Triple-A International League: Syracuse Chiefs (WSN) 5, Durham Bulls 3

Quite impressive to strike out 17 batters in a nine-inning game. It’s arguably even more impressive to do that and lose, and that’s exactly what the Bulls pulled off on Wednesday. Alex Colome got the start for Durham and had an up-and-down outing, but when he was on, boy was he impressive. Colome went 5.2 innings allowing 4 runs, 3 earned, on 6 hits, striking out 10 while walking just 1. Colome rebounded nicely from allowing 3 runs between the 2nd and 3rd to toss shutout ball in the 4th and 5th, but Jeff Beliveau allowed his inherited runner to score in the 6th to end his outing on a sour note. This game was as good of a showcase as any that Colome still has a long way to go in getting his command up to major league quality, but he has the stuff to dominate when he’s right, and with plenty of starting depth in front of him, the Rays will give him as much time as he needs to find a way to do that on a more consistent basis. Beliveau allowed 3 hits in just 1.1 innings in relief of Colome, but he recorded 3 of his 4 outs via the strikeout, and Kirby Yates finished the game with 2 perfect innings striking out 4 more to give the Bulls 17 for the game. On the offensive side, the Bulls didn’t get much as Daniel Rosenbaum outdueled Colome with 7 innings allowing just 2 runs, 1 earned, on 4 hits, striking out 7 while walking 1. Chris Gimenez did go 2 for 4 with a run scored, Cole Figueroa and Leslie Anderson both went 1 for 4 with an RBI, and Wil Myers went 1 for 3 with a walk for Durham. Tough loss for the Bulls when their pitching was so overpowering, but good things are ahead if Colome continues to look as electric as this.

Double-A Southern League: Montgomery Biscuits 8, Mississippi Braves 4

Matt Buschmann pitched well and the Biscuits had a diversified attack of five different players with multiple hits as they eased by the Braves 8-4. Buschmann allowed 3 runs but had a strong outing in every sense of the word, going 7 innings allowing 3 runs on 5 hits, striking out 8 while walking 1 and managing a 9-3 groundout to flyout ratio. Buschmann was extremely efficient, throwing just 96 pitches, 63 strikes, and gave the Biscuits about as good of an outing as they could have hoped for. Buschmann has allowed just 4 runs on 14 hits in 20 innings over his last three starts, a 1.80 ERA, striking out 22 while walking just 4 in the process. Buschmann is trending in the exact opposite direction of his former Vanderbilt roommate, David Price, and we’ll have to see whether this is the spurt that finally gets him to Triple-A for an extended period of time after he spent almost all of last year at Double-A. With an intriguing sinker-slider combination, Buschmann has some potential in a relief role. Now to the run support. Robby Price went 2 for 4 with a double, 3 RBI, and a run scored, Cameron Seitzer went 2 for 3 with a double and 2 RBI, Shawn O’Malley went 2 for 4 with a triple, an RBI, and 2 runs scored, and Kevin Kiermaier and Riccio Torrez also registered 2 hits. The Biscuits went 5 for 10 with runners in scoring position and stranded just 5 while scoring 8 runs. 8-4 isn’t the prettiest score, but Montgomery had almost everything go right on their way to a nice win.

High-A Florida State League: Charlotte Stone Crabs 7, Brevard County Manatees (MIL) 6

Wild game in this one, but the Stone Crabs rode late-inning heroics on their way to victory. Felipe Rivero got the start for the Stone Crabs and had good stuff but looked enigmatic, and the results were not too good as he went 4.1 innings allowing 4 runs on 5 hits, striking out 7 while walking 3 and allowing 2 home runs. Rivero left with the game tied at 4 after the Stone Crabs had rallied for 3 in the 5th. Then Jacob Partridge let up a run in the 7th, and suddenly the Stone Crabs were down 5-4. But the following inning, Richie Shaffer came through with a 2-run home run to make it 6-5 Charlotte. The bottom of the inning was scary as Eliazer Suero got into a bases-loaded jam and Lenny Linsky had to come in to escape it, which he did successfully but not before allowing the game-tying run. But in the top of the 9th, Jake DePew could not have picked a better time for his first home run of the season as he hit a game-winning home run to send the Stone Crabs to a 7-6 win. Shaffer has hit in 9 of his last 10 games as he slowly but surely is righting himself after a tough start to the season, while DePew went 2 for 4  with his homer and 2 runs scored as he’s now hitting .273 on the season. The homer was his first extra-base hit, but DePew has some potential as a defense-first backup. Other strong performers were Willie Argo, who continued his hot start since joining the Stone Crabs by going 2 for 4 with a triple, 2 RBI, and a run scored, and Kes Carter, who went 2 for 5 with a home run to lead off the game and a double. Amazing job by the Stone Crabs stepping up in the clutch as their pitching sputtered, and the result was a satisfying win.

