Rays prospects and minor leagues: McKay shuts down RailRiders’ ringers

When you’re the top prospect in baseball, fans find out about why you left a game early almost immediately:

With the Midwest League All-Star break nearly upon us, I actually think it’s fair to wonder if Wander Franco played his last game with Bowling Green. Of course, he could be right back in the lineup Sunday. Following minor league All-Star Games is a pretty standard time to promote deserving players, and he certainly seems deserving.

Triple-A Durham Bulls (42-26)

Brendan McKay dominated again in Durham’s 2-0 win over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. After Jake Cronenworth opened with another scoreless inning, McKay was sharp through five of his own, striking out seven and giving up just one hit and one walk. Kean Wong’s RBI single in the third opened the scoring, and Michael Perez later homered.

DH Nate Lowe: 0-for-2, 1 BB, 2 K (.870)
2B Nick Solak: 0-for-3 (.869)
C Michael Perez: 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 K (1.056)

RHP Jake Cronenworth: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K (0.00)
LHP Brendan McKay: 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K (1.35)
RHP Ian Gibaut: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K (0.00)

Durham’s site offers this recap.

Double-A Montgomery Biscuits (43-25)

Montgomery had a rough time in extra innings in its Game 1, 10-4 loss to Chattanooga. After neither team took advantage of the free runner in the eighth, the Lookouts piled up seven runs in the ninth. The first five batters reached base against Phoenix Sanders, and Brett Sullivan had to finish the inning. Paul Campbell allowed three runs in seven frames.

Pitching was better in the Biscuits’ 2-0 win in Game 2. Tyler Zombro opened with two perfect innings, and Blake Bivens followed with four strikeouts in four frames. Ivan Pelaez finished the game. Kevin Padlo’s two-run homer accounted for all the offense.

CF Josh Lowe (1): 0-for-4, 1 BB (.730)
RF Jesus Sanchez (1): 2-for-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K
RF Jesus Sanchez (2): 0-for-3, 1 K (.816)
SS Lucius Fox (2): 0-for-2, 1 K (.714)
C David Rodriguez (1): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI (.638)

RHP Paul Campbell (1): 7 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K (4.15)
RHP Brett Sullivan (1): 1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K (4.50)
RHP Blake Bivens (2): 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K (4.41)

Class A-Advanced Charlotte Stone Crabs (35-31)

FSL South All-Stars won, 2-0

2B Taylor Walls: 1-for-2, 1 K
3B Jim Haley: 0-for-1, 1 K, 1 HBP

RHP Mikey York: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K

Class-A Bowling Green Hot Rods (39-30)

Matthew Liberatore struck out a career-high nine batters in Bowling Green’s 7-1 win over Lansing. In seven scoreless innings, he gave up just three singles and a walk, and he was supported by some early offense. Chris Betts his a sacrifice fly in the first, and Ford Proctor and Roberto Alvarez each hit RBI singles in the four-run first.

SS Wander Franco: 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B (.910)
1B Kaleo Johnson: 2-for-4, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K (.774)
RF Grant Witherspoon: 4-for-5, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 SB (.750)
3B Ford Proctor: 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB (.712)

LHP Matthew Liberatore: 7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 9 K (1.85)

Short-Season Hudson Valley Renegades (1-1)

Hudson Valley’s offense was better in its 6-1 win over Aberdeen. Jordyn Muffley’s RBI single in the first gave the Renegades an early lead, and K.V. Edwards hit a run-scoring triple in the seventh. Muffley later singled in two runs in the four-run ninth. Zack Trageton struck out four in five scoreless innings.

3B Carlos Vargas: 1-for-5, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K (.333)
C Jonathan Embry: 1-for-2, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP (1.800)
RF Hill Alexander: 1-for-2, 3 BB (1.300)

RHP Zack Trageton: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K (0.00)

CLICK HERE FOR ALL BOX SCORES

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

Durham vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 5:05 p.m. ET (MiLB.TV, radio stream)
TBA vs. Drew Hutchison (5-4, 5.14)

Montgomery vs. Chattanooga 6:05 p.m. ET (MiLB.TV, radio stream)
Josh Fleming (5-3, 3.86) vs. TBA

Charlotte is at the All-Star break.

Bowling Green @ Lansing 1:05 p.m. ET (MiLB.TV, radio stream)
TBA vs. Troy Miller (2-3, 5.29)

Hudson Valley vs. Lowell 4:05 p.m. ET (MiLB.TV, radio stream)
TBA vs. TBA

*Listed as TBA on milb.com

Scouting the opposition

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (Yankees)
38-28 (1st in IL North)
Offense: 367 R (3rd) .849 OPS (1st)
Pitching: 4.39 ERA (2nd) 1.32 WHIP (1st)
Top-30 prospects: RHP Michael King (5), RHP Chance Adams (15), SS Thairo Estrada (27), RHP Danny Farquhar, C Erik Kratz, 1B Logan Morrison

Chattanooga Lookouts (Cincinnati)
36-32
Offense: 285 R (2nd) .724 OPS (2nd)
Pitching: 4.04 ERA (8th) 1.38 WHIP (8th)
Top-30 prospects: OF Taylor Trammell (3), RHP Tony Santillan (5), C Tyler Stephenson (6), OF Jose Siri (9), OF T.J. Friedl (12), SS Alfredo Rodriguez (22), 1B Ibandel Isabel (24), LHP Scott Moss (25), RHP Ryan Hendrix (28), RHP Joel Kuhnel (30)

Lansing Lugnuts (Toronto)
31-37
Offense: 303 R (4th) .728 OPS (2nd)
Pitching: 4.41 ERA (13th) 1.44 WHIP (13th)
Top-30 prospects: SS Jordan Groshans (5), OF Griffin Conine (15), C Gabriel Moreno (20), RHP Sean Wymer (26)

Lowell Spinners (Boston)
1-1 (T-2nd in NYPL Stedler)
Offense: Will update next series
Pitching: Will update next series
Top-30 prospects: SS Antoni Flores (9), OF Nick Decker (16), 3B Nicholas Northcut (19)

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