Mexican Pacific League: Yaquis de Obregon 6, Naranheros de Hermosillo 3

Iker Franco played a big part of Obregon’s win, going 3 for 3 with a homer, a walk, and 2 RBI. He’s been on fire of late, homering 3 times in his last 4 games. Jorge Cantu 1 for 4 with a double and Humberto Cota went 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored for Hermosillo.

Mayos de Navojoa 8, Caneros de los Mochis 5

Wes Bankston went just 1 for 5 for Navojoa in this one, but he made the one count, lacing a 2-run double to cap off a 4-run rally that the Mayos the game. Bankston has really cooled off of late, hitting .200 in his last 10 games, but he stil has a 5-3 strikeout to walk ratio and driven in 6 runs.

Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League (Puerto Rico): Gigantes de Carolina 3, Leones de Ponce 1

Jesus Feliciano had a nice game for Carolina, going 2 for 3 with a run scored. He’s hitting .241 on the young RCPBL season but has impressively walked 4 times while not striking out a single time.

Venezuelan Winter League: Aguilas del Zulia 9, Tiburones de La Guaira 7

Alex Torres looked to get back on track on this game after starting for Zulia, but everything came apart extremely quickly. Torres allowed just 1 hit in the first three innings before Royals catcher Salvador Perez homered to begin the 4th. Nevertheless, after 4 innings, Torres had allowed just 2 hits, striking out 5 while walking 2. But then Torres completely loss the zone with 1 out in the 5th, allowing a single and then 2 walks to end his outing. Adys Portillo did not do him any favors in relief, allowing a sac fly to ex-Rays prospect Cesar Suarez (fine), but then a 3-run homer to Perez. Torres ended up going 4.1 innings allowing 4 runs on 3 hits, striking out 5 while walking 4. If you want to be super-optimistic, we can view this like we viewed Matt Moore at times in the big leagues this season that Torres showed flashes before he had a tough time in the 5th, but the bottom line is that Torres simply cannot find the consistency he needs to succeed on any sort of regular basis and even though he has electric stuff and has spent the last two years at Triple-A, the Rays can’t count on him for anything. Torres is out of options this year and unless he finds himself soon and makes a run onto the Rays’ 25-man roster in 2013 in a bullpen role, they’ll be designating him for assignment. In other news in this game, Suarez homered later in the game for La Guaira.

Navegantes de Magallanes 5, Bravos de Margarita 1

Four Rays in this game, and the three for Magallanes beat the one for Margarita. Erold Andrus went 2 for 5, Chris Nowak, went 0 for 3 with a walk, and Jean Machi finally had a solid outing for the Navegantes, striking out 2 in a perfect frame after allowing at least one run in each of his previous three VWL appearances. Sean Burroughs went 1 for 3 for the Bravos.

Leones del Caracas 6, Caribes de Anzoategui 5

Henry Wrigley had a rare day off for Caracas, but Victor Zambrano gave us a reason to cover this game anyway (at least in brief), earning the win for the Leones with 2 shutout innings, allowing just 1 hit while striking out 1. Zambrano’s last major league win was in 2006 and his last minor league win was in 2010.

Arizona Fall League: Peoria Javelinas 13, Phoenix Desert Dogs 6

The Desert Dogs got hammered but it was actually a pitcher who had the most encouraging effort among the Rays prospects. Lenny Linsky went 1.2 perfect innings with a 3-0 groundout to flyout ratio as he continues to rebound from a shoulder injury that has derailed his career. His ERA is still just 5.79 in the AFL and his strikeout to walk ratio is just 6-5, but hopefully this can boost his confidence. Kevin Kiermaier went 1 for 4 and is hitting .306 in the AFL, while lefty Chris Rearick had a tough outing, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits in 2.1 innings, striking out 1 while walking none.

Dominican Winter League: Aguilas Cibaenas 8, Gigantes de Cibao 4

Omar Luna, who we just found out is a minor league free agent right now (more on that later), went 1 for 4 with a double and an RBI for Cibaenas, extending his hitting streak to 6 games since he was moved to the Cibaenas leadoff spot. In those 6 games, Luna is hitting .321 with 5 of his 7 doubles on the season and 5 of his 7 RBIs as well.

