP David Berg (30)

Jupiter Hammerheads (Miami)
23-19, 2nd in FSL South
Offense: 401 R (9th) .631 OPS (10th)
Pitching: 3.45 ERA (5th) 1.23 WHIP (2nd)
Top 30 Prospects: 2B Avery Romero (23), RHP Jose Adames (30)

West Michigan Whitecaps (Detroit)
21-21, 4th in MWL East
Offense: 481 R (6th) .675 OPS (7th)
Pitching: 3.39 ERA (6th) 1.30 WHIP (9th)
Top 30 Prospects: RHP Beau Burrows (2), OF Derek Hill (10), OF Jose Azocar (15), RHP Drew Smith (19), RHP Sandy Baez (26)

Williamsport Crosscutters (Philadelphia)
29-21, 2nd in NYPL Pinckney
Offense: 189 R (T-8th) .643 OPS (8th)
Pitching: 2.64 ERA (2nd) 1.13 WHIP (2nd)
Top 30 Prospects: RHP Adonis Medina (9), LHP JoJo Romero (4th Round Pick), LHP Cole Irvin (5th Round Pick), OF David Martinelli (6th Round Pick), C Henri Lartigue (7th Round Pick)

Bluefield Blue Jays
24-21, 3rd in AL East
Offense: 219 R (5th) .718 OPS (7th)
Pitching: 4.30 ERA (6th) 1.34 WHIP (3rd)
Top 30 Prospects: OF Reggie Pruitt (11), RHP Jose Espada (15), RHP Yennsy Diaz (19), OF Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

GCL Red Sox
22-16, 1st in GCL South
Offense: 144 R (13th) .621 OPS (13th)
Pitching: 3.63 ERA (11th) 1.29 WHIP (9th)
Top 30 Prospects: None