Bulls Week in Review: July 24 to July 30

The Durham Bulls have opened up a 15 1/2 game lead in the division thanks to a 7-0 week. The week ended with the Bulls riding a nine game winning streak. They are now 67-40 on the year. The Bulls own the leader board in many of the stats with Dan Johnson and Jeremy Hellickson leading the way.

Hitting Leaders:
Average: Omar Luna (.362)
Slugging: Dan Johnson (.617, first in INT)
On Base Pct: Dan Johnson (.428, first in INT)
Hits: Dan Johnson (102)
Doubles: Chris Richard (33, first in INT)
Triples: Desmond Jennings (5, tied second in INT)
Home Runs: Dan Johnson (29, first in INT)
RBI’s: Dan Johnson (94, first in INT)
Stolen Bases: Desmond Jennings (26, third in INT)

Pitching Leaders:
ERA Starters: Jason Hellickson (2.45, first in INT)
ERA Overall: RJ Swindle (1.56)
Wins: Jeremy Hellickson (12, first in INT)
Saves: Winston Abreu (15, tied sixth in INT)
Strikeouts: Jeremy Hellickson (123, first in INT)

Team Hitting Stats (league rank):
Average: .276 (2 of 14)
Slugging: .438 (3 of 14)
On Base Pct: .329 (2 of 14)
Hits: 1011 (2 of 14)
Doubles: 222 (4 of 14)
Triples: 16 (12 of 14)
Home Runs: 113 (4 of 14)
Runs Scored: 580 (2 of 14)
Stolen Bases: 114 (2 of 14)

Team Pitching Stats (rank):
ERA: 3.40 (1 of 14)
Runs Allowed: 401 (1 of 14)
Strikeouts: 780 (4 of 14)
Walks: 336 (6 of 14)

Transactions: none.

Disabled List: Alvin Colina, Jason Cromer and Carlos Hernandez.

The Week Ahead: 7/31/10-8/3/10: at Pawtucket Red Sox (47-61). 8/4/10: Day Off. 8/5/10-8/6/10: vs Indianapolis Indians (56-52).

Friday's Scores and Highlights

Durham Bulls 9, Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs 2
The Bulls extend their winning streak to nine games. Justin Ruggiano was 3 for 4 with 2 doubles, 3 RBI's and 2 runs scored. Chris Richard was also 3 for 4 with 2 doubles, 3 RBI's and 2 runs scored. Desmond Jennings was 2 for 5 with 2 double and 2 runs scored. Omar Luna was 2 for 5 with a run scored. Dan Johnson drove home 2 runs and Angel Chavez had one RBI. Richard De Los Santos improved to 10-5 with the win. The Bulls open up a series on the road against Pawtucket, Virgil Vasquez will make the start looking for his tenth straight win.

Montgomery Biscuits 5, Mobile Bay Bears 2
John Matulia was 2 for 4 with a double. Nevin Ashley was 2 for 4 with an RBI. Rashad Eldridge plated the other Biscuit run. The Biscuits were 3 for 11 with runners in scoring position. Alex Torres was charged with the loss. The Biscuits send Alex Cobb to the mound against Mobile on Saturday.

Charlotte Stone Crabs 9, Tampa Yankees 6
Tim Beckham was 4 for 4 with a double, 3 RBI's and 2 runs scored. Anthony Scelfo was 2 for 4 with 2 RBI's. Kyeong Kang knocked home two runs. Stephen Vogt and Jake Jefferies drove home a run each to round out the Stone Crabs scoring. Rayner Oliveros earned the win and Zach Quate the save. The Stone Crabs return home on Saturday to open a four game series against Dunedin, Joe Cruz will start the opener.

Bowling Green Hot Rods 9, Dayton Dragons 7
Hot Rods sweep Dayton. Ty Morrison was 3 for 5 with a double and 3 RBI's. Bennett Davis was 3 for 5 with a run scored. Tyler Bortnick was 2 for 3 with a double and an RBI. Dustin Biell was 2 for 4. Cody Rogers was 2 for 6 with a triple, 2 RBI's and 2 runs scored. Robby Estrada and Gabe Cohen each picked up an RBI. Jake Sullivan got the win. The Hot Rods kick off a series against Lansing on Saturday, Kirby Yates will get the ball for the Hot Rods.

Hudson Valley Renegades 1, Vermont Lake Monsters 10
Derek Dietrich was 2 for 4 with a run scored. Steve Tinoco was also 2 for 4. Nick Schwaner drove home the lone Renegade run. The offense struck out 12 times, failed to record an extra base hit and only moved a runner into scoring position 3 times on the night. Miguel Sierra was the losing pitcher. The Renegades begin a home series against Aberdeen on Saturday.

