I will be out of town starting tomorrow morning and won't be returning until July 4.  If anyone wants to do the "Informer", that'd be great.

If not, I refer you to all check out www.raysprospects.com for all your minor league information.

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AAA Durham Bulls

After 10 scoreless innings, Lehigh Valley scored four runs in the top of the eleventh off Dale Thayer to defeat the Bulls 4-0 on Wednesday.

The loss is the fourth straight for Durham and their seventh in the last eight games. 

Jason Cromer started for the Bulls and pitched superbly over eight innings.  He allowed two hits, walked two and struck out five.  Chad Bradford, in his first rehab appearance for Durham, pitched a scoreless inning. 

Reid Brignac was 2-for-4 and the only Bull with multiple hits.  As a team, Durham was 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position.

AA Montgomery Biscuits

Chris Mason got his first win as a starter as the Biscuits defeated West Tennesseee 5-3 on Wednesday.

Mason (3-3) went five innings, allowing two runs on six hits, while walking one and striking out one.  Eddie Morlan allowed a run in the ninth, but earned his fourth save of the season.

Jason Bowers led Montgomery on offense.  He was 2-for-3 with two triples and two RBI.  Desmond Jennings went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI.   He also two stole bases, giving him 24 steals on the year 

Game two of the series is tonight with lefty Brandon Mann (4-3, 4.71) will make the start for the Biscuits against righty Kyle Parker (3-3, 3.84) for West Tennessee.

A+ Charlotte Stone Crabs

Scott Kazmir, in his first rehab start since going on the disabled list with a hamstring injury, pitched 4 2/3 innings without allowing a run, and the Stone Crabs defeated Dunedin 7-3 on Wednesday.

Kazmir allowed three hits, while walking one and striking out five.  He is scheduled to start Monday for Durham before his status is re-evaluated.

It was a good offensive day for Crabs named Shawn.  O’Malley went 3-for-4 with a walk, four runs and his 21 steal, and Shawn Williams was 4-for-5 with four doubles and four RBI. 

Alex Cobb (3-3) starts tonight for Charlotte as they go for the series sweep.

A Bowling Green Hot Rods

Matt Moore gave up just one hit in 6 2/3 innings as the Hot Rods defeated Lexington 5-2 on Wednesday.

Moore got a no-decision, allowing just one run, while walking one and striking out 10.  Chris Andujar (8-2) blew the save but got the win in relief. 

Tim Beckham went 1-for-5 with a double and two RBI, and Jake Jefferies was 2-for-5 with an RBI.

The Hot Rods complete the series against the Legends tonight. 

AAA Durham Bulls
Catcher Alex Jamieson was once-again used to pitch as the Bulls were bombed by the IronPigs 16-8.

Every Durham pitcher allowed at least a run, led by starter James Houser (3-3), who allowed eight.  He went four innings, allowing seven hits, with four walks, two strikeouts and three home runs.  Joe Bateman (1 2/3, three runs) and Jorge Julio (1/3, two runs) contributed in their own ways.

Offensively, the Bulls had a great game.  Henry Mateo was 4-for-5, and Rhyne Hughes was 3-for-5 with his first homer in Triple-A.  Ray Sadler also was 3-for-5, with a homer and three RBI.  Matt Joyce went 1-for-3 and walked twice.



AA Montgomery Biscuits
The Biz enjoyed a league-wide day off on Tuesday.  They return to action tonight against the Diamond Jaxx in West Tennessee.

A+ Charlotte Stone Crabs
Darin Downs and Matt Gorgen combined on a five-hit shutout as the Crabs defeated the Lakeland Tigers 1-0 on Tuesday night.

Downs (7-2) worked seven innings, scattering five hits, while striking out 10 and walking three.  Gorgen didn’t allow a baserunner in his two innings of relief, earning his 10th save and lowering his ERA to 0.28 on the season.

Ryan Royster provided the offense with a solo homer in the third inning, his first of the season.  Emeel Salem and Ian Paxton each had two hits for Charlotte.

Scott Kazmir makes his first rehab appearance tonight for the Stone Crabs.  He is scheduled to throw 65 pitches.

A Bowling Green Hot Rods
Nick Barnese allowed two runs in four innings, as the Hot Rods were defeated 5-3 by Lexington on Tuesday night.

Barnese (0-1) gave up five hits, while walking three and striking out one.  Matt Jarman allowed three runs in two innings of relief, and Josh Satow pitched two scoreless innings with three strikeouts.

The Beckhams were the stars of the Hot Rods offense.  Tim, the more heralded of the two, went 2-for-4 with a double, while brother Jeremy was 2-for-4 with a triple and RBI.  Kyeong Kang added a double in the losing effort.

Notes from the Farm
*According to the St. Pete Times, Chad Bradford has moved his rehab from Montgomery to Durham, and he is about “a week away” from rejoining the Rays.

*The Stone Crabs placed lefty David Newmann and righty Jose Angel Mejias on the seven-day disabled list. 2B Joey Callender and RHP Deivis Mavares were assigned to Charlotte from Extended Spring Training to take their place on the roster.

AAA Durham Bulls
Julio DePaula made an unscheduled start and took the loss as the Bulls were defeated 8-5 by the Lehigh Valley IronPigs on Monday night.

DePaula went 2 2/3 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits.  Jorge Julio allowed a run in his 1 1/3 innings, and Calvin Medlock gave up three runs in three innings.  Dale Thayer and Dewon Day each pitched a scoreless inning.

Rashad Eldridge was 3-for-4 with two runs scored, and John Jaso was 1-for-4.  Matt Joyce went 0-for-4 and is 1-for-8 since returning to Durham.

AA Montgomery Biscuits
Despite six scoreless innings by the bullpen, the Biscuits couldn’t overcome the shaky start by Brian Baker, and they were defeated 5-3 by Chattanooga on Monday.

Baker (3-1) lasted just three innings, surrendering five runs on six hits.  Ryan Morse, Chad Bradford and Neal Frontz allowed only three hits in their six innings of relief.

Desmond Jennings went 0-for-4 to continue his slump, but Matt Fields and Cesar Suarez each had two hits.

Montgomery will enjoy a league-wide off-day today before starting a series against the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx (what the heck is a Diamond Jaxx).

A+ Charlotte Stone Crabs
Jeremy Hall pitched seven innings en route to his league-leading seventh win of the season as the Stone Crabs defeated the Lakeland Tigers 5-1 on Monday.

Hall (7-4) went seven, allowing one run (a solo homer) on four hits.  He walked one and struck out seven.

Henry Wrigley went 2-for-3 with a home run, his first, and Ryan Royster was 1-for-3 with a double and two RBI.  Cody Cipriano also had a double.

Darin Downs (6-2) starts tonight for the Crabs in game two of the series.

A Bowling Green Hot Rods
Four Hot Rods pitchers combined to allow 15 hits and 13 runs as Greenville was victorious 13-0 on Monday night.

Nelson Cruz (2-3) started and allowed four runs in 3 1/3 innings, though he did strike out eight.  Neil Schenk (one run in 1 2/3) and Jamie Bagley (three runs in one inning) continued the poor pitching. 

Diego Echeverria, who is pitching about as bad as Diego from Dora the Explorer would, came in and promptly allowed five runs and four hits.  He faced nine batters, and his ERA is now 9.43 on the season.

The lone bright spot for the Hot Rods was Kyeong Kang, who collected two hits.  Tim Beckham was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.

Notes from the Farm
*Before Monday’s game, the Bulls activated Dewon Day from the seven-day disabled list.  He last appeared in a game on May 25, until pitching last night. 

AAA Durham Bulls
A costly error by Ray Olmedo helped key a five-run second inning as the Bulls were defeated 8-1 by Buffalo on Sunday afternoon.

Wade Davis (6-4) started and took the loss.  He went six innings, allowing five runs (two earned) and eight hits, while walking none and striking out four.  Jason Childers allowed three runs in relief.

Jon Weber and Henry Mateo each went 2-for-4 at the top of the Durham order, but the other seven spots combined to go just 2-for-24.

Rhyne Hughes, in five games since being promoted from Montgomery, is batting .105, going 2-for-19 so far.

The Bulls ended their eight-game road trip 3-5 and return home to host the Lehigh Valley IronPigs on Monday.  Carlos Hernandez is on the mound for Durham.  



AA Montgomery Biscuits
After allowing a first-inning run, Aneury Rodriguez settled down as the Biscuits defeated Chattanooga 3-2 on Sunday.

Rodriguez (3-8) allowed just two runs on six hits, while working seven innings.  He walked one and struck out three. 