Low-A Midwest League: West Michigan Whitecaps (DET) 2, Bowling Green Hot Rods 0

Blake Snell was dominant, but 2 first inning runs accounted for all the scoring in the game as the Hot Rods fell 2-0. Snell allowed a Jeff Holm 2-run home run in the first inning but that was hit only real mistake as he went 6 innings allowing just 2 runs on 3 hits, striking out 10 while walking none. Not too often do you see a pitcher deliver that good of an effort and lose. Snell has been inconsistent this year, managing a 2.81 ERA but just a 4.21 run average (counting unearned runs) as he has managed a strikeout to walk ratio of 2-to-1 or better in just two of his six starts. In both of those starts, though, Snell struck out 9 or more while walking none, so he still has flashed plenty of dominance. Now he has to work to sustain that. Jordan Harrison and Matt Ramsey allowed just 2 hits in the final 3 innings while striking out 3 to end the game, but the Hot Rods just could not push a run across. Joey Rickard went 2 for 3 with a double while Marty Gantt went 2 for 4, but the Hot Rods failed to score despite getting at least one baserunner in 7 of 9 innings and that just won’t do the job. Sad to see Snell deliver his best outing of the season yet be saddled with the lost as the Bowling Green offense got him nothing.

Double-A Southern League: Montgomery Biscuits 2, Pensacola Blue Wahoos (CIN) 1

Jake Thompson was due. After a rousing 2013 debut (6 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 7 K), Thompson got destroyed in his subsequent two starts, allowing 7 runs each. He only allowed 2 unearned runs in his fourth start, but got his pitch count up and only lasted 4 innings. After beginning the season with what had appeared to be a breakthrough performance, Thompson needed to find a way to flash that same type of ability again. It wasn’t quite pristine, but Thompson did just that for the Biscuits to lead them to victory over the Blue Wahoos. Thompson went 6 innings allowing no runs on 2 hits, striking out 3 while walking 4 but managing an incredible 11-2 groundout to flyout ratio. Thompson’s command has been a major question for him the past couple of years, but he has begun to make progress in that regard and get back on the path to the major leagues. Hopefully this time Thompson can build on his 6 shutout innings in his coming starts.

Behind Thompson, C.J. Riefenhauser worked 2 shutout innings allowing 2 hits while striking out 1 and getting 3 more outs on the ground. Riefenhauser’s ERA on the season now stands at a minuscule 0.48 in 18.2 IP to go along with a 15-3 strikeout to walk ratio.Riefenhauser seems to have found his niche out of the bullpen and we’ll have to see whether he could become a bullpen option for the Rays over the next couple of years.

In terms of the run support, Mikie Mahtook had an RBI single in the 6th before Shawn O’Malley brought home a second run in the 7th on a groundout to give the Biscuits just enough to win. Robby Price and Mayo Acosta also went 2 for 4 for Montgomery. Thompson and Riefenhauser stole the show for the Biscuits in this one, and while the offense gave them little, their were more than willing to live up to the task.

