I thought Bowling Green's outfield rotation would be one of the more interesting things to watch this season. In the early going, it's actually been quite boring:
LF: Sanchez-Whitley-Whitley-Whitley-Sanchez
CF: Lowe-Lowe-Sanchez-Lowe-Lowe
RF: Cabrera-Cabrera-Cabrera-Sanchez-Cabrera
DH: Whitley-Sanchez-(Pinto)-(Heim)-(Tenerowicz)
There are obviously a handful of games left this season for things to change, but if the first five are any indication, the priority is Josh Lowe's development in center field. Garrett Whitley and Jesus Sanchez can play center field too, but there has not been the rotation I expected.
Did I just miss some news from the organization or team about the plan in center field for Bowling Green?
Triple-A Durham Bulls (4-1)
Charlotte's veteran pitching was no match for Durham's bats in a 7-4 Bulls win Monday. Shane Peterson's two-run homer off Mike Pelfrey put the Bulls up 2-0, and Dayron Varona's two-run shot off Chris Volstad extended that lead to 5-2 in the fourth. In the seventh, Casey Gillaspie went deep for the first time this season to add an insurance run. Durham's own veteran, Chase Whitley, allowed a run in three innings. Ryan Garton was the only Bulls arm to not give up a run with three strikeouts in 1 1/3 innings, and he also stranded the bases loaded when he entered the game.
Double-A Montgomery Biscuits (2-3)
In an embarrassing display, Biloxi committed nine errors to aid Montgomery in its 13-3 win over the Shuckers. The Biscuits still had to take advantage of their opportunities, as a home run from Michael Russell and grand slam from Justin O'Conner show, and they did have plenty of opportunities. All 11 runs charged to Biloxi starter Angel Ventura in two innings were unearned. Only one of Montgomery's runs was earned. In just his sixth professional start, Mike Franco allowed two runs -- one earned -- in 4 2/3 innings with six strikeouts.
Class A-Advanced Charlotte Stone Crabs (0-5)
In its bid for its first win of the season, Charlotte's comeback effort came up short in a 4-3 loss to Palm Beach. After two innings, the Stone Crabs were already down 3-0, and starter Eduar Lopez never really got in a rhythm, allowing three runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. Knuckleballer Taylor Hawkins somehow only allowed a run on three hits and four walks in 2 1/3 innings. Charlotte scored all three of its runs in the eighth when Jake Fraley singled home Brandon Lowe, and Dalton Kelly plated two with a double.
Class A Bowling Green Hot Rods (3-2)
In his first start of the season, Adrian Navas shut down Lansing in Bowling Green's 4-1 win over the Lugnuts. After allowing three runs in an inning in his debut on Opening Day, Navas started Monday's game with two perfect innings before Lansing scored first in the third. He faced limited trouble after that and finished with just the run allowed on four hits in six innings with five strikeouts and one walk. The Hot Rods broke out with three runs in the sixth. Eleardo Cabrera drove in the first run, two more scored on wild pitches, and Michael Brousseau hit his second home run of the season in the seventh.
The preceding stories were not generated by the Associated Press computer using data from, and in cooperation with, MLBAM.
Notable performances
Triple-A
OF Jake Bauers: 1-for-4, 1 R, 2 K, 1 SB
SS Willy Adames: 0-for-4, 2 K
1B Casey Gillaspie: 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB
3B Patrick Leonard: 2-for-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB
OF Shane Peterson: 2-for-4, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI
OF Dayron Varona: 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 SB
RHP Chase Whitley: 3 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
LHP Adam Kolarek: two-thirds IP, 0 H, 1 R (0 ER), 3 BB, 2 K
RHP Ryan Garton: 1 1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
Double-A
OF Justin Williams: 2-for-5, 1 R, 3 K
1B Joe McCarthy: 1-for-3, 2 R, 1 2B, 2 BB, 1 K
C Nick Ciuffo: 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 BB
OF Braxton Lee: 4-for-5, 2 R, 1 RBI
3B Grant Kay: 0-for-5, 1 R, 2 K
OF Cade Gotta: 0-for-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 K
C Justin O'Conner: 1-for-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 K
SS Michael Russell: 2-for-4, 3 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 K
RHP Mike Franco: 4 2/3 IP, 5 H, 2 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 6 K
Class A-Advanced
OF Jake Fraley: 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 K
OF Ryan Boldt: 0-for-3, 1 BB
3B Kevin Padlo: 1-for-4, 1 K, 1 SB
C David Rodriguez: 1-for-4
RHP Eduar Lopez: 4 2/3 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Taylor Hawkins: 2 1/3 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 2 K
Class-A
SS Lucius Fox: 0-for-3, 1 BB, 1 K
OF Jesus Sanchez: 0-for-4, 1 K
3B Adrian Rondon: 0-for-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K
CF Josh Lowe: 0-for-2, 2 BB, 2 K, 1 SB
2B Michael Brousseau: 3-for-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 K
RHP Adrian Navas: 6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
Today's games (probables courtesy of milb.com)
Durham v. Charlotte 7:05 PM (MiLB.TV, radio stream)
Jacob Faria* (0-0, 6.23) v. Reynaldo Lopez (0-0, 6.00)
Montgomery is off
Charlotte v. Palm Beach 6:35 PM (radio stream)
Genesis Cabrera (0-1, 14.73) v. Connor Jones (0-0, -.--)
Bowling Green v. Lansing 7:35 PM (radio stream)
Kenny Rosenberg (0-0, 0.00) v. Andy Ravel (0-0, -.--)
*Listed as TBA on milb.com
Scouting the opposition
Charlotte Knights (White Sox)
4-1 (T-1st in IL South)
Offense: 35 R (1st) 1.088 OPS (1st)
Pitching: 4.34 ERA (6th) 1.31 WHIP (6th)
Top 30 Prospects: IF Yoan Moncada (1), RHP Lucas Giolito (2), RHP Reynaldo Lopez (3), RHP Zack Burdi (6), RHP Carson Fulmer (7), RHP Tyler Danish (18), OF Adam Engel (19)
Palm Beach Cardinals
3-2 (3rd in FSL South)
Offense: 10 R (T-8th) .544 OPS (11th)
Pitching: 2.33 ERA (T-4th) 1.26 WHIP (7th)
Top 30 Prospects: OF Magneuris Sierra (5), SS Edmundo Sosa (8), OF Randy Arozarena (12), RHP Jake Woodford (17), RHP Connor Jones (18), RHP Junior Fernandez (21)
Lansing Lugnuts (Toronto)
4-1 (1st in MWL East)
Offense: 17 R (3rd) .802 OPS (3rd)
Pitching: 3.91 ERA (11th) 1.30 WHIP (10th)
Top 30 Prospects: 3B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1), SS Bo Bichette (9), RHP Justin Maese (11), OF J.B. Woodman (15), OF Josh Palacios (19), RHP Patrick Murphy (20), RHP Zach Johnson (21), RHP Osman Gutierrez (26), SS Yeltsin Gudino (27)