Joe Gaetti went 1-for-4 with his first homer of the season, a two-run shot.  Desmond Jennings didn’t start but entered late as a pinch hitter.  He walked and then stole two bases, giving him 22 on the season.

The five-game series ends tonight with Brian Baker (3-0, 2.88) on the mound for Montgomery.

A+ Charlotte Stone Crabs
Jesse Darcy continued to pitch poorly, allowing five runs (four earned) and eight hits over six innings, as the Stone Crabs were beaten 9-6 by Dunedin on Sunday.

Brian Flores allowed the other four runs in his 1 1/3 innings of relief.

Offensively, Jason Bartlett, who was activated from the DL following the game, went 2-for-4 with a triple. 

Cody Cipriano had three hits, including two doubles, and drove in two runs.  Speedster Shawn O’Malley stole two more bases, giving him 20 on the season.

The Crabs, though they scored six runs, had plenty of missed chances, going 5-for-17 with runners in scoring position.

A Bowling Green Hot Rods
Despite the top of the order going 8-for-15 with four RBI, the Hot Rods still lost to Greenville, falling 6-4 on Sunday.

Anthony Scelfo went 2-for-5, Tim Beckham was 3-for-5 with two doubles and two RBI, and Jake Jefferies was 3-for-5 with two RBI.  Beckham now has six doubles in the month of June and 14 on the season.

Frank De Los Santos started and got a no-decision.  He went 4 1/3 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits, while walking four and striking out four.

Michael Jarman (4-5) took the loss in relief.  He pitched 2 2/3 innings, surrendering two runs on three hits.  Josh Satow pitched a scoreless eighth.

Notes from the Farm
*Reid Brignac was sent back to Durham after Jason Bartlett was activated from the disabled list.  Brignac hit .271 in 21 games for the Rays. 

*Scott Kazmir will make a rehab start on Wednesday for the Stone Crabs against the Lakeland Tigers in Charlotte.

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 AAA Durham Bulls

The Bulls took advantage of five Buffalo errors in scoring five unearned runs in the ninth inning to defeat Buffalo 7-2 on Saturday night.

Matt De Salvo started for Durham and pitched 6 2/3 effective innings.  He allowed two runs on six hits, while walking three and striking out three.  Joe Bateman (3-0) got the win with 1 1/3 innings of relief.

Henry Mateo had three hits, and Rashad Eldridge went 2-for-4.  The team was 3-for-12 with runners in scoring position, however, and left 11 men on base.

Wade Davis starts this afternoon as the Bulls close out their eight-game road trip.

 AA Montgomery Biscuits

Chattanooga scored three times in the first three innings, and the Biscuits managed just five hits, as they were defeated 3-2 on Saturday.

Heath Rollins (5-5) went six innings, allowing three runs on seven hits, while walking four and striking out six.

Desmond Jennings went 0-for-3 and is now batting .195 (8-for-41) in his last 10 games.  Montgomery was 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position, and no player had a multi-hit game.

Righty Aneury Rodriguez (2-8, 7.05) starts game four of the series this afternoon.

A+ Charlotte Stone Crabs

The Crabs couldn’t overcome a season-high five errors nor a lack of offense as they were defeated 11-0 by the Dunedin Blue Jays.

Jose Mejias (1-1) allowed nine runs (six earned) in three innings.  He surrendered six hits, including a homer, and also threw two wild pitches.

Jason Bartlett, rehabbing and playing shortstop, batted lead off and went 2-for-3 with a strikeout.  He also made a fielding error.  Shawn O’Malley was 1-for-3 with his 17th steal of the season.

One bright spot was the continued dominance of Matt Gorgen.  He pitched two scoreless innings, striking out three, lowering his ERA to 0.29 on the season. 

Jesse Darcy starts tonight as the series wraps up.

A Bowling Green Hot Rods

The Hot Rods got only two runners into scoring position the entire game as they were shutout 6-0 by Greenville on Saturday night.

Shane Dyer started and gave up four runs in four innings.  He struck out five and walked three. 

 The offense managed only six hits from six different players.  Tim Beckham and Jake Jefferies were each 1-for-4, and Kyeong Kang was 0-for-4.

On the bright side, Greenville had 21 at-bats with runners in scoring position, and they only scored six runs.  It could’ve been much, much worse.

Notes from the Farm

*Winston Abreu was selected from Durham by the Rays, taking the place of Jason Isringhausen, who was placed on the 60-day DL.

Per Chris Costello of the Rays PR staff, Jason Isringhausen was placed on the 60-day DL with what is being called an elbow strain.

He will have an MRI on Monday, and more will be know later in the week.

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Just a quick couple of notes on the games from Friday night: 

AAA Durham Bulls           

The Bulls were defeated 1-0 by the Buffalo Bisons.

-Jason Cromer pitched well for the fourth consecutive start for the Bulls, but the offense wasn’t there.  In four starts, he has a 1.25 ERA but just a 1-2 record

-Durham had only three hits

-The Bulls are 2-4 on their current road trip, but 37-24 overall

-Rashad Eldridge was 1-for-4 with a double and is batting .326 for Durham

AA Montgomery Biscuits

After trailing 4-0 and sitting through a rain delay, the Biscuits defeated Chattanooga 5-4 in 14 innings

-Desmond Jennings was 0-for-5 with two walks and Matt Fields was 2-for-7 with two RBI and three strikeouts

-Brandon Mann gave up four runs in four innings, but the Montgomery bullpen pitched nine innings of scoreless relief

-Paul Phillips got the win with two innings of relief and three strikeouts

A+ Charlotte Stone Crabs

The Crabs were defeated 7-4 by the Dunedin Blue Jays despite the efforts of Ian Paxton.

-Paxton hit two home runs and was 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored

-Alex Cobb gave up seven runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings

-Jason Bartlett, on a rehab assignment, led off at DH and went 1-for-4 with a walk

 A Bowling Green Hot Rods

The Hot Rods won 4-2 in the game resumed from Thursday, and then they lost 6-1 in Friday’s regular game

-Matt Moore allowed four runs in five innings in game two

-Chris Sheridan was 2-for-4 in game two, but the Rods had only five hits on the night

-Kyeong Kang had two hits in game 1

-Tim Beckham was 1-for-6 in both games combined

Notes from the Farm

*The Bulls have placed 1B Chris Richard on the seven-day disabled list retroactive to June 10.  He has an injured hamstring.

*Catcher Alex Jamieson has been assigned to the Hudson Valley Renegades from Durham.

AAA Durham Bulls
Five errors, including four by Ray Olmedo, helped the Buffalo Bison defeat the Bulls 13-5 on Thursday afternoon.

Olmedo made two throwing and two fielding errors, and Henry Mateo made a fielding error, accounting for four unearned runs.

James Houser (3-2) started and took the loss for Durham.  He went 4 1/3 innings, allowing five runs (all earned) on nine hits, while walking three and striking out one.

Two Bulls relievers (Julio DePaula- five runs and Calvin Medlock- three runs) were ineffective, allowing five hits and walking four guys.  Catcher Alex Jamieson recorded the final two outs by the Bulls.

The Bisons came into the game last in the International League in batting, but managed 15 hits, 13 runs and seven walks.

Chris Nowak and Rashad Eldridge were the lone bright spots for Durham.  Nowak went 3-for-4 with a double and a triple, while driving in four runs.  Eldridge was 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and two runs scored.

The teams play game two of the series tonight with Jason Cromer starting for the Bulls.

AA Montgomery Biscuits
Chris Mason allowed four runs in four innings, and the Biscuits were held to just four hits as they were defeated 4-0 by Chattanooga on Thursday.

Rayner Oliveros, Ryan Reid and Paul Phillips pitched five innings of scoreless relief, allowing just three hits combined.

Desmond Jennings went 1-for-4 with a double, and Cesar Suarez had two singles for Montgomery.



A+ Charlotte Stone Crabs
Darin Downs struck out nine over six innings, and Cody Cipriano had two hits leading the Crabs to a 7-2 over the Dunedin Blue Jays.

Downs (6-2) went six, allowing two runs on seven hits, while walking two and striking out nine.  Brian Flores went three innings for his first save of the season.

Cipriano, who is batting .324 in his last 10 games, was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.  John Matulia also had two hits, including a triple, and an RBI.

Pat Burrell, making his last first and last rehab appearance for Charlotte, went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.  Shawn O’Malley was 1-for-4 with his 17th stolen base on the year.

The teams play again tonight with Alex Cobb (3-2) on the mound for the Crabs.