Danville Braves 6, Princeton Rays 3
Jeff Malm was 3 for 4 with an RBI. Scott Lawson was 2 for 4 with a double and a home run. Hector Guevara and Gerardo Oliveres picked up an RBI each. Bryan Fogle was 0 for 4 with 3 strikeouts. Andrew Bellatti struck out 5 hitter but walked away with the loss. The P-Ray with Braulio Lara on the mound face off against Danville on Saturday.

GCL Rays 3, GCL Orioles 0
Craige Lyerly was 2 for 3 with a run scored and 3 stolen bases. Alexander Diaz was 2 for 4. Matt Fields had a solo home run. Justin O'Conner also drove home a run. Eduar Quinonez earned the win. Ryan Fleckenstein struck out the side in the ninth to record the save. The GCL Rays return home for a rematch with the GCL Orioles on Saturday.

DSL Rays 1, DSL Dodgers 0
Luis Marte's solo home run accounted for the only run of the game. Hector Gomez pitched 6 shut-out inning for the win. Jose Monegro earned the save with 2 no-hit innings of relief. The DSL Rays play at home against the DSL Pirates.


VSL Rays (day off)
The VSL Rays have a twin bill on the road against the VSL Pirates on Saturday.

Game Photos from 7/30: GCL Rays at GCL Orioles

Click on the photo below to view the gallery from Friday's game between the GCL Rays and the GCL Orioles from Ed Smith Sports Complex in Sarasota. The Rays shut-out the Orioles 3-0 in the contest. Matt Fields, who is with the Rays while on the DL from Charlotte, has shown he has power as a switch hitter, striking his second homer of his assignment with both of them being from the left side of the dish. Enjoy the photos.

Biscuits Week in Review: July 23 to July 29

The Biscuits finished the week with a 2-4 record and are now 17-16 on the half. They have fallen to 2 1/2 games back from first. The week ahead is an uphill battle for the Biscuits, wrapping up the series with the south division leading Mobile Bay Bears to start the week then returning home to wrap up the week with the north division leading Tennessee Smokies.

Hitting Leaders:
Average: Leslie Anderson (.313)
Slugging: Henry Wrigley (.541)
On Base Pct: Leslie Anderson (.378)
Hits: Emeel Salem (101)
Doubles: Emeel Salem (17)
Triples: Drew Anderson (6)
Home Runs: Henry Wrigley, Leslie Anderson and John Matulia (6)
RBI’s: John Matulia (41)
Stolen Bases: Emeel Salem (19)

Pitching Leaders:
ERA Starters: Alex Cobb (2.87)
ERA Overall: Matt Gorgen (1.93)
Wins: Alex Torres (9)
Saves: Matt Gorgen (19)
Strikeouts: Alexander Torres (102)

Team Hitting Stats (league rank):
Average: .250 (10 of 10)
Slugging: .367 (8 of 10)
On Base Pct: .325 (9 of 10)
Hits: 838 (10 of 10)
Doubles: 152 (10 of 10)
Triples: 30 (3 of 10)
Home Runs: 59 (6 of 10)
Runs Scored: 421 (9 of 10)
Stolen Bases: 64 (8 of 10)

Team Pitching Stats (rank):
ERA: 3.68 (3 of 10)
Runs Allowed: 425 (3 of 10)
Strikeouts: 777 (2 of 10)
Walks: 331 (4 of 10)

Transactions: Matt Gorgen added to 7-day disabled list (7/24/10). David Newmann added to 7-day disabled list (7/24/10).

Disabled List: Matt Gorgen, David Newmann and Ryan Royster.

The Week Ahead: 7/30/10-8/1/10: at Mobile Bay Bears (19-13). 8/1/10-8/5/10: vs Tennessee Smokies (19-14).

Matt Moore, In A Historical Context

Last season, Matt Moore pitched 123 innings for Bowling Green with a K/9 of 12.9. This season with Charlotte, he's at 111 innings and a K/9 of 12.4 K/9. Here's a list, going back to 1990, of pitchers who have pitched at least 100 innings with a K/9 of 12 or better. Arbitrary? You betcha! In fact, in 2004, Chuck Tiffany pitched 99 2/3 innings with a 12.7 K/9 but doesn't make the list. Sorry, Chuck. In 2003, Scott Kazmir was over 100 innings with an 11.9 K/9.

