Game Photos: Spring Training Hot Rods vs Shorebirds

This afternoon I headed over to Charlotte Sports Park to work a few innings of MiLB spring training into my schedule. Today the Rays A hosted the Orioles A squad. My goal was to try and catch one time through the lineup for each game, however I got called off after about a half-hour at the park.

During the short time I was there, Fernando Rodney got his work in during the Advanced-A game while Joel Peralta and Burke Badenhop worked the A game.

I was able to catch 2 innings of the Hot Rods/Shorebirds game. Peralta made the start for the Hot Rods. He pitched just one inning and struck out the side in the first inning.

Then in the Hot Rods were retired in order in the bottom half of the first. Craige Lyerly flied out to right, Kes Carter flied out to center and Tyler Goeddel flied out to left to end the inning.

Burke Badenhop then took over the mound to start the second inning. He worked a 1-2-3 inning, recording 2 ground-outs and a strikeout.

The Hot Rods collected the first hit of the game in the bottom of the second inning. Travis Flores popped out to first to lead off the inning. Then James Harris singled up the middle for the first hit of the game. But the hit was quickly erased as Tyler Goeddel hit into a double play to end the inning.

Badenhop went out on the mound to start the third inning but that's when I got the call to leave. I would have loved to see a little more of the games as I was interested in seeing Oscar Hernandez hit and Taylor Guerrieri was warming in the bullpen as I was walking out to the truck.

A couple brief observations from my perspective:

• Peralta pitched a very strong inning. He commanded the inning and breezed through the hitters. Its not a good measure seeing these were Class-A hitters but he seemed to be in control. 
• On the opposite end, Badenhop seemed to struggle in his inning. He worked most of the counts deep and didn't seem to be in command of his pitches. 
• Harris hit was a hard hit ground ball right over second base into center. I was impressed with Harris last year in the GCL and look forward to seeing what he can do at the higher levels. 

Below are photos from today's game between the Hot Rods and Shorebirds.