A Bowling Green Hot Rods
The game was suspended after one-half inning and will be resumed and played to completion (nine innings) this evening.  After the completion, the teams will play seven innings in Friday’s regularly scheduled game.



Notes from the Farm
*Rays shortstop Jason Bartlett makes his first rehab appearance tonight with the Stone Crabs.  It is expected that he’ll DH tonight, then play shortstop on Saturday and Sunday.

*DH Pat Burrell was activated from the disabled list, and Matt Joyce was sent from Tampa Bay to Durham.  Joyce was in an 0-for-15 slump for the Rays.

AAA Durham Bulls
The team enjoyed a day off on Wednesday, and will take on the Bison in Buffalo this afternoon.  Lefty James Houser starts for the Bulls.

AA Montgomery Biscuits
The Biscuits enjoyed a day off on Wednesday.  Ryan Morse opens the five-games series tonight at home against the Chattanooga Lookouts.

A+ Charlotte Stone Crabs
The Crabs split a doubleheader with the Brevard County Manatees, losing game two 1-0 in nine innings, and winning game one 6-4 in seven innings.

David Newmann pitched six shutout innings in game two, but an error by Emeel Salem in the bottom of the ninth allowed the Manatees to win.

Newmann allowed just two hits while striking out eight and walking two.  Tommy Rafferty took the loss, going 2 2/3 innings, allowing two hits while walking three.

Greg Sexton was 2-for-3 with a double, and Salem went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.

In game one, Jeremy Hall got his fifth win and Cody Cipriano hit his fifth home run. 

Hall (5-3) went five innings, allowing three runs on three hits, while walking three and striking out four.  Austin Hinkle gave up a run in two innings for his fourth save.

Cipriano’s homer was one of 10 hits by the Crabs.  Reid Fronk was 3-for-4, Shawn O’Malley was 1-for-3 and stole his 16th base, and John Matulia was 3-for-3.

The Crabs return home tonight to start an eight-game homestand.  They face the Dunedin Blue Jays, and lefty Darin Downs is on the mound for the Crabs.

A Bowling Green Hot Rods
Three Hot Rods pitchers combined for the eight-hit shutout, and Kyeong Kang provided the only offense in defeating Greenville 1-0 on Wednesday.

Nelson Cruz (2-2) started and pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing just six hits.  He walked one and struck out five before giving the ball to Michael Jarman.  Jarman went 2 1/3, giving up just one hit, while striking out two.  Josh Satow struck out two in the ninth for his seventh save.

The Hot Rods had only six hits, the biggest being Kang’s RBI single in the fourth. 

The team starts a home series against the Lexington Legends tonight with righty Nick Barnese on the mound.

Notes from the Farm
*Pat Burrell completed his rehab assignment in Montgomery and is expected in the Charlotte lineup tonight.

AAA Durham Bulls
Carlos Hernandez had another strong start, working six innings and allowing only one run, but Pawtucket walked-off in the bottom of the ninth off Jason Childers to defeat the Bulls 2-1 on Tuesday.

Hernandez went six, allowing just the lone run on six hits, while walking two and striking out five.  Joe Bateman pitched two innings of scoreless relief before handing a 1-1 game to Childers.

John Jaso hit his fifth homer of the season for Durham, and he had two hits on the night.  Rhyne Hughes went 2-for-4 in his Triple-A debut.

The Bulls are off today and travel to Buffalo to open their next series.



AA Montgomery Biscuits
The Biscuits got a solid outing once again from Brian Baker, and the offense collected nine hits in defeating the Birmingham Barons 6-1 on Tuesday.

Baker (3-0) went six innings, allowing one run on five hits, while walking one and striking out seven.  Neal Frontz pitched in relief for his first save of the season.

Desmond Jennings and Pat Burrell each went 1-for-4 with a walk, and Fernando Cortez was 2-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored.

Montgomery has Wednesday off and will return to play tomorrow against the Chattanooga Lookouts.

A+ Charlotte Stone Crabs
The Crabs swept a doubleheader from the Brevard County Manatees on Tuesday, winning game two 3-1, and winning game one by a 2-1 score.

Justin Garcia (5-0) got the win in relief of starter Jose Mejias, who went four innings.  Garcia pitched three scoreless innings of relief, not allowing a hit and striking out three.

Charlotte only had two hits, one of which was a two-run double by Ian Paxton.

In game one, Jesse Darcy started and pitched five innings for his first win of the season (1-5).  He allowed one run on five hits, while walking two and striking out one.  Matt Gorgen pitched 1 2/3 innings, striking out two, for his ninth save.  He lowered his ERA to a ridiculous 0.31 on the season.

The Crabs got only four singles in the game.

The teams will close out their series with another doubleheader this afternoon.  Jeremy Hall and David Newmann start for Charlotte.



A Bowling Green Hot Rods
Frank De Los Santos, Neil Schenk and Diego Echeverria combined to allow 12 runs and 17 hits as Greenville blasted the Hot Rods 12-0 on Tuesday night.

De Los Santos (3-5) started and lasted five innings.  He allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits, while walking and striking out two. 

Schenk pitched just one inning, surrendering five runs on four hits, including a three-run homer.  Echeverria ended the massacre, going three innings and allowing three runs.  He also served up a gopher ball, a two-run shot in the seventh.

Kyeong Kang was the lone bright spot for Bowling Green, as he went 3-for-4 with a double.  Tim Beckham was 0-for-3, but he did walk for the fifth consecutive game.

Notes from the Farm
*The Rays signed reliever Jorge Julio and assigned him to Durham.  To make room on the roster, Chad Orvella was released.

*Rhyne Hughes was promoted to Durham, and taking his place at Montgomery was Matt Fields, who was called up from Charlotte.

*Matthew Hall has been assigned to Charlotte from Durham, and Henry Wrigley has been assigned to Charlotte from the Hot Rods.

*Diogenes Luis has been assigned to the Hudson Valley Renegades from Charlotte.

AAA Durham Bulls
Wade Davis had another good outing, allowing zero runs going six innings while striking out seven as the Bulls defeated Pawtucket 3-2 on Monday.

Davis improved to 6-3 on the season, and Dale Thayer pitched two innings in relief for his eighth save.

Durham got two hits apiece from Ray Sadler and Rashad Eldridge, and Justin Ruggiano was ejected for arguing balls and strikes.

Carlos Hernandez is on the mound tonight as the Bulls and Pawsox close their series.  Clay Bucholtz starts for Pawtucket.

AA Montgomery Biscuits
Thanks to a poor effort by Aneury Rodriguez and Ryan Morse, the Biscuits trailed 11-2 after three innings, and ultimately lost 14-8 to the Birmingham Barons.

Rodriguez (2-8) went just two innings, allowing eight runs on eight hits, including two homers.  Morse pitched one inning and allowed three runs hits, while Rayner Oliveros pitched the final three innings, surrendering three runs on five hits.

Desmond Jennings went 1-for-5 with his 20th stolen base, and rehabbing DH Pat Burrell went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts. 

Cesar Suarez had two hits, including a triple, and Nevin Ashley was 1-for-3 with three RBI.

The series concludes tonight with righty Brian Baker (2-0, 3.12) starting for Montgomery against righty Kyle McCulloch (5-5, 3.93).

A+ Charlotte Stone Crabs
The Crabs and Manatees were rained out yet again, and they’ll drive for a doubleheader again today.

A Bowling Green Hot Rods
Three pitchers, including starter Chris Andujar, combined to hold Greenville to just one hit as the Hot Rods defeated the Drive 6-1 on Monday.

Andujar (7-2) went six innings and allowed one run on one hit (a solo homer), while walking three and striking out four.  Tyree Hayes and Marquis Fleming pitched three innings of hitless relief.

For the Hot Rods, Kyeon Kang hit his first home run, a three-run shot in the first inning.  Michael Sheridan hit his seventh homer, Jake Jefferies was 2-for-4, and Tim Beckham was 0-for-2 with two runs scored.  Beckham made his 17th error, missing a catch.

Notes from the Farm
*Hot Rods pitcher Matt Moore was named South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week.  He pitched seven shutout innings on June 6 with 12 strikeouts.  He has an organizational-best 69 strikeouts this season.

After a brief weekend away in Orlando, the Informer has returned.

AAA Durham Bulls
After being held in check for eight innings, the Bulls rallied for four runs in the ninth to defeat the Pawtucket Red Sox 5-4 on Sunday.

Chris Richard beat out a would-be double play in the inning that game Durham the lead.  The rally was started when John Jaso was hit by a pitch to lead off, and the Bulls had three hits in the inning.