Year Player               Age    Level     IP   K/9
2009 Matt Moore            20        A  123.0  12.9
2009 Ben Hornbeck          21  A/A+/AA  116.1  12.3
2009 Christian Friedrich   21     A/A+  119.2  12.0
2007 Clay Buchholz         22   AA/AAA  125.1  12.3
2007 Clayton Kershaw       19     A/AA  122.0  12.0
2006 Rich Hill*            26      AAA  100.0  12.2
2005 Rich Hill*            25 A/AA/AAA  130.2  13.4
2004 Adam Bostick          21        A  114.0  12.9
2004 Yusmeiro Petit        19  A/A+/AA  139.1  12.9
2003 Cole Hamels           19     A/A+  101.0  13.1
2001 Josh Beckett          21    A+/AA  140.0  13.0
2001 Jake Peavy            20    A+/AA  133.1  12.7
2001 Nick Neugebauer       20   AA/AAA  130.2  12.1
2001 Erik Bedard           22       A+  102.1  12.0
2001 Boof Bonser           20        A  134.0  12.0
2000 Ryan Anderson         20      AAA  104.0  12.6
2000 Ben Howard            21       A+  107.1  12.6
2000 Nick Neugebauer       19    A+/AA  128.0  12.2
1999 Rick Ankiel*          19   AA/AAA  137.2  12.7
1999 Tim Redding           21        A  105.0  12.1
1998 A.J. Burnett          21        A  119.0  14.1
1998 Rick Ankiel           19     A/A+  161.0  12.4
1998 Ryan Anderson         18        A  111.1  12.3
1996 Mike Villano          24     A/A+  100.0  12.6
1994 Billy Wagner          22        A  153.0  12.0
1993 Tim Davis             22     A/A+  108.1  12.0
*Major league data not included 

Four players to appear twice, as Moore could possibly do: Rich Hill, who was 25 and 26 years old for his seasons. Nick Neugebauer and Ryan Anderson, who were among the game's premier prospects before succumbing to arm problems(for Neugebauer, rotator cuff surgery, for Anderson, his labrum). And Rick Ankiel, who was the game's best prospect. For fun, let's narrow it down a bit futher and make the cutoff 120 innings, which Moore will almost assuredly get to this season:

Year Player               Age    Level     IP   K/9
2009 Matt Moore            20        A  123.0  12.9
2007 Clay Buchholz         22   AA/AAA  125.1  12.3
2007 Clayton Kershaw       19     A/AA  122.0  12.0
2005 Rich Hill             25 A/AA/AAA  130.2  13.4
2004 Yusmeiro Petit        19  A/A+/AA  139.1  12.9
2001 Josh Beckett          21    A+/AA  140.0  13.0
2001 Jake Peavy            20    A+/AA  133.1  12.7
2001 Nick Neugebauer       20   AA/AAA  130.2  12.1
2001 Boof Bonser           20        A  134.0  12.0
2000 Nick Neugebauer       19    A+/AA  128.0  12.2
1999 Rick Ankiel*          19   AA/AAA  137.2  12.7
1998 Rick Ankiel           19     A/A+  161.0  12.4
1994 Billy Wagner          22        A  153.0  12.0
*Major league data not included 

Now it's down to Neugebauer and Ankiel who have done it twice. As for the others: Clayton Kershaw and Clay Buchholz are among the game's top young pitchers. Rich Hill relied mainly on his knockout curveball, kind of like Matt Moore, but Moore's fastball has more juice. Yusmeiro Petit and Boof Bonser relied more on pitchability and location than pure stuff to get the job done. Josh Beckett, Jake Peavy, and Billy Wagner all went on to very successful major-league careers.

So if Moore were to finish the season with, say, a 12.4 K/9, he would join Rick Ankiel as the only player of the last 20 years to twice post minor league seasons of at least 120 innings pitched with a K/9 of 12.4 or better in each. Now, the caveats: Ankiel did it younger, significantly younger, and with better control of his pitches. This list also excludes pitchers who were so good they were called up to the majors before they had a chance to put up such numbers in the minors(three names who would be slam-dunks: Mark Prior, Pedro Martinez, and Stephen Strasburg, plus Josh Beckett would've been a good candidate to do it twice).

Still, it's clear that the sentence "Matt Moore is striking out batters at a historical rate" is not an exaggeration.

Thursday's Scores and Highlights

Durham Bulls 2, Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs 1 (11 innings)
Bulls win eighth game in a row. Fernando Perez was the only Bull with multiple hits, going 2 for 4. Desmond Jennings and JJ Furmaniak drove home the runs. Bulls pitching combined for 16 strikeouts. Darin Downs picked up the win with 2 no-hit innings. The Bulls goes for the sweep as they conclude the series with Lehigh Valley on Friday.

