Rays prospects and minor leagues: Williams hits 1st 2018 homer

Willy Adames and Jake Bauers both got rare off days for Durham Sunday. Adames had played in every game this season, and Bauers had played in all but one. With only one scheduled off day in May, it makes sense to give them a breather. We’ll see if they’re even with Durham still at the completion of that grueling stretch.

Triple-A Durham Bulls (11-10)

Ryan Weber pitched well in his spot start, a 5-4 Durham win over Gwinnett. In four innings, he struck out four and only allowed a run against his former organization. Entering the sixth, the Bulls trailed 3-1, but they scored four in the inning to go ahead for good. Joe McCarthy doubled in a run, and Curt Casali’s bases-clearing double was the decisive hit.

1B Joe McCarthy: 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K, 1 HBP
RF Justin Williams: 1-for-3, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB
C Curt Casali: 2-for-3, 1 2B, 3 RBI, 1 BB

RHP Ryan Weber: 4 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
RHP Diego Castillo: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K

Double-A Montgomery Biscuits (8-16)

A five-run eighth sunk Montgomery in its 7-5 loss to Mobile. Dalton Kelly’s two-run single had just capped a three-run Biscuits seventh that gave them a 5-2 lead. In that eighth, three runs scored with two outs, including one when a batter was hit with the bases loaded. At the very least, Montgomery was able to strike out some poor BayBear twice in the same inning. Starter Eduar Lopez threw five scoreless innings.

3B Jake Cronenworth: 0-for-1, 1 R, 4 BB, 1 SB
RF Ryan Boldt: 1-for-5, 1 R, 4 K, 1 SB
2B Nick Solak: 1-for-4, 1 RBI, 2 K
LF Brandon Lowe: 0-for-2, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 SB, 2 HBP
SS Jermaine Palacios: 1-for-4, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 K

RHP Eduar Lopez: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
LHP Dalton Moats: one-third IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

Class A-Advanced Charlotte Stone Crabs (11-13)

Charlotte allowed three home runs in a 9-4 loss to Tampa. Unfortunately for the Stone Crabs, the Tarpons had a couple ringers in their lineup Sunday. Both Clint Frazier and Adam Lind homered in the four-run fifth that decided the game. Starter Brandon Lawson was charged with five runs in 4 1/3 innings. Nate Lowe did not homer.

SS Lucius Fox: 2-for-5, 1 RBI
CF Josh Lowe: 1-for-5, 3 K, 1 CS
RF Jesus Sanchez: 2-for-4, 2 R
C David Rodriguez: 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 2 K
3B Kevin Padlo: 2-for-3, 1 R, 1 HBP

RHP Brandon Lawson: 4 ¹⁄₃ IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 0 BB, 4 K

Class-A Bowling Green Hot Rods (12-11)

Bowling Green closed its game with seven unanswered runs, earning a 7-1 win over Lake County. After the Captains went up 1-0 in the first on back-to-back doubles, they only had two hits in the final eight innings. The Hot Rods went ahead for good with a three-run second inning. Starter Alex Valvarde allowed a run in five innings.

DH Brendan McKay: 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 BB
1B Devin Davis: 2-for-3, 2 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K

RHP Alex Valverde: 5 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
RHP Jose Disla: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K

CLICK HERE FOR ALL BOX SCORES

Monday’s games (probables courtesy of milb.com)

Durham @ Norfolk 6:35 p.m. ET (MiLB.TV, radio stream)
TBA vs. Yefry Ramirez (1-1, 5.60)

Montgomery vs. Mobile 11:35 a.m. ET (MiLB.TV, radio stream)
Benton Moss (1-2, 3.32) vs. Jesus Castillo (2-1, 4.12)

Charlotte is off.

Bowling Green is off.

*Listed as TBA on milb.com

Scouting the opposition

Norfolk Tides (Baltimore)
11-9 (1st in IL South)
Offense: 92 R (4th) .695 OPS (9th)
Pitching: 3.45 ERA (6th) 1.41 WHIP (10th)
Top 30 Prospects: LHP Tanner Scott (6), LHP Chris Lee (10), RHP David Hess (15), OF DJ Stewart (16), RHP Jimmy Yacabonis (23), RHP Yefry Ramirez (27)

Mobile BayBears (Angels)
12-11 (2nd in SL South)
Offense: 86 R (4th) .728 OPS (4th)
Pitching: 4.56 ERA (10th) 1.47 WHIP (8th)
Top-30 prospects: 1B Matt Thaiss (8), RHP Griffin Canning (9), RHP Jesus Castillo (12), LHP Jose Suarez (13), OF Brennon Lund (18), 3B Taylor Ward (19), RHP Luis Pena (20), RHP Jake Jewell (25), 2B Riley Unroe

Daily news and links

Over at Minor League Ball, you can read about Willy Adames and Jake Bauers.

Be on the lookout for promotions like this at a stadium near you:

Speaking of promotions ...