Calvin Medlock, in his first appearance since being called up from Montgomery, got the win, and Winston Abreu picked up his 10th save despite walking two in the bottom of the ninth.

 Matt DeSalvo started and went 5 1/3 innings, allowing just no runs on only one hit, while striking out four and walking three.  Joe Bateman (three runs) and Dale Thayer (one run) allowed the Paw Sox to take the lead.

Henry Mateo led the Bulls offense with three singles, while Rashad Eldridge and Ray Olmedo had two hits each.

The teams are back at it today with Wade Davis on the mound for Durham.

AA Montgomery Biscuits
A pitchers duel ended when the Biscuits finally got on the board with three runs in the top of the 10th as they defeated the Birmingham Barons 3-0 on Sunday.

Eddie Morlan (3-2) got the win for Montgomery after pitching the eighth, ninth and into the tenth.  He walked the leadoff batter and was replaced by Mike Wlodarczyk, who got the next three Barons to end the game.

Heath Rollins was dominant for the Biscuits.  He went seven scoreless innings, allowing just three hits, while striking out six and walking only one.

Montgomery got two-hit games from both Desmond Jennings and Fernando Cortez.

The teams play game four of their series tonight with righty Aneury Rodriguez (2-7, 5.90) starting for the Biscuits against righty Brian Omogrosso (5-2, 3.86) for Birmingham.

A+ Charlotte Stone Crabs
The game against Brevard County was postponed by rain.  The teams will play a doubleheader today (or at least attempt to play one).



A Bowling Green Hot Rods
The Hot Rods won a wild one against Asheville 10-8 on Sunday. 

In a game that the Hot Rods led 7-5 after three innings, the scored remained the same until Asheville tied it in the bottom of the eighth.  The Hot Rods then scored three in the top of the ninth, and then held on in the bottom of the ninth for the victory.

Josh Satow got the save, though he allowed a run, two hits and a walk in the ninth.  Jamie Bagley (1-3) got the win in relief.  He went 3 2/3 and allowed two runs on two hits, including a homer.  Shane Dyer started for the Hot Rods and went just four innings.  He gave up five runs on 10 hits.

Bowling Green got arguably his best game of the season for shortstop Tim Beckham, who went 4-for-4 with two doubles and a walk.  Henry Wrigley was 2-for-5 with a homer, a three-run shot in the ninth, and four RBI.  Kyeon Kang went 1-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored.



Notes from the Farm
*Rays designated hitter Pat Burrell will join Montgomery in a rehab assignment today and tomorrow, and he is expected to appear in both games against Birmingham.  He has been on the disabled list since May 11 with a strained neck.

AAA Durham Bulls
Despite a 13-strikeout performance from Wade Davis, the Bulls offense was held in check, and they were defeated 5-2 by Toledo on Wednesday afternoon.

Davis (5-3) went six innings, allowing three runs on eight hits, including two home runs.  He walked only one while striking out 13, which ties his career high.  Jason Childers allowed two runs in two innings of relief, and Chad Orvella pitched a scoreless ninth.

Durham only had seven hits, with two coming from Rashad Eldridge, including his first double since being called up last week.   The Bulls left eight men on base and went 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position.

In 10 previous starts this season, Davis’ season high in strikeouts was five, and he did that just once.  He now has 45 strikeouts in 55 innings.

The series continues tonight with Carlos Hernandez on the mound for Durham.


AA Montgomery Biscuits
The Biscuits lost twice to Jacksonville, 9-4 in the completion of Tuesday’s suspended game, and 4-3 in eight innings in Wednesday’s regularly scheduled contest.

In the nightcap, the Suns scored in the top of the eighth off Eduardo Morlan (1-3) to take the lead.  That came after Calvin Medlock blew a save by allowing two runs in two innings of relief. 

Aneury Rodriguez started for Montgomery and went five innings, allowing just one run on two hits, while walking four and striking out five. 

Rhyne Hughes hit his 15th home run of the season, a two-run shot in the first.  Desmond Jennings went 1-for-5 on the night, and 3-for-8 between the two games, and he stole base number 18 in game one and No. 19 in game two.

Rehabbing reliever Chad Bradford pitched an inning in the suspended game and allowed one run on two hits.

The two teams meet again tonight with righty Brian Baker (1-0, 3.77) on the mound for the Biscuits.



A+ Charlotte Stone Crabs
After a one hour, fifteen minute rain delay, the Stone Crabs won their third-straight game, 8-4 over the Daytona Beach Cubs.

David Newmann (3-3) went six innings to earn the victory.  He allowed one unearned run on two hits, while walking two and striking out eight.

Shawn Williams went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBI, and Cody Cipriano was 2-for-4 with a triple.  Matt Fields, though, was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, increasing his strikeout total to 59 against only five walks, and Emeel Salem went 0-for-5 from the leadoff spot.

The teams play today with righty )Jeremy Hall 5-3, 4.47) starting for Charlotte.


A Bowling Green Hot Rods
The game against the Lexington Legends was postponed due to rain, and it will be made up as part of a doubleheader today.  Righty Frank De Los Santos (3-3, 3.38) starts Game One for the Hot Rods.



Notes from the Farm
*Righty Chris Mason has been assigned to Montgomery from Durham.  He made one start, filling in for Mitch Talbot, and worked four innings, allowing four runs and eight hits.

On Evan Longoria’s sore hamstring:
“It’s much better than we anticipate, and it’s truly day-to-day.  He felt a lot better than yesterday, so it’s very encouraging.  I normally see the glass half full, but it sounded a little bit half-empty.  We may save him until New York and give him two full days and then move him on to the regular turf.  We’re just being very cautious.”


On Longoria’s shoulder, which is receiving extra rest now:
“Maybe his arm needed more rest than I knew, but his arm is fine.  He’s playing catch, and we’ll give him a couple of days extra rest and come back stronger than ever.”

On the play of Matt Joyce:
“I’m a big believer in him, and I think he is going to be a very good Major League Baseball player.  What you are seeing offensively right now does not surprise me.  His hands are exceptional, and the ball comes off the bat hot.  I saw that in Spring Training, and I saw that in batting practice.  He’s got a nice, easy rhythm and I like how he moves on the field.”

On today’s starter Jeff Neimann:
“He’s gotten progressively better.  We had some moments early on, and we were more concerned with his demeanor during the course of the game.  He’s been able to control his emotions better.  But like a lot of young players, you just wait for them to be able to handle the moment in a more mature manner.


On the continuing progress of Scott Kazmir, and last season’s injuries affect on this season:
“He picked up a lot of bad habits [coming back from last year].  You just don’t know how it happens sometimes, and it feels right, but it’s wrong, and then it just kind of snowballs in a negative direction.  When the leg started hurting, we just backed off and broke it down, and I believe we got to the root of some issues.  It happens when you come back from injury, sometimes it could be a good thing, but sometimes you may come back and forget what you had been doing.  We’re at the point now where we’re pointing back in the right direction.”

On Jason Bartlett and his injured ankle:
“It’s still sore, but he’s getting better.  There is no definitive insight on the finish line with him, but on a daily basis, the ankle is feeling a little less sore.”

On Reid Brignac and his play this year compare to his brief stint last season:
“He’s got a lot of self confidence, and he’s one of those guys that truly visualized himself playing in the big leagues for many years, and I like that. He believes he belongs here, and you are seeing him more comfortable.  We always talk about when a guy shows up for a little bit and then he goes back, we mention that down the road, it’s going to be beneficial.”

AAA Durham Bulls
The Bulls scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth off Casey Fein, and then won the game in the 11 with a walk-off single by Justin Ruggiano.  The final score was 6-5 on Tuesday night in Durham.

Matt DeSalvo started and went seven innings, allowing four runs on six hits (including two homers), while walking three and striking out four.  Joe Bateman gave up one run in 2 1/3 innings of relief, and Winston Abreu (3-0) picked up the win after working 1 2/3 of scoreless relief.

Ruggiano went 3-for-6, and Jon Weber, Chris Nowak, and John Jaso had two hits apiece.  Nowak and Ray Sadler each homered, and Nowak and Weber each had two RBI.

The two teams play again this afternoon in North Carolina.

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On Evan Longoria DHing again:
“His arm is a little bit sore, but he’s really fine, and normal circumstances with Pat [Burrell] available, we probably wouldn’t be doing it.  But with Pat not out there, we could move the DH spot around and give some guys rest, so I chose to do it this way with Longo.”

