The Undercards: Finishing Last Night’s Action

Typically, in our look around the Rays minor league teams, we go from AAA to the Gulf Coast League. However, we start with the Princeton Rays, as they finished a game that began last night.

Princeton Rays 12, Pulaski Mariners 9 (23 innings)

After 23 innings and a combined 7 hours, 48 minutes, the Princeton Rays finally dispatched the Pulaski Mariners 12-9. Andrew Toles and William Argo led off the top of the 23rd with consecutive HBPs,  and scored as Domingo Brazoban committed a throwing error on an Oscar Hernandez ground ball. Hernandez ended up on third on the play, and scored on a Reid Redman single. Redman scored on a sacrifice fly later in the frame. The Mariners threatened in the bottom of the inning, loading the bases with one out. However, they were only able to scratch across one run, as Princeton held off the rally. Christopher Kirsch picked up the victory, pitching the final 1.1 innings of the game, as he gave up 1 earned run on 2 hits and a walk.

Now, on to today’s games:

Durham Bulls 5, Gwinnett Braves 3

Scoreless though six innings, the Bulls offense woke up in the bottom of the seventh, scoring four times in the 5-3 victory. Stephan Vogt hit a two run triple with one out, and later scored on a Leslie Anderson single. Anderson scored on a Chris Gimenez double. The Braves put up three in the top of the eighth, as Ernesto Mejia hit a three run home run. The Bulls tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the inning, securing the victory. Vogt was 3-4 with a triple, a run scored, a walk, and 3 RBIs. Evan Longoria was 0-4 with a walk.

Jacksonville Suns 2, Montgomery Biscuits 0

For the first time since May, the Biscuits were shutout, as they lost to the Jacksonville Suns 2-0. Both runs scored in the bottom of the fourth inning, as Shawn Bowman and Ben Lasater hit consecutive RBI singles with one out. The Biscuits never really threatened to score, as two unsuccessful stolen base attempts nipped potential rallies before they could even start. Graham Taylor picked up the win for Jacksonville, allowing 7 hits and 2 walks in 8 innings, while striking out 5 batters. Hak-Ju Lee had a base hit, extending his streak of getting on base to 46 games.

Jupiter Hammerheads 4, Charlotte Stone Crabs 1

The Hammerheads scored twice in the third and twice more in the seventh, taking a 4-1 victory over the Charlotte Stone Crabs. With two out in the bottom of the third, Christian Yelich hit a two run home run, giving Jacksonville an early 2-0 lead. The Stone Crabs cut the lead in half in the top of the fifth, as Cody Rogers hit a solo home run with two out. The Hammerheads pulled away in the bottom of the seventh, as Marcell Ozuna and Mark Canha each hit RBI singles. Zack Neal picked up the win, allowing 1 earned run on 4 hits and 1 walk through 6 innings, striking out 1 batter.

Great Lakes Loons 8, Bowling Green Hot Rods 6 (11 innings)

Tied 5-5 after the fourth, what promised to be an offensive explosion morphed into a duel of the bullpens. In the end, the Loons came away with the victory in eleven innings, winning 8-6. Jesus Arredono drove in the winning run with a two-out double, and scored on a single by O’Koyea Dickson. Nick Akins hit two home runs for the Loons, both solo shots in the second and fifth. Arredondo and Dickson each had three hits. For the Hot Rods, Drew Vettleson, Cameron Seitzer, Matt Rice, and Juniel Querecuto each had two hits. Austin Hubbard took the loss, giving up 2 earned runs on 3 hits and  walk in his 1 inning of work.

State College Spikes 1, Hudson Valley Renegades 0

The Renegades’ five game winning streak was snapped, as the Spikes shut out Hudson Valley 1-0. The lone run came when Derek Trent lined a one out double, and scored on a throwing error on Jodanelli Carvajal ground ball to first. The Renegades threatened to score in the fourth and sixth innings, but were unable to push a run across. Jeff Ames pitched well, getting a no decision after allowing 3 hits and 2 walks in 5.2 innings, striking out 6 batters.

Pulaski Mariners 7, Princeton Rays 5

The Mariners scored three times in the first, and three more times in the fifth, as they held off a comeback by the Rays to win 7-5. The Mariners loaded the bases with no one out in the first, scoring on a sacrifice fly, an error, and a base hit. In the fifth, Pulaski started the inning with two base hits, before a flyout drove in the fourth run of the game. A wild pitch and a Phillips Castillo double brought in the next two runs. Princeton came back in the top of the sixth, scoring three times, highlighted by a two run single by Darryl George with the bases loaded. Despite scoring single runs in the top of the seventh and eighth, the Rays were unable to complete the comeback. George finished the night 3-4 with 3 RBI in the loss. Jonathan Weaver fell to 0-5, giving up 3 runs (2 earned) on 3 hits and 5 walks in 4 innings, with 2 strikeouts.

GCL Orioles 11, GCL Rays 1

The Rays jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second, as Adderly Rosa drove in Cesar Perez. The lead held up until the top of the fifth inning, when the Orioles exploded, scoring 11 runs in the next four frames to run away with the 11-1 victory. Manuel Hernandez had a three run home run, and Hector Volez and Dan Pelligrino each drove in two runs for the Orioles. Jorge Rodriguez took the loss, giving up 4 runs on 7 hits in 4.2 innings. Brett Blaise was shelled in his .2 innings, giving up 4 runs (3 earned) on 2 hits and 2 walks. Rosa, Bralin Jackson, and Armando Araiza each had two hits in the loss.