DOTF 4/23: Willy Adames hits for the cycle

Despite the rain shortened schedule on the farm Willy Adames made sure there wouldn’t be some excitement in Durham. Adames hit for the cycle and Jake Bauers added his first homer of the year. Nathan Lukes hit his first homer of the year for Montgomery.

Triple-A Durham Bulls (7-9)

The Durham Bulls beat the Buffalo Bisons 8-1. What would Willy Adames do to follow up his first career grand slam? The Bulls faced off against Joe Biagini who is being stretched out to be a starter after a successful year in the bullpen for the Toronto Blue Jays last year. In the bottom of the first Adames laced an opposite field line drive, but was stranded at second. In the bottom of the second the Bulls broke through after a walk, single, walk loaded the bases for Jake Cronenworth. Cronenworth reached on an error by the pitcher to plate the first run of the game. In the bottom of the fifth Adames would add a single to his ledger. Jason Coats drove him in with a RBI double to extend the Bulls lead to 2-0. A leadoff walk came around to score after an error on a pickoff attempt by Jake Bauers and two groundouts to cut the lead to 2-1. Brandon Snyder got the run back with a leadoff homer in the bottom of the frame. Then Adames scorched a liner over the head of the center fielder that hit the base of the wall and the bounce died allowing Adames to make it to third for the triple and score two more putting the Bulls up 5-1. Entering the bottom of the eighth the 7-8-9 for the Bulls were due up with Adames batting second in the lineup he needed two batters to reach base to give him a chance for the cycle. Andrew Velazquez and Adam Moore started the inning going down on strikes. It wasn’t looking good for Adames to get an opportunity. Jake Cronenworth lined a single to left field to extend the inning. Jake Bauers came to the plate. He has struggled to start the year, but hit a towering flyball that just stayed fair for a two run homer to give the Bulls a 7-1 lead. Adames would get his opportunity for the first AAA cycle in Durham Bulls history. The first two pitches were out of the zone. Then came a fastball over the plate and Adames didn’t miss it. He sent it far over the big wall in left-center field to complete the cycle. Well done Mr. Adames.

MiLB.com has video of the triple and homer along with a game recap.

Prospect Notes: Willy Adames is on fire. Adames is hitting .345/.441/.582 with three doubles, two triples, and two homers. There isn’t a lot that you can get onto Adames about right now. He sometimes tries victim to trying to do too much on defense leading to excessive errors. He’s not Adeiny Hechavarria out there, but he should be a solid defender.

1B Jake Bauers: 1-for-4, HR (1), 2 R, 2 RBI
SS Willy Adames: 4-for-5, 2B (3), 3B (2), HR (2), 2 R, 3 RBI
LF Joe McCarthy: 0-for-5, K
CF Jason Coats: 1-for-4, 2B (3), RBI
RF Justin Williams: 0-for-4, 2 K
DH Brandon Snyder: 1-for-3, HR (2), 2 R, RBI, K, BB
2B Andrew Velazquez: 2-for-4, R, 2 K, SB (5)
3B Jake Cronenworth: 1-for-4, R, RBI, K, SB (1)

RHP Forrest Snow (W, 1-1): 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 9 K, 1 BB
RHP Ryan Weber (S, 1): 3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 K, 1 BB, 1 HBP

Double-A Montgomery Biscuits (6-12)

The Montgomery Biscuits lost to the Biloxi Shuckers 5-4. Former Ray Nick Franklin got the scoring started with a solo homer to kick off the bottom of the second. The Shuckers strung together three singles to tack on another run to put rush out to the 2-0 lead. Thing were quiet until Nathan Lukes led off the fifth with a homer to right-center field to cut the lead to 2-1 Shuckers. Nick Franklin booted a grounder to short by Michael Russell to kick off the sixth. Ryan Boldt and Nick Solak followed with singles to load the bases for Dalton Kelly. Kelly lined a two RBI double to center. Michael Brosseu would get hit by a pitch, but the bases would be left loaded. Jake Gatewood hit a two run homer in the bottom of the seventh turning a one run lead for the Biscuits into a one run deficit. Kelly reached on an error by the second baseman. Lukes came through with an RBI single to tie the game. The game wouldn’t remain tied for long as Biloxi answered in the bottom of the frame. Lucas Erceg was hit by a pitch. Two groundouts moved former Rays farmhand Jake Hager to third who pinch ran for Erceg. Gatewood singled up the middle to drive in the winner run for the Shuckers.

SS Michael Russell: 1-for-5, R
RF Ryan Boldt: 1-for-5, R, K
LF Nick Solak: 1-for-4
1B Dalton Kelly: 1-for-4, 2B (4), R, 2 RBI
2B Brandon Lowe: 0-for-4, K
DH Nathan Lukes: 2-for-4, HR (1), R, 2 RBI, 2 K

RHP JD Martin: 6.2 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 K, 0 BB, 2 HRA
RHP Matt Krook (L, 0-1): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 K, 0 BB, 1 HBP
RHP Mike Franco: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 K, 0 BB

Class A-Advanced Port Charlotte Stone Crabs (9-8)

The Port Charlotte Stone Crabs game against the St. Lucie Mets was postponed due to rain.

Class A Bowling Green Hot Rods (8-9)

The Bowling Green Hot Rods game against the South Bend Cubs was postponed due to rain.

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