On Pat Burrell and his neck injury:
“He’s doing better.  He has much better range of motion, and we’re at the point now where he’ll start hitting on a more consistent basis this week.  By the beginning of next week, we’ll try and figure out a game plan to get him back.”

 On the state of the bullpen:
“It’s all matchups, and I’m not ready move it away from matchups right now.  We are always basing things on a high-leverage moment, so I don’t want to miss a moment in the sixth or seventh innings that may permit the game to get away from us trying to save somebody.  We are just not built that way right now.”

On the recent success of J.P. Howell:
“It looks like his velocity has come back up, and at the beginning of the season, he was working through some things, coming off last year and then going to the WBC.  Over the last maybe two weeks, I’m seeing a jump in his fastball velocity, which makes his other pitches more difficult.”

On Grant Balfour and his outing Saturday:
“If you think about last year, he started out in the minor leagues, then he came here and we gave him a softer roll and he built into it.  Maybe he’s just a slow starter.  I thought he looked better physically and mechanically on Saturday, and he was in control of his emotions better.  Maybe he’s just that guy who needs a little bit of time.”

On Scott Kazmir’s recovery:
“We sat down and really analyzed everything and looked at all the information we had.  His leg’s feeling better, and based on what we’ve seen, we can understand why his leg was bothering him.  We built a program for him to get back to pitching for us.  It’s starting with some real basic stuff to try and rebuild some muscle memory in some areas.  There were some mechanical issues that needed to be addressed, and we’re addressing them right now.”

AAA Durham Bulls
After falling behind 4-1, the Bulls rallied for five unanswered runs in defeating the Bisons 6-4 on Monday.

Brandon Chaves hit a two-run double in the bottom of the seventh to give Durham a 5-4 lead.  Rashad Eldridge added an insurance run later that inning, and the Bulls held on for their third-straight victory.

Mitch Talbot was scratched from his scheduled start, and Chris Mason took his place and got a no decision.  He went four innings, allowing four runs on eight hits, while striking out three and walking one.

Chad Orvella had one of his best outings in relief, pitching 2 2/3 scoreless, followed by Jason Childers (6-1), who got two outs and earned the victory.  Dale Thayer pitched a scoreless ninth for his seventh save.

Chaves had a big night for the Bulls, going 2-for-3 with three RBI.  Eldridge, John Jaso and Ray Olmedo also had two hits apiece.

Durham starts a four-game series against the Toledo Mud Hens tonight with Matt DeSalvo (0-0, 6.75 ERA) on the mound.

AA Montgomery Biscuits
Pedro Powell had a two-run single as part of a five-run sixth inning as the Biscuits defeated Jacksonville 6-1 on Monday.

Brandon Mann (4-2) got the win, going six innings, allowing only one run on four hits, while walking three and striking out five.  Eduardo Morlan and Brian Baker pitched three innings of scoreless relief.  For Baker, he extended his personal scoreless streak to 17 innings.

Jason Bowers, Rhyne Hughes and J.T. Hall had two hits apiece for Montgomery.  Desmond Jennings went 1-for-5 with his 14th double, and Powell drove in his first two runs of the season for the Biscuits.

The teams play again tonight with Heath Rollins (5-3, 3.83) on the mound for the Biscuits.

A+ Charlotte Stone Crabs
Alex Cobb pitched five solid innings, and the top-4 batters for the Stone Crabs accounted for nine hits and five RBI as Charlotte defeated Tampa 8-2 on Monday.

Cobb (2-2) stuck out six batters while walking only one, and he allowed just the two runs and five hits.   Austin Hinkle and Rayner Oliveros pitched two innings each of shutout relief.

Matthew Fields did the biggest damage for the offense, going 2-for-5 with his 10th home run, a double and three knocked in.  Shawn O’Malley went 3-for-5 with a triple and two runs scored, and Emeel Salem and Greg Sexton each went 2-for-5.

Righty Jesse Darcy (0-5, 6.65) takes the mound in Tampa tonight.

A Bowling Green Hot Rods
Chris Andujar pitched four innings of relief, allowing just one run, after starter Matt Moore racked up a high pitch count, and the Hot Rods defeated the Rome Braves 7-4 on Monday.

Moore started and went four innings, allowing three runs (all unearned) on four hits, while walking one and striking out six.  Andujar (6-2) allowed one run on two hits, while striking out three, in relief.  Marquis Fleming pitched the ninth for his first save.

Michael Sheridan had the big hit for the Hot Rods, a two-run homer in the first, his sixth of the season.  He went 2-for-4 with three runs batted in, and Kyeong Kang also went 2-for-4 with a double and a triple.

Time Beckham committed his 14th error of the season, and he went 0-for-3 at the plate with a walk.

Shane Dyer (0-3, 3.98) returns from the disabled list tonight to face Lexington in the first game of a three-game set. 



Notes from the Farm
*Chad Bradford arrived in Montgomery to begin the next phase of his rehabilitation assignment. 

*Tim Beckham was named the Bowling Green Hot Rods Hitter of the Month, while Joseph Cruz was named Pitcher of the Month. 

*According to Biscuits beat writer Stacy Long, Jake McGee suffered a minor setback in his return from Tommy John surgery due to forearm tightness.  His rehab schedule was supposed to run through the end of May, but it has now been extended to June 26.

*Also according to Long, Jeremy Hellickson is scheduled to throw live batting practice this week.  He threw a 35-pitch side session on Monday, the third time he’s thrown from a mound.

AAA Durham Bulls
The Bulls put five runs on the board in the third inning and that was all the team needed as they defeated the Buffalo Bison 5-2 on Sunday.

James Houser (2-1) got the win for Durham, working five innings and allowing one run on eight hits, with four walks and a strikeout.  Winston Abreu was the last of three relievers, and he worked a scoreless ninth to pick up his eighth save of the year.

Ray Sadler (1-for-4) and Ray Olmedo (1-for-3) each drove in a pair of runs for the Bulls, and Justin Ruggiano was 2-for-4 with a double.  Rashad Eldridge was hitless in his Durham debut after being recalled for the game.

Recent call-up Chris Mason, who was 2-2 with a 7.71 ERA for Montgomery in 16 relief appearances, will start the final game of the series this morning.



AA Montgomery Biscuits
The league-leading 14th home run by Rhyne Hughes was not enough for the Biscuits as they were defeated by Jacksonville 5-4 in 10 innings on Sunday.

Lorenzo Scott, who homered on the first pitch of the ballgame, hit a solo shot to lead off the 10th, giving the Suns the lead.  He was 3-for-5 with two homers and two RBI.

Hughes reached base five times in the game, but Montgomery stranded 14 runners, including Hughes on four separate occasions.  He was 2-for-5 with a homer and three walks, but he only scored one run.  As a team, the Biscuits were 3-for-16 with runners in scoring position.

Ryan Morse got a no-decision for Montgomery.  He pitched six innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits, while walking three, striking out five and allowing two homers.  Calvin Medlock (0-1) pitched two innings and took the loss.

Desmond Jennings reached base only once in six plate appearances.

The teams play game two of their series tonight with lefty Brandon Mann (3-2, 3.93) starting for the Biscuits versus Willie Glen (1-3, 4.19) for Jacksonville.



A+ Charlotte Stone Crabs
The Stone Crabs got a terrific start from Darin Downs, but the offense let him “down” in losing 3-2 to Tampa on Sunday.

Downs allowed only two runs in seven innings, but he did not get a decision.  He scattered seven hits, struck out five and didn’t walk a batter.  Kevin Boggan (0-3) pitched the eighth inning and allowed the winning run.

Emeel Salem was the lone bright spot in the Charlotte offense, going 2-for-4.  He was the only Stone Crab with more than one hit, and the team only had seven singles for the game, while striking out seven times.

Alex Cobb (1-2) is set to start game three of the series this evening at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.




A Bowling Green Hot Rods
Tim Beckham homered and drove in two runs, but the Hot Rods still lost their sixth-straight game, 5-3 to the Rome Braves on Sunday.

Beckham, who made his 13th error as well, went 2-for-3 with his third homer.   The rest of the Hot Rods only got three singles off Braves pitching.

Michael Jarman (3-4) struggled and took the loss for Bowling Green.  He went only four innings, allowing five runs on nine hits, while walking none and striking out three.  Tyree Hayes and Josh Satow combined to pitch five scoreless innings to keep the game within reach.

The teams ends their four-game series tonight with lefty Matt Moore (2-2, 4.33) starting for Montgomery against Braves righty Randall Delgado (1-4, 4.68).



Notes from the Farm
*Free agent outfielder Joe Gaetti was signed and then assigned to the Biscuits.  He is the son of former Major League infielder Gary Gaetti and joins his third team of 2009.