Montgomery Biscuits 0, Mobile Bay Bears 1
Henry Wrigley was the only Biscuit with multiple hits going 2 for 4. Biscuits pitching held the Bay Bears to just 3 hits on the game. The Biscuits were 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position. Jake McGee suffered the loss. Alex Torres starts on Friday for the Biscuits as they face Mobile.

Charlotte Stone Crabs 1, Tampa Yankees 10
The Stone Crabs managed just four hits on the night, three of them being doubles. Rocco Baldelli drove home the lone Stone Crabs run. The Stone Crabs went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position and committed 4 errors during the game. Shane Dyer suffered the loss. The Stone Crabs wrap up the series against Tampa on Friday with Nick Barnese starting the finale.

Bowling Green Hot Rods 6, Dayton Dragons 3
Gabe Cohen was 3 for 3 with a double and run scored. Bennett Davis was 2 for 3 with a home run. Tyler Bortnick was 2 for 4 with an RBI. Cody Rogers had a three run homer. Ryan Wiegand also drove home a run. Tyree Hayes earned the win and Alex Koronis the save. The Hot Rods finish the series with Dayton on Friday with Jason McEachern getting the start.

Hudson Valley Renegades 2, Vermont Lake Monsters 1
Mayobanex Acosta was 2 for 3 with an RBI. Diogenes Luis was 2 for 5 with an RBI. Robert Dickmann got the win, striking out 5 hitters in 2 innings. Austin Hubbard recorded the save. The series against Vermont ends on Friday.

Danville Braves 1, Princeton Rays 7
Felix Gonzalez was 2 for 4 with 2 doubles and a run scored. Alejandro Segovia was 2 for 4 with an RBI. Bryan Fogle was 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI. Kevin Kiermaier was 2 for 5 with a home run. Jeff Malm drove home 2 runs and Todd Glaesmann added another. Enny Romero picked up the win. The P-Rays play Danville again on Friday with Andrew Bellatti making the start.

GCL Rays 2, GCL Twins 7
Luke Bailey was 2 for 4. Edward Dorville was 2 for4 with a run scored. Ryan Brett was 2 for 5 with an RBI. Justin O'Conner plated the other run. Matt Bush made a rehab appearance, pitching just 2/3 of an inning. Marcus Jensen suffered the loss. The GCL Rays play the GCL Orioles on the road on Friday.

DSL Royals 5, DSL Rays 3
Ariel Soriano had the only mult-hit game and picked up the only extra base hit for the Rays, going 2 for 5 with a double. Jiminson Natera and Jesus Araiza each drove home a run. Geisel De La Cruz was the losing pitcher. The DSL Rays travel to play the DSL Dodgers on Friday.

VSL Rays 7, VSL Reds 8
Nahum Hernandez was 4 for 4 with 2 RBI’s. Roan Salas was 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored. Jonathan Quinonez was 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored. Jose Paez had a triple and drove home 3 runs. Omar Narvaez also drove home a run. Carlos Orasma suffered the loss. The VSL Rays are off on Friday.

Stone Crabs Week in Review: July 22 to July 28

The Stone Crabs reversed their luck from last week by going 5-1 this week. They improved to 14-19 on the half and are in possession of the best overall record in the Florida State League at 57-45 on the year. Matt Moore had a great week, made two starts (7/22 & 7/28) giving up no runs on 2 hits with 20 strikeouts in 14 innings resulting in being named the FSL Pitcher of the Week. Moore’s 153 strikeouts on the year leads the league and the organization.

Hitting Leaders:
Average: Stephen Vogt (.337, first in FSL)
Slugging: Stephen Vogt (.502, third in FSL)
On Base Pct: Reid Fronk (.384, sixth in FSL)
Hits: Isaias Velasquez (94)
Doubles: Reid Fronk (24, seventh in FSL)
Triples: Reid Fronk, Isaias Velasquez and Tim Beckham (4)
Home Runs: Tim Beckham and Stephen Vogt (5)
RBI’s: Tim Beckham (44)
Stolen Bases: Isaias Velasquez (30, fourth in FSL)

Pitching Leaders:
ERA Starters: Nick Barnese (2.90, fourth in FSL)
ERA Overall: Brian Shouse (0.00)
Wins: Nick Barnese, Joe Cruz and Frank De Los Santos (8, tied third in FSL)
Saves: Zach Quate (16, fourth in FSL)
Strikeouts: Matt Moore (153, first in FSL)

