Rays DOTF 8/10: Drew Strotman and Michael Mercado lead the way

The 2017 draftees carried the organization with strong pitching performances by Drew Strotman and Michael Mercado. Yonny Chirinos had another good start for Durham. Jose De Leon was pulled after two innings with injury concerns.

Triple-A Durham Bulls (71-45)

The Durham Bulls couldn’t hold on to a ninth inning lead and fell 7-4 to the Lousiville Bats in eleven innings. The game was tied at two through two innings. In the first inning Johnny Field’s RBI single drove in Kean Wong and in the second Shane Peterson hit his twelfth homer of the season. In the bottom of the fifth the Bulls broke the stalemate with a RBI single by Curt Casali and a sacrifice fly by Jake Bauers to put the Bulls up 4-2. The Bulls were up 4-3 entering the ninth. With runners at first and third with one out the Bulls weren’t able to turn the double play to end the game. In the eleventh inning Chase Whitley gave up three runs. Yonny Chirinos threw seven solid innings. Chirinos allowed three runs, one earned, and scattered seven hits.

2B Kean Wong: 3-for- 6, 2 R, K, 2 SB (13)
DH Curt Casali: 1-for-4, 2 K, 1 BB
1B Jake Bauers: 0-for-4, RBI, 3 K
OF Johnny Field: 1-for-5, RBI, K
OF Shane Peterson: 2-for-4, HR (12), R, RBI, K, BB, SB (6)
SS Jake Hager: 2-for-5, 2B (9), 3B (3), R, K

RHP Yonny Chirinos: 7.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 4 K, 1 BB
RHP Chaz Roe: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 K, 0 BB
RHP Chase Whitley: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 1 K, 1 BB, 1 HRA

Double-A Montgomery Biscuits (63-52)

The Montgomery Biscuits enjoyed a scheduled off day.

Class A-Advanced Port Charlotte Stone Crabs (54-58)

The Charlotte Stone Crabs game was suspended due to rain in the top of the seventh inning. The game is tied at one. Jose De Leon started the game, but according to reports his stuff was down. Nothing higher than mid 80s were being reported. He was removed after two innings. In the bottom of the sixth inning the Stone Crabs tied the game at one on a David Olmedo-Barrera single drove in Jonah Heim.

SS Lucius Fox: 0-for-3, 2 K
DH David Olmedo-Barrera: 1-for-3, RBI, 2 K
OF Ryan Boldt: 0-for-3, K
3B Kevin Padlo: 1-for-2
C Jonah Heim: 1-for-2, R, K

RHP Jose De Leon: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 K, 3 BB
RHP Michael Velasquez: 4.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 5 K, 1 BB

Class A Bowling Green Hot Rods (59-53)

The Bowling Green Hot Rods had a scheduled off day.

Class A Short Season Hudson Valley Renegades (24-25)

The Hudson Valley Renegades scored two in the ninth on the way to a 3-1 victory over the State College Spikes. The Renegades got on the board due to a fielding error by the pitcher in the top of the second to take a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the fourth the Spikes tied the game at one. Drew Stotman continued his mastery with a solid six inning performance where he allowed one run. The 2017 fourth round pick has a 1.82 ERA through 34.2 innings while picking up 30 strikeouts and issuing 8 walks. Angel Perez started the ninth inning rally off with a hit by pitch. Oscar Rojas drove in Perez with a RBI single. Rojas scored on a throwing error to give the Renegades a 3-1 lead.

2B Vidal Brujan: 1-for-4, SB (10)
OF Carl Chester: 1-for-4
SS Taylor Walls: 0-for-4, K
DH Rafelin Lorenzo: 1-for-4, 2B (8), R
OF Oscar Rojas: 1-for-4, 3B (3), R, RBI

RHP Drew Strotman: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 5 K, 2 BB

Class A Short Season Princeton Rays (18-29)

The Princeton Rays were shutout in a 7-0 loss to the Kinsport Mets. The Rays scattered three singles and four walks through nine innings. The Mets scored six in the botto of the third to put the game out of reach.

DH Zach Rutherford: 0-for-4
C Ronaldo Hernandez: 0-for-2, BB
1B Devin Davis: 1-for-4, 2 K

Rookie DSL Rays 1 (17-30)

The DSL Rays 1 had the day off.

Rookie DSL Rays 2 (31-23)

The game between the DSL Rays 2 and the DSL Indians was postponed due to rain.

Rookie GCL Rays (15-24)

The GCL Rays beat the GCL Red Sox 4-1. Jake Stone came through with a two run double as part of the three run barrage in the top of the third to put the Rays up 3-0. In the top of the eighth the Rays tacked on a run after a two out double by Carlos Vargas followed by a RBI single by Roberto Alvarez. The Red Sox countered with their only run in the bottom of the eighth. The Rays 2017 second round pick Michael Mercado held the Red Sox scoreless for three innings.

2B Jonathan Aranda: 3-for-4, 2 2B (5), R, K, SB (10)
3B Carlos Vargas: 2-for-4, 2B (9), 2 R, RBI
DH Roberto Alvarez: 2-for-4, R, RBI
OF Jake Stone: 1-for-3, 2B (3), 2 RBI, K

RHP Michael Mercado: 3.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 K, 0 BB

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