*Rashad Eldridge was promoted to Durham from Montgomery.  He batted .284 with 10 stolen bases for the Biscuits this season.

AAA Durham Bulls
Ray Sadler drove in five runs and Carlos Hernandez pitched his best game of the season as the Bulls defeated Buffalo 10-2 on Saturday.

Hernandez (4-2) went eight innings, allowing two runs on nine hits, while walking none and striking out five.  Joe Bateman pitched a scoreless ninth, allowing one hit while striking out one.

The Durham offense was sparked by Sadler.  He went 3-for-4 with a three-run homer, his sixth of the season.  Jon Weber also hit his sixth, a three-run shot a few batters before Sadler’s in the sixth inning.  Weber finished 2-for-4 with three RBI.

The teams play again Sunday afternoon at Durham Athletic Park.

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AAA Durham Bulls
Wade Davis had his worst outing of the season as the Bulls were defeated 9-3 by the Buffalo Bisons on Friday night.

Davis (5-2) allowed six runs on 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings of work.  He walked two and struck out two allowed a home run, a solo shot to rehabbing Mets infielder Alex Cora.

The only Bulls offense came via a three-run homer by Matt Joyce, his fifth of the season.  Brandon Chaves had a couple more hits and is now hitting .533 since being called up from Montgomery. 

In relief, Chad Orvella pitched one inning, and it wasn’t a good one.  He allowed two runs on two hits while walking two batters.  His ERA for the season now stands at 6.91.

Durham and the Bisons play again this evening with Carlos Hernandez on the mound for the Bulls.

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AAA Durham Bulls
The Bulls wrapped up a 6-2 road trip with an 8-7 victory over Rochester on Thursday night.

Ray Sadler was 3-for-6 with two doubles and three RBI, and Jon Weber doubled twice and drove in two runs.

In his Durham debut, Matt DeSalvo went four innings, allowing three runs on five hits, while striking out three.  Jason Childers (5-1) got the victory with three innings of relief, and Winston Abreu picked up his seventh save despite allowing two late runs.

The Bulls, now a season-high 13 games over .500, had 12 hits, and every player reached base at least once. 

The team hosts Buffalo on Friday night to start an eight-game homestand.

AA Montgomery Biscuits
Heath Rollins struggled through 5 2/3 innings, and the Biscuits had only five at-bats with runners in scoring position, while losing 7-2 to Carolina on Thursday.

Rollins allowed five runs on 10 hits, while striking out four and walking one. 

Rashad Eldridge and Rhyne Hughes each went 2-for-4 for Montgomery, and Desmond Jennings was 1-for-4 with a double.  Hughes drove-in his team-leading 41st run of the season.

Despite the loss, the Biscuits did hold the Mudcats to only 5-for-18 with runners in scoring position.  Had the combination of Rollins, Neil Frontz and Ryan Reid not gotten out of several jams, the score would’ve been a lot worse.

A+ Charlotte Stone Crabs
Jesse Darcy continued to struggle as the Stone Crabs were defeated 10-1 by the Threshers in Clearwater on Thursday.

Darcy (0-5) allowed six runs on six hits, including a grand slam, to raise his ERA to 6.65 for the season.  He walked two and struck out one.  Kevin Boggan allowed three runs in relief, and Brian Flores allowed one run.

Greg Sexton hit his third homer for Charlotte in the top of the second, giving them a brief lead.  Matt Fields and Shawn O’Malley each had two hits for the Stone Crabs.  John Matulia, in his debut, went 2-for-3 with a triple.

Reid Fronk went 0-for-4 and is now hitting .121 (4-for-33) in his last 10 games.

The club closes out against the Threshers tonight before heading to Tampa to take on the Yankees.

A Bowling Green Hot Rods
The Hot Rods enjoyed a day off on Thursday.  They will host the Rome Braves to start a seven-game homestand tonight.

Notes from the Farm
*Infielder Diogenes Luis has been assigned to the Stone Crabs from the Hudson Valley Renegades.  The 22-year-old is 0-6 with two strikeouts in four games for Charlotte this season.

AAA Durham Bulls
Matt Joyce had his best game as a Bull, driving in six RBI, and Chris Nowak drove in three runs, as Durham crushed Rochester 13-2 on Wednesday night.

Joyce was 3-for-5 with three doubles, and the six batted in give him 24 RBI on the season.  Every Bull starter had at least one hit except for Justin Ruggiano, who went 0-for-2 but walked three times.

Brandon Chaves, playing in his second game at Triple-A this season, was 4-for-4, and the Bulls as a team finished with eight doubles and a season-high 17 hits.

Mitch Talbot (4-4) pitched six effective innings for the victory.  He allowed two runs on eight hits, while walking one and striking out five.  In the second inning, he escaped a no out, bases-loaded jam, and allowed both runs in the fourth inning.

The Bulls and Red Wings conclude their series this afternoon with Matt DeSalvo making his Durham debut.

For the rest of the minor league informer click below

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AAA Durham Bulls
James Houser kept the Bulls in the game, but reliever Chad Orvella allowed three late runs as Durham was defeated 5-2 by Rochester on Tuesday.

Houser got a no-decision after pitching five innings.  He allowed two runs on four hits, while walking three and striking out two.  Orvella allowed three runs in the bottom of the eighth to take the loss.

Jon Weber and Justin Ruggiano both went 0-for-4, with Ruggiano striking out three times.  As a team, the Bulls struck out 10 times on the night.  Matt Joyce went 1-for-4 with a triple.

The teams play again tonight, with righty Mitch Talbot (3-4, 4.66) on the mound for the Bulls.



AA Montgomery Biscuits
The Biscuits, behind a solid outing from Ryan Morse, held a one-run lead into the seventh, but Chris Mason blew his fourth save and the Carolina Mudcats defeated Montgomery 5-4 on Tuesday night.

Mason (2-2) allowed a run and two hits in his 1 2/3 innings.  Morse, who started and went five, allowed three runs, but only one of them earned, while striking out two and walking two.

Desmond Jennings and Rashad Eldridge led the Biscuits offense.  Jennings was 1-for-4 with a two-run homer, and Eldridge was 3-for-4 with two doubles.  Rhyne Hughes was 0-for-4 and is now 1-for-his-last-23.

The two teams meet again tonight with righty Brandon Mann (2-2, 5.02) on the mound for Montgomery.

A+ Charlotte Stone Crabs
The Stone Crabs just cannot avoid Mother Nature, as their game in Clearwater against the Threshers was postponed due to the rain.  The teams will play a doubleheader tonight.

A Bowling Green Hot Rods
The Hot Rods scored three early runs of Charleston starter Andrew Brackman, but that isn’t a lot considering Brackman walked 10; repeat 10, through his 3 1/3 innings.  Bowling Green was unable to capitalize on a ton of base runners, and they were defeated 9-4 by Charleston.

Matt Moore pitched three innings for the Hot Rods, allowing three runs on three hits.  He walked four and struck out five.
Neil Schenk (1-2) pitched two innings and took the loss.  He gave up two runs on five hits, while Tommy Rafferty surrendered four runs on six hits in his three innings of work.

Tim Beckham was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, though he did draw a walk.  Kyeong Kang was 1-for-5, and Michael Sheridan was 2-for-3 with two doubles.

Righty Shane Dyer (0-3, 3.98) takes the mound for the Hot Rods tonight in Charleston.

Notes from the Farm
*Durham signed righty Matt DeSalvo.  The 28-year-old was 2-11 with a 4.87 ERA in 34 games (8 starts) for AAA Richmond in 2008.  He also appeared in 2 games in relief for the Braves, putting up a 31.50 ERA in two innings.

*Durham placed first baseman Chris Richard on the seven-day disabled list, retroactive to May 24.  He has 11 homers this year for the Bulls.

*Infielder Brandon Chaves has been assigned to Durham from Montgomery.

AAA Durham Bulls

Chris Nowak broke a tie with a single in the eighth inning, and Winston Abreu pitched two innings of relief to make that run hold up as the Bulls defeated Rochester 3-2 on Monday afternoon.

Carlos Hernandez started and got a no-decision in six innings.  He allowed two unearned runs on four hits, while striking out one and walking one.  Dewon Day (3-0) pitched a scoreless inning for the win.  Abreu picked up his sixth save of the season.

Nowak went 1-for-4 with that RBI single in the eighth.  Henry Mateo had two hits in his Durham debut, and Justin Ruggiano and Jon Weber also had two hits. 