Team Hitting Stats (league rank):
Average: .256 (6 of 12)
Slugging: .368 (6 of 12)
On Base Pct: .326 (5 of 12)
Hits: 874 (6 of 12)
Doubles: 171 (7 of 12)
Triples: 31 (2 of 12)
Home Runs: 50 (6 of 12)
Runs Scored: 412 (tied 8 of 12)
Stolen Bases: 91 (tied 7 of 12)

Team Pitching Stats (rank):
ERA: 3.04 (2 of 12)
Runs Allowed: 358 (1 of 12)
Strikeouts: 868 (1 of 12)
Walks: 279 (4 of 12)

Transactions: Matt Fields placed on 7-Day disabled list (7/23/10). Matt Spring promoted to Montgomery (7/24/10). Justin Garcia promoted to Montgomery (7/24/10). Rayner Oliveros activated from inactive list (7/24/10).

Disabled List: Matt Fields.

The Week Ahead: 7/29/10-7/30/10: at Tampa Yankees (19-11). 7/31/10-8/3/10: vs Dunedin Blue Jays (14-18). 8/4/10-8/5/10: vs Lakeland Flying Tigers (13-18).

Three Players Who Deserve A Promotion

Matt Moore: One of the hottest pitchers in the minor leagues, I don't see what else Moore has to prove at single-A. He's thrown strikes much more consistently, and has walked 23 batters in his last 62 2/3 innings (3.3 per 9) as compared to 31 batters in his first 48 1/3 (5.7 per 9). He's second in the minors in strikeouts with 153, and is striking out over 12 per 9 innings.

The Rays are generally cautious in terms of promotions, but there is some precedent here. Back in 2007, Wade Davis and Jake McGee were teaming up to dominate the Florida State League with Vero Beach. Davis was promoted around mid-season, while McGee got the bump about 3/4 of the way through. Moore compares favorably to McGee, with better strikeout numbers (though worse control) and a more well-rounded arsenal, as McGee was mostly blowing hitters away with his fastball. In fact, the Rays could open up a spot in Montgomery's rotation for Moore by promoting...

Jake McGee: Like Moore, McGee has overcome a slow start to look like his old dominating self. He's striking out well over a batter per inning (91 in 76 2/3) and has his fastball back into the 94-95 mph range. His last start was on July 22 and was a bit of a bump in the road, with 6 earned runs allowed. Assuming that he was held out of his most recent would-be start to control his innings and not because of some injury, a promotion into the Durham bullpen would make sense.

McGee threw 140 innings in 2007, then 77 2/3 before injuring his elbow in 2008. Coming back from surgery, he pitched 30 innings last season and is at 76 2/3 this year. A month and change with the Bulls, who appear headed for a playoff spot, would mean roughly 15-18 innings, putting him just under 100 for the season, a reasonable number. If McGee really shined out of the bullpen and his arm stayed fresh, then a September call-up wouldn't be out of the question. Additionally, it would prep McGee for a bullpen role next season, since the big-league rotation is backed up as it is.

Nick Barnese: Back to Charlotte's rotation for this one. Barnese hasn't quite been at the level of 2007 Wade Davis, but he's been plenty good. In last nine starts, he's walked just 8 hitters, and has walked 22 on the season, a 1.77/9 rate, and his 7.49 K/9 is solid. His stuff doesn't match Moore or McGee's, but he's arguably been the most consistent pitcher in the Rays system this year. Additionally, Barnese and Moore are both 21 years old, and while that's not necessarily "old" for the Florida State League, they are both good enough to be challenged at AA.

Wednesday's Scores and Highlights

Durham Bulls 3, Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs 2
Dan Johnson was 2 for 3 with an RBI. Joe Dillon was 2 for 4. Dioner Navarro drove home a run. Mike Ekstrom earned the win and Winston Abreu the save. Jeremy Hellickson goes looking for win 13 when the Bulls face Lehigh Valley on Thursday.

Montgomery Biscuits 1, Mobile Bay Bears 4
Leslie Anderson was the only Biscuit with multiple hits, going 2 for 3 with a double. John Matulia drove home the lone run. Jeremy Hall suffered the loss. The Biscuits with Jake McGee on the hill face Mobile on Thursday.

Charlotte Stone Crabs 0, Tampa Yankees 3
FSL Pitcher of the Week Matt Moore showed why he was nominated with another spectacular performance, 7 shut-out innings with only 1 hit and 10 strikeouts. Michael Sheridan was 2 for 4. Zach Quate struggled in relief, allowing 3 runs and suffering the loss. The Stone Crabs continue the series with Tampa, Shane Dyer will get the start.

