The Undercards: Hager Homers, Sale Drives in 3 as Hot Rods Win Big

Sunday was a bizarre day in the Rays minor league system, particularly for starting pitchers. Of the three starts pitchers in the Rays organization, two of them walked at least 3 more than they struck out while the other struck out 10 versus just 1 walk. Yet the only one of the three to win fit in the first category. Go figure.

Triple-A International League: Lehigh Valley Ironpigs (PHI) 2, Durham Bulls 1 (11 innings)

This game may have been more offensive futility than anything else. Lance Pendleton was pretty awful, walking 5 versus just 1 strikeout in 5 innings, yet he allowed just 2 hits and 1 run. The results were almost identical for Tom Cochran of Lehigh Valley, who walked 4 versus 2 K’s in 5 innings, allowing 2 hits and 1 run as well. The only Bulls run came on a Brandon Allen RBI double in the 4th inning. The Ironpigs won it on a walk-off single by Jason Pridie off of Josh Lueke, who wore down in his third inning of work. Jeff Keppinger went 0 for 1 with 3 walks in a rehab appearance for Durham.

Double-A Southern League: Huntsville Stars (MIL) 3, Montgomery Biscuits 1

Matt Buschmann had an awfully annoying outing for Montgomery in this one. The 28 year old right-hander struck out 10 in just 5 innings versus 1 walk and also picked off a batter. He recording just 3 outs on batted balls. Yet he allowed 3 runs on 8 hits and took the loss in the game. Hak-Ju Lee went 2 for 5 with a stolen base and the only run that the Biscuits would score in the game, in the first inning. Tyler Bortnick went 1 for 4 with the Biscuits’ only RBI. Ty Morrison actually went 0 for 4 in the game, but he stole his 20th base of the season, his 9th with the Biscuits.

Low-A Midwest League: Bowling Green Hot Rods 9, Fort Wayne Tincaps (SDP) 3

The Hot Rods battered out 14 hits and 9 runs, as they rolled to a 9-3 victory. A couple of Hot Rods had 3 for 4 days, Cameron Seitzer, who had 2 doubles and 2 runs scored, and Juniel Querecuto, who had an RBI and scored twice. But a couple of the big hitters in this game made their lone hits count. Jake Hager went 1 for 3 with a 2-run homer, 2 walks, and 2 runs scored from the leadoff spot and Joshua Sale went 1 for 4 with a bases-clearing triple, his first three-bagger of the season. Alejandro Segovia also homered and Drew Vettleson went 2 for 5. On the pitching side, Roberto Gomez posted just a 1-4 strikeout to walk ratio in 5 innings but allowed just 1 hit and 1 run, and the Hot Rods provided plenty of offense as they closed out the first half of the Midwest League season in a big way.