John Jaso, Ray Olmedo and Chris Richard all missed their second-straight game due to injury.

The Bulls have won 10 of 12 and play Rochester again on Tuesday night.  Lefty James Houser starts for Durham against Kevin Mulvey.



AA Montgomery Biscuits
The Biscuits built a 6-1 lead behind home runs from Fernando Cortez and Brandon Chaves, and then held on to defeat Charleston 6-5 on Monday afternoon.

Jason Cromer (4-3) pitched seven solid innings, allowing only one run and three hits, while walking two and striking out four.  Eduardo Morlan pitched 1 1/3 innings, and he let the RiverDogs back into the game, surrendering three runs on four hits.  Calvin Medlock allowed a run but got out of a jam for his twelfth save.

Cortez was 2-for-4 with three RBI, all coming on his homer in the second inning.  Rhyne Hughes returned to the lineup and went 0-for-5.

Montgomery opens a five-game series at the Carolina Mudcats on Tuesday night.   Lefty Ryan Morse (2-4, 5.18) will make the start for the Biscuits against lefty Alexander Smit (1-0, 2.81) for Carolina.

A+ Charlotte Stone Crabs

The Stone Crabs enjoyed a day off on Memorial Day, and will face the Threshers in Clearwater starting on Tuesday night.

A Bowling Green Hot Rods
Mike Jarman came off the disabled list and was promptly the victim of some poor defense as Charleston  defeated the Hot Rods 4-1 on Monday.

Jarman (4-4, 2.50) allowed four runs, but only one of them was earned.  He gave up two hits, walked two and struck out six, and allowed two home runs.  Diego Echeverria pitched four innings of no-hit ball in relief.

The lone Bowling Green run came in the sixth on a solo homer by Michael Sheridan.  The Hot Rods had six hits on the day, including two by Tim Beckham (also caught stealing for sixth time).

Kyeong Kang and Jake Jefferies were both 0-for-4.

The Hot Rods take on Charleston tonight with lefty Matt Moore (2-2, 3.90) on the mound.

Notes from the Farm
*Infielder Matt Hall was assigned to Durham from A+ Charlotte. 

*Durham pitcher Wade Davis was named the International League Pitcher of the Week.  Davis is 5-1 on the season and currently rated the No. 31 prospect by Baseball America.

AAA Durham Bulls

Jon Weber and Justin Ruggiano both homered, and Wade Davis pitched into the seventh inning, leading the Bulls to a 6-2 victory over Lehigh Valley on Sunday.

Weber was 2-for-4 with a three-run homer in the ninth inning, his second three-run blast in as many days.  Ruggiano, who hit a solo shot in the third (his eighth), went 2-for-5 with an RBI.

Davis (5-1) pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing just one run on six hits.  He walked two and struck out two, while lowering his ERA to 2.66 for the season.  Randy Choate (one run) and Joe Bateman finished the game for the Bulls.

Durham will take on the Red Wings in Rochester on Memorial Day.  Carlos Hernandez (3-2) starts for the Bulls.

AA Montgomery Biscuits
Aneury Rodriguez allowed only one run in five innings, but the Biscuits offense managed only four hits as they were defeated 4-0 by Jacksonville.

Rodriguez struck out six and walked only one, and Neal Frontz allowed three runs in relief.

Montgomery, depsits only four hits, drew five walks, but was 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position.  Desmond Jennings went 0-for-5 but did steal his 15th base.  Rhyne Hughes was 1-for-4, and Rashad Eldrige was 0-for-4, dropping his average to .269 on the season.  He is just 5-for-35 (.143) in his last 10 games.

Jason Cromer (3-2, 4.88) finishes up the series against Jacksonville this afternoon. 




A+ Charlotte Stone Crabs
Fort Myers scored two in the first and never looked back, defeating the Stone Crabs 3-2 and completing the series sweep.

 Darin Downs (5-2) took the loss for Charlotte, pitching 5 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on eight hits.  He struck out one, walked one, and allowed a two-run homer in the first inning.

Rays reliever Chad Bradford pitched a scoreless inning in his first rehab appearance after offseason elbow surgery.  He gave up one hit and got all three outs on the ground.

Matt Fields and Reid Fronk each went 1-for-4 with a double, but the team couldn’t take advantage of its baserunners.  Overall the Stone Crabs were 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position, and as a team, they left eight runners on base.

Charlotte is off on Memorial Day and will start an eight-game road trip with a four-game series at Clearwater.

A Bowling Green Hot Rods
Joe Cruz pitched five innings in earning his first win of 2009, and the Hot Rods won the opener of their four-game series 3-2 over Charleston.

Cruz (1-1) allowed one run on three hits.  He struck out six and walked only one.  His ERA is now 1.87 for the season.

Jamie Bagley was one of four relievers for Bowling Green, pitching a scoreless ninth for his eighth save.

The Hot Rods got two hits and an RBI apiece from Tim Beckham and Kyeong Kang.  Beckham also struck out twice, his 38th and 39th Ks of the season.  Robi Estrada went 3-for-4 and is now 8-for-11 in his last three games.

Lefty Michael Jarman (3-2, 2.53) will come off the disabled list to face Charleston righty David Phelps (3-1, 3.69) on Monday night. 

Notes from the Farm
*Durham signed free agent infielder Henry Mateo.  Mateo, a switch-hitting 32-year-old, played in 13 games last season for the Toledo Mud Hens, hitting .228/.241/.351 in 57 at bats.  

AAA Durham Bulls

Chris Richard hit a two-run home run in the top of the ninth, helping the Bulls erase a four-run deficit in defeating Lehigh Valley 5-4 on Saturday night.

David Price was scratched from his scheduled start (for obvious reasons), so Jason Childers made his first start since 2002.  He pitched only three innings, allowing four runs on seven hits.  The combination of Julio DePaula (four innings) and Winston Abreu (2-0, two innings) pitched six innings of scoreless relief.

After Lehigh Valley jumped out early, Jon Weber hit a three-run homer for Durham to bring them within one in the fifth.  Weber went 1-for-4 with three RBI.  Matt Joyce was 1-for-4 and he is now batting .317 for the season.  As a team, though, the Bulls struck out 15 times.

Durham, now 26-16, will finish the four-game series this afternoon with Wade Davis facing Carlos Carrasco in a battle of righties.



AA Montgomery Biscuits
The Biscuits got six solid innings from Heath Rollins, and Matt Spring drove in two runs in leading Montgomery to a 4-1 win over Jacksonville.

Rollins (5-2, 3.38) went six, allowing just one run on four hits.  He walked three and struck out three.  Calvin Medlock pitched the ninth for his 11th save of the year.


Desmond Jennings went 1-for-5 and is now in a mini-slump, going just 2 for his last 12.  His average now stands at .383 for the season.  Rashad Eldridge was 1-for-4 with two runs scored, and Jason Perry and Fernando Cortex each had two hits. 

This evening, righty Aneury Rodriguez (2-5, 5.84) will square off against righty Kyle Winters (0-1, 4.50) in game four of the series.




A+ Charlotte Stone Crabs
In a Saturday night pitcher’s duel, the Stone Crabs were defeated 2-1 by Fort Myers. 

Jeremy Hall (4-3) started and went six innings for Charlotte, allowing two runs on four hits, while striking out four and walking three.  Raynor Oliveros pitched two innings of scoreless relief, striking out one batter.

Fort Myers scored in the bottom of the first, but the Stone Crabs responded in the top of the second.  Nevin Ashley hit an RBI single to tie the score.

Cody Cipriano continued to impress, going 3-for-4, and he is now 7-for-11 in his last three games.  He is batting .337 for the season.

Today, Darin Downs (5-1) is scheduled to face David Bromberg (3-0) at Charlotte Sports Park.



A Bowling Green Hot Rods
After scoring only one run on eight hits in the first game on Saturday, the Hot Rods exploded for nine runs on 15 hits in the nightcap, defeating Savannah 9-4.

Chris Andujar (5-2) pitched five innings for the win.  He gave up four runs (three earned) on six hits, while walking one and striking out five.  Tommy Rafferty pitched two scoreless innings of relief.

Kyeong Kang went 3-for-4 and drove in two runs, as did Michael Sheridan, who hit a two-run homer in the fifth.  Robi Estrada also had three hits, and Tim Beckham went 2-for-4, raising his average to .301 for the year.
In game one, the Hot Rods allowed only one hit, while getting eight of their own, yet lost 2-1 to Savannah.  

Frank De Los Santos (3-3) took the loss after allowing just a two-run homer in the first.  He struck out six and walked three in six innings of work.