Bowling Green Hot Rods 5, Dayton Dragons 3
Julio Cedeno was 3 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored. Ty Morrison was 2 for 4 with a double, 2 RBI's and a run scored. Tyler Bortnick was 2 for 5 with a double and a run scored. Brett Nommensen was also 2 for 5 with a double and RBI. Kyle Lobstein was the winning pitcher and Scott Shuman got the save. The Hot Rods face Dayton again on Thursday, Albert Suarez is on the mound still searching for his first win of the season.

Hudson Valley Renegades 14, Vermont Lake Monsters 2
Burt Reynolds was 4 for 5 with a double, 3 RBI's and a run scored. Elias Otero was 3 for 4 with 2 RBI's and 2 runs scored. Philip Wunderlich was 2 for 4 with an RBI and 2 runs scored. Robby Price, Derek Dietrich and Alejandro Torres each drove home 2 runs a piece while Nicholas Schwaner added 1 run. The pitching staff combined for 18 strikeouts. Chris Winder was the only starter not to record a base hit. Wilmer Almonte was the winning pitcher. The Renegades play Vermont on Thursday.

Kingsport Mets 2, Princeton Rays 11
Felix Gonzalez was 3 for 4 with a double, RBI and a run scored. Ruben Contreras was 3 for 5 with a double, 3 RBI's and 2 run scored. Hector Guevara was 2 for 2 with an RBI, 2 runs scored and 2 walks. Kevin Kiermaier was 2 for 5 with a triple and 2 runs scored. Cesar Guillen was the only starter without a hit but drove home 2 runs. Geno Glynn and Scott Lawson also drove home runs. Jacob Partridge earned the win. The P-Rays send Enny Romero to the mound against Danville on Thursday.

GCL Twins 6, GCL Rays 4
Ryan Brett was 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored. Matt Fields was 2 for 5. Juniel Querecuto was 2 for 5 with an RBI. Justin O'Conner and Edward Dorville also drove home a run. Reinaldo Lopez pitched 5 innings without giving up an earned run, lowering his ERA to 1.69. Jose Molina gave up 5 runs in 2 2/3 innings for the loss. The GCL Rays play a road game against GCL Twins on Thursday.

DSL Rays 7, DSL Red Sox 4
Julio Medina was 2 for 3 with 2 RBI's and 2 runs scored. Adderly Rosa was 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored. Jose Ruiz was 2 for 4 with a run scored. Jiminson Natera and Federico Eder also drove home runs. Jose Monegro earned the win and Roque Colon the save. The DSL Rays are home against the DSL Royals on Thursday.

VSL Tigers, VSL Rays (postponed)
The VSL Rays play the VSL Reds on Thursday.

Hot Rods Week in Review: July 21 to July 27

The Bowling Green Hot Rods were 2-4 on the week and have fallen to 13-17 on the half. They are in fifth place in the division, 11 games back from the leader. Overall on the season, the Hot Rods are 44-45. Tyler Bortnick continues to lead the Hot Rods offense while Scott Shuman keeps throwing fire from the pen.

Hitting Leaders:
Average: Tyler Bortnick (.298)
Slugging: Cody Rogers (.606)
On Base Pct: Tyler Bortnick (.404, eighth in MID)
Hits: Tyler Bortnick (96)
Doubles: Tyler Bortnick (27, tied eighth in MID)
Triples: Ty Morrison (11, tied second in MID)
Home Runs: Brett Nommensen (8)
RBI’s: Ryan Wiegand (50)
Stolen Bases: Ty Morrison (34, fourth in MID)

Pitching Leaders:
ERA Starters: Kirby Yates (2.93)
ERA Overall: Scott Shuman (2.26)
Wins: Alex Colome, Alex Koronis and Kyle Lobstein (6)
Saves: Scott Shuman (12, tied seventh in MID)
Strikeouts: Alex Colome (105, seventh in MID)

Team Hitting Stats (league rank):
Average: .254 (tied 7 of 16)
Slugging: .359 (12 of 16)
On Base Pct: .328 (tied 8 of 16)
Hits: 829 (8 of 16)
Doubles: 151 (14 of 16)
Triples: 26 (tied 10 of 16)
Home Runs: 47 (tied 12 of 16)
Runs Scored: 395 (14 of 16)
Stolen Bases: 171 (1 of 16)

Team Pitching Stats (rank):
ERA: 4.10 (9 of 16)
Runs Allowed: 483 (13 of 16)
Strikeouts: 808 (5 of 16)
Walks: 345 (tied 10 of 16)

Transactions: None.

Disabled List: Will Kline and Wilking Rodriguez.