Low-A Midwest League: Kane County Cougars (CHC) 5, Bowling Green Hot Rods 4

The Hot Rods entered the 9th inning down 4-1. Former Rays draft pick Pierce Johnson had shut them down for 6.2 innings, allowing just 1 run on 4 hits, striking out 4 while walking 1 and managing an 11-2 groundout to flyout ratio, and Bowling Green had been equally feeble against the Kane County bullpen. But in the 9th everything changed. Luke Maile singled to begin the inning off Jeffry Antigua, and two batters later, Patrick Leonard added a single of his own. Marty Gantt‘s infield baseball loaded the bases and put the tying runs on base for the Hot Rods, And Leonardo Reginatto got 1 in on his single to make it 4-2 before Joey Rickard‘s scored two more, and suddenly the game was tied at 4. That was all Bowling Green would get, but Nick Sawyer tossed a hitless 9th and the game went into extra innings. However, the Hot Rods went down in order and then Lake County made quick work of Marcus Jensen, getting a Pin-Chieh Chen double, a sac bunt, and a Dan Vogelbach walk-off single as the Cougars won 5-4. It has been an outstanding comeback in the 9th, but it had been entirely for nought as the Hot Rods lost the following inning.

Blake Snell got the start for Bowling Green in this one and failed to complete 5 innings for the 4th time time in 5 starts. Snell went 3.1 innings allowing 3 unearned runs on 5 hits, striking out 5 while walking 3 and forcing a 4-0 groundout to flyout ratio. Snell’s ERA stands at 2.75, but he has just a 24-16 strikeout to walk ratio in 19.2 innings on the season and has to find a way to limit the walks a lot better than that. Following Snell was Jose Alberto Molina, not to be confused with the Rays catcher, and if Molina keeps pitching the way he did on Wednesday, the confusion will disappear before long. Molina went 3.2 innings allowing just 1 run on 2 hits, striking out 6 while walking none and forcing a 4-1 groundout to flyout ratio. On the season, Molina’s ERA is just 5.06, but his strikeout to walk ratio is 16-3 in 16 innings pitched. Then there was Sawyer, who went 2 no-hit innings striking out 2 while walking 1. Sawyer hasn’t allowed an earned run since his first appearance of the season, a stretch of 7 appearances and 13 IP, but he needs work figuring out where his mid-90′s fastball and sharp slider are going as his strikeout to walk ratio has been just 19-12 over that stretch, just under a walk an inning. Hot Rods fans got to see some electric performances on Wednesday, but what does overpowering batters mean if you can’t throw strikes?

On offense for the Hot Rods, Leonardo Reginatto went 2 for 4 with a stolen base and an RBI, keeping his clutch gene going with his big RBI single in the 9th. Reginatto was huge for Short Season-A Hudson Valley in the playoffs last season and Brazil in the World Baseball Classic, and he’s not much a prospect but tantalizes you by just coming up with hit after hit when it matters most. Marty Gantt also went 2 for 4 with a run scored, Luke Maile went 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored, and Rickard went 1 for 5 with a stolen base and his critical 2-run single. Tyler Goeddel also went 1 for 5 to extend his hitting streak to 12 games. There were certainly plenty of positives for Bowling Green in this one, but it had to be frustrating that they came all the way back only to lose an inning later.

Triple-A International League: Durham Bulls 5, Charlotte Knights 2

The Bulls rallied for 3 runs in the 7th to break a 2-2 tie as they came with a great all-around effort in their 5-2 victory. Jake Odorizzi struggled early on for the Bulls, allowing two runners in the first inning as he couldn’t retire any of the first five batters he faced, but he buckled down from there to have a solid outing. Odorizzi retired 10 of the last 11 batters he faced as he went 5 innings allowing 2 runs on 4 hits, striking out 8 while walking 3. Odorizzi has an incredible 25-5 strikeout to walk ratio in 17 innings pitched, but he needs to stop having lapses of command where he lives pitches up in the zone and hittable for him to be successful at the major league level. The Bulls bullpen tossed 4 shutout innings behind Odorizzi to seal the win. On the offensive side, Jason Bourgeois was huge, going 3 for 5 with a double, 2 stolen bases, and 2 run scored while Hak-Ju Lee stayed hot as well, going 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored. Bourgeois is hitting .370 on the young season while Lee is at .412. Wil Myers wetn 1 for 4 with a 2-run single before prompting a little too much excitement when he left for a pinch-runner in the 7th inning, and Tim Beckham also had a multi-hit game, going 2 for 4 with a run scored. Nice to see some top prospects (plus Bourgeois) coming up big and the Bulls keeping it together after a tough start to come away with a nice win.