Bowling Green had chances, though, going 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position.  Jake Jefferies was 2-for-4, and Estrada also had two hits.  Beckham was 1-for-3 with a strikeout, and Kang was 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout.

The Hot Rods eight-game road trip continues on Sunday afternoon in Charleston against the RiverDogs.  Righty Joe Cruz (0-1, 1.86) goes for the Hot Rods against righty Hector Noesi (1-1, 1.39).

Notes from the Farm
*Rays righty Chad Bradford, who is recovering from elbow surgery, is scheduled to make his first rehab appearance today with Charlotte.

AAA Durham Bulls

Mitch Talbot allowed a first-inning run, and the Bulls offense lacked punch, save for one home run, as they were defeated 5-3 by Lehigh Valley on Friday night.

Talbot (3-4) went five innings, allowing five earned runs on nine hits, while walking two and striking out two.  He also hit two batters.  Chad Orvella (2 2/3 innings) and Randy Choate (1/3 inning) allowed only two hits in relief, keeping the Bulls in the game.

The lone offense for Durham came courtesy of a three-run homer by Chris Richard in the seventh.  Matt Joyce finished 2-for-4, John Jaso was 0-for-2 with two walks and Jon Weber led-off and went 0-for-5.  Ray Olmedo got the start at shortstop, replacing Reid Brignac, who was called up to the Rays.

The series continues at Lehigh Valley tonight.




AA Montgomery Biscuits
A bases-loaded walk gave Jacksonville a literal “walk-off” 3-2 victory over the Biscuits on Friday night in Florida. 

Biscuits starter Brian Baker pitched five shutout innings but got a no-decision.  He allowed just two hits, while walking two and striking out four.  Michael Wlodarczyk and Neil Frontz each allowed a run in relief.  Eduardo Morlan (1-2) pitched the ninth and took the loss.

Matt Spring hit a two-run homer in the eighth to provide the offense.  Fernando Cortez and Drew Anderson added two hits apiece.  The first six batters in the Biscuits lineup combined to go 0-for-19, including Desmond Jennings returning after a day off to go 0-for-3.

The series continues tonight in Jacksonville with righty Heath Rollins (4-3, 3.63) starting for Montgomery against lefty Graham Taylor (2-2, 3.38) for Jacksonville.



A+ Charlotte Stone Crabs
Rain was once again a factor in Charlotte, but the Stone Crabs were winning 3-2 after five innings when the game was called, giving Charlotte the victory over the Palm Beach Cardinals.

David Newmann (2-2) got the win, pitching five innings and allowing two runs and three hits.  He walked one and struck out five.

After the Cardinals scored twice to open the fifth, the Stone Crabs scored all their runs in the bottom of the inning. 

Cody Cipriano singled to start the frame, then scored on Greg Sexton’s triple.  Sexton scored on Reid Fronk’s sacrifice fly, then Matt Hall was knocked in by Pedro Powell to give Charlotte the lead.

The Stone Crabs begin a two-game set against Fort Myers tonight, with the game being played in Fort Meyers.  Jeremy Hall will start for Charlotte, who’ll host the game on Sunday.

A Bowling Green Hot Rods
The Hot Rods got 12 hits but managed only two runs in losing 4-2 to the Savannah Sand Gnats on Friday night.

Tim Beckham was 3-for-5 with a double, but he was caught stealing for the fifth time, and he also committed his 11th error of the season. 

Anthony Scelfo, Mike McCormick, and Jason Tweedy all had multiple-hit games, with Tweedy driving in both Bowling Green runs.  As a team, the Hot Rods left 11 on base and went 0-for-2 with the bases loaded. 


Starter Shane Dyer (0-3) pitched five innings, allowing only two earned runs on eight hits, while walking none and striking out six.  His ERA is 3.98, yet he does not have a win this season.

The teams will play a pair of seven inning games Saturday to wrap up the four-game set. The Hot Rods will have lefty Frank De Los Santos (3-2, 3.15) start game one followed by righty Chris Andujar (4-2, 2.91) in the nightcap.

Notes from the Farm
*The Rays, as everyone knows, called up INF Reid Brignac and RP Dale Thayer from Durham.  SP David Price is expected to be called up Monday to start the Rays’ game against Cleveland.

*Alex Jamieson, catcher, has been assigned to Durham from the Hudson Valley Renegades.  Jamieson has been moved between Hudson Valley and Durham based on Durham’s need, and has appeared in four games for the Bulls.  It should be noted that the Renegades season doesn’t begin until June 19, so he actually just stays with the Bulls when assigned to Hudson Valley.

*Desmond Jennings has made the Baseball America Prospect Hot Sheet this week, his third time on the list (out of a possible six lists) this season.  For the week, “Deezy” hit .429, going 9-for-21 with two doubles and a home run.  He walked four times and was 4-for-4 on stolen bases. 

AAA Durham Bulls

With five solid innings from James Houser, and a late home run by Joe Dillon, the Bulls defeated the Lehigh Valley IronPigs 6-2 on Thursday night.

Dillon’s homer came with two outs in the seventh inning, and followed Matt Joyce’s two-out, two-run double.  It was Dillon’s first home run since joining Durham.

In his five innings of work, Houser allowed two runs on three hits with two walks, all coming in the fifth inning.  Dewon Day (1-2) got the win and was one of four relievers who combined to allow just one hit in four innings of work.

Joyce had three hits, including that seventh inning double, and he drove it two runs.  Reid Brignac also had three hits, including a double and RBI.  Justin Ruggiano was 0-for-4, and Chris Richard went 0-for-5.

The Bulls continue their series at Lehigh Valley tonight when Mitch Talbot takes the mound against Kyle Kendrick.



AA Montgomery Biscuits
It wasn’t a good night for the Biscuits as both starter Brandon Mann and reliever Ryan Reid pitched poorly as Montgomery was defeated 8-0 by the Jacksonville Suns.

Mann went 5 1/3 innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on three hits.  He walked five batters and battled control problems throughout the night.  Reid pitched 2 2/3 innings of relief and surrendered four runs on six hits.

The Biscuits offense was about as bad as its pitching.  The team managed only three hits--- doubles by Drew Anderson and Brandon Chaves, and a single by Cesar Suarez. 

Desmond Jennings had the night off, and Rhyne Hughes went 0-for-4.

The Biscuits face Jacksonville in game two of their series tonight.  Righty Brian Baker (1-0, 5.40) will make a spot-start for Montgomery against righty Willie Glen (1-2, 4.44) for Jacksonville.




A+ Charlotte Stone Crabs
The Stone Crabs allowed runs in sixth of nine innings while falling 10-4 to the Palm Beach Cardinals on Thursday. 

Jesse Darcy (0-4) had another poor outing, working 5 1/3 innings and allowing five runs.  He gave up eight hits, including three home runs, while walking one and striking out none.  Paul Phillips allowed two runs in his 1 2/3 innings, and Austin Hinkle gave up three runs in two innings.

On offense, Cody Cipriano went 3-for-5 with two doubles and a run scored.  He also stole his third base of the season.

The teams finish up their series tonight when David Newmann (1-2) starts for Charlotte against Scott Gorgen (0-2). 



A Bowling Green Hot Rods
The Hot Rods were the latest Rays team to be affected by weather as their game against the Savannah Sand Gnats was rained out.  They will play a doubleheader on Saturday.

On Oakland pitcher Dallas Braden:
“He’s pretty good, and really aggressive with the fastball.  He has a hard slider, a really good move to first base, controls the running game well.  I find him to be very competitive.  He’s a good young pitcher.”

On the “white out” planned for the post-game trip to Miami:
“I’ve already sprayed myself with Scotch Guard.  It’s something fun.  I was so challenged based on what we did last year with the Ed Hardy road trip and the ‘Express Yourself with a Hat’ road trip and all the different themes we had last year.  So you have to get into that topper mode, so I thought going to Miami, why not all white?  It promotes camaraderie.”

On bringing up David Price or Wade Davis, and the struggles of Scott Kazmir:
“We’ve been trying so many different things to help [Kazmir] out, whether it’s physical or conversational, drill work, it’s been very difficult.  When we feel David is ready, that’s when David will be here, and when we feel Davis is ready, that’s when Davis will be here.  It’s an ongoing discussion, but our main concern is getting Kaz right.”

On interleague play, which the Rays begin tomorrow against the Marlins:
“I’m not a big huge fan, but I’m not totally against it.  I thought it was an interesting concept, but [I’m not a big fan of] the fact that it causes us to play so many games within our division.  I would not be opposed to just playing our own league the whole year.”