The Week Ahead: 7/28/10-7/30/10: at Dayton Dragons (8-21). 7/31/10-8/2/10: vs Lansing Lugnuts (17-13). 8/3/108/4/10: vs South Bend Silver Hawks (11-18).

Tuesday's Scores and Highlights

Durham Bulls 5, Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs 3
Both clubs dueled though 7 scoreless innings before the 0-0 tie was broken. Elliot Johnson was 3 for 5 with a double and a run scored. Jose Lobaton was 2 for 4 with a home run. Justin Ruggiano had a three run homer. Heath Phillips pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings. RJ Swindle got the win and Winston Abreu the save. The Bulls continue the series with Lehigh Valley, Brian Baker will start for the Bulls.

Montgomery Biscuits (day off)
The Biscuits resume play on Wednesday night at Mobile.



Charlotte Stone Crabs 12, Tampa Yankees 2
Largest margin of victory in franchise history. Stone Crabs have now won 5 straight. Reid Fronk was 3 for 5 with a double, home run, 5 RBI's and 2 runs scored. Michael Sheridan was 2 for 5 with 2 RBI's and a run scored. Tim Beckham was 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored. Stephen Vogt was also 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored. Jake Jefferies drove home 2 runs and Rocco Baldelli plated a run. Matt Hall was the only Stone Crabs starter not to record a hit, going 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts but recorded an RBI. Frank De Los Santos improved to 8-6 with the win. Matt Moore will take the mound Wednesday as the series continues.

Bowling Green Hot Rods (day off)
Alex Colome gets the start when the Hot Rods resume play at Dayton on Wednesday.



Hudson Valley Renegades (day off)
The Renegades begin a road series against Vermont on Wednesday.



Kingsport Mets 2, Princeton Rays 3 (10 innings)
Brian Harris was 2 for 3. Todd Glaesmann was 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI. Scott Lawson drove home 2 runs. Matt Gilson got the win. Jacob Partridge gets the start in Wednesday's game against Kingsport.


GCL Rays 5, GCL Red Sox 4
Juniel Querecuto was 2 for 4 with a double and a run scored. Matt Fields had a game winning grand slam. Rays offense struck out 11 times. Brandon Henderson was the winning pitcher and Ryan Fleckenstein recorded the save. The GCL Rays return home to face the GCL Twins on Wednesday.

DSL Rays 2, DSL Mets 6
Ariel Soriano was 2 for 5 with an RBI. Julio Medina was 2 for 5 with a double and a run scored. Hector Rodriguez had the other RBI. Rays offense struck out a combined 14 times and was 2 for 15 with runners in scoring position. Juan Wilsino was the losing pitcher. The DSL Rays play the DSL Red Sox on Wednesday.

VSL Rays 0, VSL Mariners 5
Nathum Hernandez, Jonathan Quinonez and Ronald Acosta recorded the only hits for the Rays. The offense collected 8 walks but were unable to push a run across the plate. Eli Echarry was charged with the loss. The VSL Rays return home to play the VSL Tigers on Wednesday.

Renegades Week in Review: July 20 to July 26

The Renegades were 3-3 on the week and are now 16-19 on the season. They are currently in last place in the division, 7 ½ games back from first. The Renegades face a tough upcoming week, with two series against first place clubs.

Hitting Leaders:
Average: Kyle Holloway (.360)
Slugging: Robby Price (.527)
On Base Pct: Kyle Holloway (.467)
Hits: Philip Wunderlich (38)
Doubles: Robby Price and Burt Reynolds (11, tied third in NYP)
Triples: Burt Reynolds (2)
Home Runs: Nick Schwaner (4)
RBI’s: Nick Schwaner (25, tied seventh in NYP)
Stolen Bases: Robby Price, Nick Schwaner and Nick Winder (9, tied seventh in NYP)

Pitching Leaders:
ERA Starters: Nate Garcia(2.66)
ERA Overall: Austin Hubbard and Jake Thompson (0.00)
Wins: Austin Hubbard (3, tied eighth in NYP)
Saves: Austin Hubbard (3, tied ninth in NYP)
Strikeouts: Steve Hiscock (26)

Team Hitting Stats (league rank):
Average: .248 (8 of 14)
Slugging: .351 (12 of 14)
On Base Pct: .322 (11 of 14)
Hits: 298 (11 of 14)
Doubles: 72 (3 of 14)
Triples: 8 (tied 11 of 14)
Home Runs: 12 (tied 12 of 14)
Runs Scored: 166 (9 of 14)
Stolen Bases: 56 (1 of 14)

Team Pitching Stats (rank):
ERA: 4.12 (10 of 14)
Runs Allowed: 173 (9 of 14)
Strikeouts: 259 (12 of 14)
Walks: 111 (3 of 14)

Transactions: James Patterson added to roster (7/24/10). JR Betts-Robinson added to roster from Princeton (7/26/10). Wade Broyles added to roster from Princeton (7/26/10).