Double-A Southern League: Mobile BayBears (ARI) 8, Montgomery Biscuits 4 (13 innings)

The Biscuits have to be going through a lot of the same emotions the Rays are feeling right now. But it’s doubtful that having another party within the organization sharing their sorrow is making anyone feel better about themselves. Top lefty pitching prospect Enny Romero was the David Price equivalent in this one and was enigmatic although he did pitch a little better, going 5.1 innings allowing 3 runs on 5 hits, striking out 7 while walking 1. But after getting  behind 4-1 in this game after 5 and a half innings, the Biscuits came roaring back, getting a run in the 6th on a Cameron Seitzer RBI double and then tying the game in the 8th in unlikely fashion, scoring on a wild pitch and a sac fly, as the game would head into extra innings. After Zach Quate allowed a 2-run homer, letting an inherited runner from Romero score, the Biscuits bullpen was nearly flawless. Braulio Lara, C.J. Riefenhauser, and Marquis Fleming each tossed 2 shutout innings for Montgomery, allowing just 1 hit across the 6 frames with 6 strikeouts against 1 walk. However, the relief dominance could only last for so long as Neil Schenk allowed 4 runs in the top of the 13th (not on a grand slam but a sac fly, an RBI single, and a 2-run double), and 8-4 would be the final as the Biscuits fought so valiantly only to lose embarrassingly by 4 runs. In terms of the lineup, Seitzer went 2 for 5 with 2 doubles, a walk, and 2 RBI, Mikie Mahtook went 2 for 6 with 2 doubles and a run scored, Kevin Kiermaier went 3 for 5 with 2 triples but shocking didn’t factor into the scoring, and Shawn O’Malley went 2 for 5. The Biscuits went an inexcusable 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position, and despite unbelievable bullpen work from the 7th to the 12th, they were unable to find a way to win.

High-A Florida State League: Jupiter Hammerheads (MIA) 5, Charlotte Stone Crabs 0

Not much to be found here as the Stone Crabs got outplayed in every possible way. Roberto Gomez continued his struggles, allowing 4 runs on 5 hits in 4 innings, striking out 4 and walking 4 as well. Jacob Partridge followed with 3 innings of 1-run ball, striking out 5 while walking 1, and Nate Garcia tossed a perfect 8th, but by then it was too late. On the offensive side, the Stone Crabs actually out-hit Jupiter 8 to 7, but went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position. Richie Shaffer, Curt Casali, and Kyeong Kang did each encouragingly go 2 for 2 among the few highlights for Charlotte in this one.

Low-A Midwest League: Bowling Green Hot Rods 6, Great Lakes Loons (LAD) 0

This wasn’t one of those games where the Hot Rods dominated through and through and came away with an easy win. They struggled much more than the score would indicate but held Great Lakes to 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position and scored 6 runs (2 earned) in the final 4 innings to pull away when it mattered most. Lefty Blake Snell started for Bowling Green and was like Matt Moore from a couple of outings ago: enigmatic but still very effective. Snell went 5 innings allowing no runs on 2 hits, striking out just 3 while walking 4 but forcing an incredible 11-2 groundout to flyout ratio. The Hot Rods bullpen walked 3 more over the game’s final 4 innings, but they also held the Loons to just 1 hit to cap off an unlikely 3-hitter where the Hot Rods didn’t overpower anybody, as evidenced by their 8-7 strikeout to walk ratio on the day. On the offensive side, the Hot Rods had 9 hits but just one for extra bases, but they scratched and clawed their way to 6 runs. Ben Kline had a 2-run double and a run scored, Justin O’Conner and Ryan Dunn both went 2 for 5, and Tyler Goeddel went 1 for 5 with a stolen base and a run scored. Outstanding effort by the Hot Rods even if it wasn’t so pretty, and even if this game was much closer than the score would tell you, it demonstrates how far all-out play can take you.