Rays prospects and minor leagues: Garrett Whitley continues his power surge with second homer of the season

Garrett Whitley (Charlotte) hit his second homer of the season as he continues to hit for power in his return from missing the 2018 season due to shoulder surgery. He has hit five doubles, three triples, and two homers on the way to a .236 ISO. The bad has been 35 (39.7%) strikeouts in 88 plate appearances.

Triple-A Durham Bulls (13-12)

The Durham Bulls fell 5-1 to the Norfolk Tide in an early morning encounter. The Bulls were held to five hits including two from Kean Wong. Ryan Merritt allowed four runs including four homers in 5.1 innings of work.

CF Andrew Velazquez: 0-for-4, K
SS Jake Cronenworth: 1-for-4, K
1B Michael Brosseau: 1-for-4, RBI
3B Kean Wong: 2-for-4
C Nick Ciuffo: 0-for-3, K

LHP Ryan Merritt (L, 1-2): 5.1 IP, 11 H, 4 ER, 3 K, 0 BB, 2 HRA
RHP Andrew Kittredge: 2.2 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 5 K, 0 BB
RHP Oliver Drake: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 K, 0 BB

Double-A Montgomery Biscuits (16-9)

The Montgomery Biscuits defeated the Mobile BayBears 3-1. Jesus Sanchez put the Biscuits on the board in the first with a RBI groundout. The Biscuits extended their lead to three in the fifth inning with a RBI double off the bat of Dalton Kelly and fielding error on a groundball off the bat of Sanchez. Josh Fleming went eight strong innings allowing one run while striking out seven. Lucius Fox was hit by a pitch twice.

SS Lucius Fox: 1-for-2, 2 R, K, 2 HBP, 2 SB (11)
CF Josh Lowe: 0-for-3, K, BB, SB (5)
1B Dalton Kelly: 1-for-4, 2B (3), R, RBI, 2 K
RF Jesus Sanchez: 0-for-4, RBI, K, SB (3)
2B Tristan Gray: 1-for-3, BB
DH Brendan McKay: 0-for-3, 3 K, BB

LHP Josh Fleming (W, 3-1): 8.0 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 7 K, 0 BB
RHP Phoenix Sanders (S, 2): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 K, 0 BB

Class A-Advanced Charlotte Stone Crabs (12-14)

The Charlotte Stone Crabs defeated the Tampa Tarpons 5-3. Zach Rutherford’s RBI double in the second inning put the Stone Crabs up 1-0. The lead didn’t last long as Tampa tied the game in the bottom of the third. The Stone Crabs put up three in the fourth headlined by a Moises Gomez RBI double. Garrett Whitley hit his second homer of the season in the sixth. Troy Tulowitzki and Miguel Andujar were rehabbing for the Tarpons.

SS Vidal Brujan: 0-for-3, BB
CF Carl Chester: 0-for-4, K
LF Thomas Milone: 2-for-4, 3B (3), R, K
DH Moises Gomez: 2-for-4, 2B (5), R, RBI, K
RF Garrett Whitley: 1-for-2, HR (2), 2 R, 2 RBI, K, BB
2B Zach Rutherford: 2-for-4, 2B (3), RBI

RHP Riley O’Brien (W, 2-0): 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 6 K, 1 BB, 1 HBP
RHP Chandler Raiden: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 K, 1 BB
RHP Benton Moss (S, 1); 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 K, 0 BB

Class A Bowling Green Hot Rods (15-11)

The Bowling Green Hot Rods won the first game of a double header 3-2 over the Cedar Rapids Kernels. Wander Franco put the Hot Rods on the board with a RBI single on the third. Single runs in the third and fourth put the Kernels up 2-1. In the top of the fifth Osmy Gregorio’s two run homer put the Hot Rods ahead for good.

2B Ford Proctor: 0-for-3, R
SS Wander Franco: 1-for-3, RBI
C Chris Betts: 0-for-3, K
LF Grant Witherspoon: 1-for-3, K
3B Osmy Gregorio: 1-for-3, HR (3), R, 2 RBI

RHP Joe Ryan (W, 2-2): 5.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 8 K, 4 BB, 1 HRA
LHP Trey Cumbie (S, 3): 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 5 K, 0 BB

In game two of the doubleheader the Hot Rods fell 6-4. Entering the fifth in a 2-2 tie the Hot Rods put up a two spot, but they couldn’t overcome the three run bottom of the inning from the Kernels. Franco picked up two singles pushing his season line to .321/.396/.556.

2B Ford Proctor: 0-for-3, 2 R, K, BB
DH Wander Franco: 2-for-4, R
CF Grant Witherspoon: 1-for-3, 2B (3), 2 RBI, K
C Roberto Alvarez: 0-for-3, 2 K
SS Osmy Gregorio: 0-for-3, K

RHP Miguel Lara: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 K, 3 BB
RHP Nicholas Padilla (L, 3-1); 2.2 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 1 K, 4 BB, 1 HRA
RHP Cristofer Ogando: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 K, 1 BB, 1 HRA

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