Injuries: none.

The Week Ahead: 7/27/10: Day Off. 7/28/10-7/30/10: at Vermont Lake Monsters (23-14). 7/31/10-8/1/10: vs Aberdeen Iron Birds (21-17). 8/2/10: at Brooklyn Cyclones (25-13).

Monday's Scores and Highlights

Syracuse Chiefs 4, Durham Bulls 15
Bulls sweep Syracuse. Bulls put together eight consecutive hits in the first inning resulting in a ten run inning. Every player in the lineup recorded a hit. Omar Luna was 4 for 5 with 2 doubles, 2 RBI's and 3 runs scored. Fernando Perez was 3 for 5 with a home run and 3 RBI's. Joe Dillon was 3 for 5 with a home run, 4 RBI's and 3 runs scored. Dioner Navarro was 2 for 3 with a run scored. Chris Richard was 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored. Justin Ruggiano was 2 for 6 with a double and 2 RBI's. Dan Johnson blasted a three run homer. Virgil Vasquez was the winning pitcher. The Bulls begin a series against Lehigh Valley on Tuesday with Heath Phillips making the start.

Carolina Mudcats 4, Montgomery Biscuits 11
The Biscuits hit three home runs and scored eight runs in the second inning. Drew Anderson was 3 for 4 with a double, home run, 2 RBI's and 2 runs scored. Emeel Salem was 2 for 5 with a double and a run scored. Leslie Anderson had a home run and 3 RBI's. Chris De La Cruz also had a home run with 2 RBI's. Henry Wrigley and Matt Spring drove home 2 runs each to add to the total. Justin Garcia was the winning pitcher. The Biscuits are off on Tuesday.

Charlotte Stone Crabs (day off)
The Stone Crabs resume play on Tuesday at Tampa for a four game series, Frank De Los Santos will start the opener.



Cedar Rapids Kernels 6, Bowling Green Hot Rods 0
Hot Rods only produced three hits in the game, 2 from Brett Nommensen and the other from Julio Cedeno. Scott Shuman pitched 2 strong innings from the bullpen, allowing no runs on 1 hit while striking out 6. Kirby Yates was charged with the loss. The Hot Rods are off on Tuesday.

Aberdeen Iron Birds 5, Hudson Valley Renegades 3
Kyle Holloway was 2 for 3 with 3 doubles and 2 runs scored. Mayobanex Acosta was 2 for 4. Robby Price was 2 for 5 with a triple and 2 RBI's. Derek Dietrich knocked home the other run. Renegades was 3 for 14 with runners in scoring position. James Patterson suffered the loss. The Renegades have a day off on Tuesday.

Kingsport Mets 6, Princeton Rays 4
Kevin Kiermaier was 2 for 4 with a triple, RBI and run scored. Jeff Malm was 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI. Ruben Contreras and Cesar Guillen each had a double. Todd Glaesmann and Alejandro Segovia picked up an RBI each. George Jenson suffered the loss. The P-Rays send Eliazer Suero to the mound for Tuesday's game against Kingsport.

GCL Red Sox 0, GCL Rays 3
Justin O'Conner was 2 for 3 with a double and an RBI. Juniel Querecuto was 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored. Pedro Silvestre was the winning pitcher, improving to 3-0. Peter Woodworth got the save. The GCL Rays play the GCL Red Sox on the road Tuesday.

DSL Rays 1, DSL Indians 4
Jose Lafontaines was 2 for 5 with a run scored. Ariel Soriano was 2 for 5. Francisco Rosario was 2 for 4. Jose Torres was the losing pitcher. The DSL Rays face the DSL Mets on Tuesday.

VSL Cardinals 6, VSL Rays 7 (Game 1, 10 innings)
Roan Salas was 2 for 4 with a double. Omar Narvaez was 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored. Ismel Antunez was 2 for 6 with an RBI and a run scored. Franklin Paz had 3 RBI's. Orlando Cabrera was the winning pitcher.

VS Cardinals 6, VSL Rays 4 (Game 2)
Oscar Hernandez was 2 for 3 with a home run. Leopoldo Correa was 2 for 3 with an RBI. Johnathan Quinonez had a triple and 2 RBI's. Hector Aguilera was charged with the loss. The VSL Rays play a road game against the VSL Mariners.