Rays prospects and minor leagues: Shane Baz impressive in season debut

Shane Baz (Bowling Green) struck out seven and walked none in his season debut. Wander Franco (Bowling Green) hit a double and struck out twice. Ronaldo Hernandez (Charlotte) picked up two singles as he’s started to heat up over the last week (8 hits in his last 5 games after only picking up 6 hits in his first 12 games).

Triple-A Durham Bulls (18-14)

The Durham Bulls defeated the Lehigh Valley IronPigs 7-6. Durham batted around in the first inning putting up a six spot with doubles by Jake Smolinski, Kean Wong, Michael Brosseau, and Emilio Bonifacio. Lehigh Valley didn’t waste much time with five runs in the second to cut the lead to one. Smolinski hit the game winning homer in the ninth inning.

RF Jake Smolinski: 3-for-4, HR (3), 2 R, RBI, HBP, SB (3)
SS Jake Cronenworth: 1-for-5, R, RBI
3B-2B Kean Wong: 2-for-5, 2 2B (9), R, RBI, K
1B Michael Brosseau: 1-for-3, 2B (8), R, RBI, K, BB, CS (2)
DH Nick Solak: 2-for-4, R, K
LF Jason Coats: 2-for-4, 2B (1), 2 K
2B-CF Emilio Bonifacio: 1-for-4, 2B (3), HR (3), R, 2 RBI, 2 K
C Mac James: 1-for-4, RBI
CF Nathan Lukes: 0-for-3, 2 K
PH-3B Christian Arroyo: 0-for-1

RHP Jake Faria: 1.1 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 3 K, 4 BB
RHP Luis Santos: 4.2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 5 K, 0 BB, 1 HRA
LHP Colin Poche (W, 2-2): 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 4 K, 0 BB
LHP Hoby Milner (S, 1): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 K, 0 BB

Double-A Montgomery Biscuits (19-13)

The Montgomery Biscuits fell to the Biloxi Shuckers 4-2. The Biscuits faded former Rays draftee Drew Rasmussen as the opener making his AA debut. Back to back doubles from Tristan Gray and Lucius Fox put a run on the board in the second. Biloxi scored all four runs in the fourth off Sam McWilliams. In the eighth inning Gray drove in the Biscuits second run with a sacrifice fly.

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

RHP Sam McWilliams (L, 1-1): 4.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 0 K, 2 BB
RHP Phoenix Sanders: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 K, 1 BB
LHP Matt Krook: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 K, 1 BB

Class A-Advanced Charlotte Stone Crabs (15-18)

The Charlotte Stone Crabs fell to the Fort Myers Miracle 4-3. Taylor Walls put the Stone Crabs on the board first with a sacrifice fly in the third inning. Seaver Whalen extended the lead on single in the fourth. The lead was short lived with the Miracle answering with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Jim Fraley singled home a run in the sixth as teams traded runs in the frame to keep the game tied at three. Fort Myers scored the game winning run in the seventh.

2B Vidal Brujan: 0-for-5, K
SS Taylor Walls: 1-for-4, RBI, K
LF Moises Gomez: 0-for-4, 2 K
C Ronaldo Hernandez: 2-for-4, 2 R, K
CF Carl Chester: 1-for-3, K, BB
DH Garrett Whitley: 2-for-3, K, BB

LHP Michael Plassmeyer: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 K, 0 BB
RHP Tanner Dodson: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 K, 0 BB
RHP Alex Valverde (L, 2-2): 2.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 K, 1 BB, 1 HBP
RHP Mikey York: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 K, 0 BB

Class A Bowling Green Hot Rods (19-14)

The Bowling Green Hot Rods defeated the Burlington Bees 5-3. Teams traded single runs in the first with the Hot Rods scoring on a Kaleo Johnson RBI single. Shane Baz put together a solid start in his season debut striking out seven in 5.0 innings with a solo homer as his only blemish. In the eighth the Hot Rods put up a four spot with a 2-RBI single by Johnson and 2-RBI double by Tony Pena. The Bees responded with two runs in the ninth, but their rally fell short.

DH Ford Proctor: 1-for-3, 2 R, K, BB, SB (2)
SS Wander Franco: 1-for-4, 2B (7), 2 K
C Chris Betts: 0-for-4, R, K
1B Kaleo Johnson: 2-for-4, R, 3 RBI, K
LF Grant Witherspoon: 1-for-4, 2 K
RF Tony Pena: 2-for-4, 2B (4), 2 RBI, K
3B Osmy Gregorio: 1-for-4, 2B (3), K

RHP Shane Baz: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 7 K, 0 BB, 1 HRA
RHP Joel Peguero: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 5 K, 0 BB
LHP Trey Cumbie (W, 1-0): 2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 4 K, 2 BB, 1 HRA, 1 HBP

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