The Undercards: Floethe, Sale Step Up as Hot Rods Win 4-0

In just three games on Monday night, pitchers in the Rays organization combines to strike out 26 batters, one strikeout less than exactly a batter per inning. Always nice to see the Rays’ electric arms in the minors. But strikeouts aren’t anything- Rays affiliates went just 1-2 Tuesday. And the pitcher who was the winner struck out just 3 in 6 innings. Go figure. But overall, the Rays had to like what they saw from their prospects on Monday.

Triple-A International League: 

The Durham Bulls and Syracuse Chiefs (WSN) were rained out.

Double-A Southern League: Chattanooga Lookouts (LAD) 5, Montgomery Biscuits 3

Jake Thompson heard me dangling him in trade rumors and criticizing him for not striking enough guys out. And he responded (just kidding, no chance he would pay any attention to me) by finally utilizing his electric stuff to rack up some strikeouts. Unfortunately, he couldn’t quite put it all together. Thompson struck out 7 while walking just 2 in 5 innings, but he allowed 5 runs on 5 hits, including a home run. But considering the 7 strikeouts was a career-high, that is definitely a positive sign. Hopefully next time out he can put it all together and get some strikeouts as part of a great performance. On offense for the Biscuits, Omar Luna went 2 for 3 with 2 walks and a stolen base, the red-hot Kyeong Kang went 1 for 5 with an RBI double, and Hak-Ju Lee went 1 for 4 with an walk and an RBI. The Biscuits fell to 14-18 on the year with the loss, but with Thompson maybe hitting a groove, things could be looking up.

High-A Florida State League: Clearwater Threshers (PHI) 6, Charlotte Stone Crabs 5

Wilking Rodriguez was in the same boat as Thompson after I mentioned him in my trade non-rumor post yesterday. He also responded with strikeouts- but just like Thompson, a poor overall outing. He lasted 4.2 innings, striking out 6 while walking 2, but he allowed 5 runs on 7 hits, including a home run. He did force 5 groundouts to 3 flyouts as well. Hopefully this outing is a good sign for him as well. The Stone Crabs got some solid offense in this game, getting homers from Mayo Acosta, a solo shot, and Cody Rogers, a two-run blast, along with RBI hits from Riccio Torrez and Mikie Mahtook, who went 2 for 4. But reliever George Jensen allowed a run in the 8th inning on a bases-loaded walk, the only run he surrendered in 3.1 innings of relief, and that was enough for the Threshers to come away with a win in this one. Now the Stone Crabs are 14-17 on the season. They had a solid all-around game today, but Wilking Rodriguez just had a bizarre outing and that was enough.

Low-A Midwest League: Bowling Green Hot Rods 4, Lake County Captains (CLE) 0

The Hot Rods dominated from top to bottom in this game, two-hitting a Lake County lineup that featured Indians top prospects Francisco Lindor and Luigi Rodriguez. Jake Floethe didn’t have the swing-and-miss stuff on this evening, but he kept the Lake County hitters entirely off-balance. He went 6 innings, allowing just 1 hit, striking out 3 while walking 3. He forced 11 groundouts to just 1 flyout. Floethe was in control basically the entire game- 2 of his walks came in 1 inning. Andrew Bellatti closed out the 2-hitter with 3 innings of 1-hit ball, striking out 4 while walking 1. Floethe and Bellatti were backed up by a solid Hot Rods offensive attack that went just 1 for 11 with runners in scoring postion but still pushed 4 runs across. Taylor Motter had a solo home run and Drew Vettleson had a 2-run double (and also an outfield assist earlier in the game). But the two players who all eyes were on were Josh Sale and Tyler Goeddel. Sale went 2 for 3 with a double, his first extra-base hit of the season, a stolen base and a run scored, while Goeddel went 1 for 2 with a walk, a stolen base, and a run scored. Great to see those two highly-touted guys playing well. The Hot Rods hit a wall after a ridiculous start to the season, but they’re 17-14 and if they can have more games like this the wins will pile on quickly.