Leones del Escogido 10, Tigres del Licey 7

For both teams there was a Rays prospect who appeared and an ex-Ray who we don’t really care about. For Escogido, Braulio Lara worked a perfect third of an inning and Juan Miranda pinch-hit and walked. For Licey, Enny Romero went 1.1 innings allowing 1 run on 2 hits, although his groundout to flyout ratio was a solid 2-1, and Julio Lugo went 0 for 3 with a walk and an RBI. Lara’s Winter ERA stands at 3.00 while Romero’s is 3.60.

Mexican Pacific League: Venados de Mazatlan 10, Mayos de Navojoa 7

Navojoa lost, but there’s still no stopping Wes Bankston, who went 2 for 4 with a walk and a run scored. Bankston has a .349/.440/.619 line in 18 MPL games including .529/.614/.853 in his last 10 games. The Rays have to give him at least a look for a minor league deal.

Tiburones de La Guaira 9, Leones del Caracas 5 (10 innings)

Victor Zambrano actually started for Caracas in this one, and as understandable for a pitcher who hasn’t appeared in the big leagues since 2007, did not do so well, allowing 3 runs, 2 earned, on 3 hits in 2 innings, although he did strike out 4 while walking none. Henry Wrigley, like Luna also a minor league free agent, went 1 for 3 with 2 RBI. He’s hitting .333 in 22 VWL games including .425 in his last 10 games.

Navegantes de Magallanes 8, Tigres de Aragua 4

For Magallanes, Leslie Anderson went 2 for 5 with a run scored, and among the ex-Rays, Chris Nowak went 1 for 4 with an RBI while Erold Andrus went 1 for 5 with an RBI. Anderson is hitting .412 in 4 VWL games, getting at least 1 hit in each and multiple hits in 3 of 4. Nowak and Andrus are hitting .327 and .319 respectively.

Arizona Fall League: Scottsdale Scorpions 6, Phoenix Desert Dogs 2

6 out of the 14 players the Desert Dogs used on Wednesday were Rays prospects, and unfortunately this time it did not work out. Brewers prospect Nick Bucci allowed 4 runs in the 4th and the Braves’ Ryan Buchter allowed a solo home run to the Giants’ Chris Dominguez in the 5th to give Scottsdale a 5-0 lead. Indians prospect T.J. House was excellent in his start for Scottsdale, going 4 shutout innings allowing just a hit and a walk while striking out 4. For the Rays prospects, Richie Shaffer went 1 for 4 with a double and a run scored starting at first base, Kevin Kiermaier went 1 for 4 from right field with the RBI single that drove in Shaffer, Tim Beckham went 1 for 5 at second base, and Hak-Ju Lee went 0 for 3 with a walk and a run scored playing shortstop. On the pitching side, C.J. Riefenhauser had a perfect inning including a strikeout while Lenny Linsky had a tough time once again, allowing a run on 3 hits in just a third of an inning. Could have been a big day for Rays prospects in the AFL, but unfortunately it did not go all that well and hopefully coming days will be better.

Dominican Winter League: Leones del Escogido 11, Aguilas Cibaenas 4

Omar Luna didn’t even get into the game for Cibaenas, but an ex-Ray did- right-hander Tim Corcoran, now 34, who pitched with the Devil Rays from 2005 to 2007, who was the Aguilas’ starter. Corcoran did actually strike out 6 while walking just 2 and posting a 5-0 groundout to flyout ratio, but his mistakes were hit hard as he allowed 4 runs on 4 hits in 4.1 innings. Still nice to see him back on a mound. Giants prospect Justin Fitzgerald had a great start for Escogido, going 5 innings allowing no runs on 4 hits, striking out 5 while walking 2, and Giants prospect Roger Kieschnick tripled and drove in 5 while Angels prospect Kole Calhoun homered and drove in 3. Escogido also had another ex-Ray, Julio Lugo, who went 1 for 3 with a run scored.

Mexican Pacific League: Naranjeros de Hermosillo 6, Algodoneros de Guasave 5 (10 innings)

Despite the relatively low-scoring game, this one was all about the longball as the two teams combined for 6 home runs including a walk-off home run by ex-Reds prospect Jesse Gutierrez. Not among the players who homered was ex-Ray Jorge Cantu, but he did go 1 for 4 with a walk and 2 RBI. Cantu now has an incredible .313/.455/.688 line for the Naranjeros with 2 homers, 7 RBI, and 5 each of walks and strikeouts in 6 games as he looks to get a big league job for 2013.

No stopping Wes Bankston right now. (Credit: Flickr user What’s Her Name)

Doubleheader Game 1: Aguilas de Mexicali 5, Mayos de Navojoa 1 (7 innings)

Game 2: Mayos de Navojoa 10, Aguilas de Mexicali 7 (10 innings)

You just can’t stop Wes Bankston right now. In Game 1, the Mayos got shut down for 6 innings by ex-big leaguer Jorge Campillo, who went 6 innings allowing just 1 run on 4 hits, striking out 2 while walking none, but Bankston had half the Mayos’ hits and drove in the only run on a solo shot. Then in Game 2, Bankston had another big game but finally got some help from his friends. He went 1 for 2 with a solo home run, a 2 walks (1 intentional), and a sac fly, but Steve Moss, who was a teammate of Scott Kazmir this season on the independent Sugar Land Skeeters, went 2 for 6 with 2 home runs and 6 RBI, including a walk-off 3-run shot to win Game 2 for Navojoa. Back to Bankston, he has been unbelievable for Navojoa, posting a .339/.429/.627 line with 2 doubles, 5 homers, 12 RBI, and 10 walks versus 8 strikeouts in 17 games, but in his last 10 games he has put up staggering numbers, managing a .471/.558/.794 line with 3 homers, 9 RBI, and 8 walks against 4 strikeouts. Bankston, a first baseman, is just 28 years old, and if he anywhere near keeps this up, major league teams will come calling, the Rays especially among them because of their need at first base.

Venezuelan Winter League: Tiburones de La Guaira 7, Leones de Caracas 6

A new way united with a member of the old guard in this one for Caracas, but they managed to completely blow this game, losing this one after leading 6-1 after 6 innings and 6-2 after 7. Victor Zambrano, who the Rays traded for Scott Kazmir back in 2007, is now 37 years old and hasn’t appeared in affiliated ball since 2010 but was solid matched up against ex-big leaguer Les Walrond. Zambrano went 3.1 innings allowing 1 run on 3 hits, striking out 2 and walking 2 as well, while Walrond went 4.1 innings allowing 2 runs on 7 hits, striking out 4 while walking 1. But the bullpen collapsed, first La Guaira and then Caracas, with Blue Jays prospect Ronald Uviedo allowed 3 runs in the 8th before Juan Gutierrez, who was in the minors for all of 2012 but saved 15 games for the Diamondbacks in 2010, allowed a pinch-hit 2-run walk-off home run to long-time independent baller Rafael Alvarez to seal the 7-6 win for La Guaira. Henry Wrigley went 0 for 4 for Caracas, but ex-Rays infielder Ray Olmedo entered as a pinch-hitter and wound up going 1 for 1 with a walk and 2 runs scored for La Guaira.

Navegantes de Magallanes 10, Tigres de Aragua 5

With an ex-big leaguer starting and their bats on fire, the Navegantes came away with an easy win on Wednesday. Gustavo Chacin went 5 innings of 1-run, 5-hit ball, striking out 3 while walking 1, Carlos Maldonado, who appeared briefly with the Nationals this season, set the tone with a first inning grand slam, and a pair of ex-Rays had great days as well, with Chris Nowak going 3 for 4 with a walk and a 2-run home run, and Erold Andrus going 1 for 2 with a triple, 3 walks, and 2 runs scored.