The Undercards: Alex Colome Struggles…Well, Relatively

Sunday’s game marked Alex Colome‘s worst start in quite a while. It would still be considered another pitcher’s best start.

Triple-A International League: Durham Bulls 12, Louisville Bats (CIN) 2

This was a great all-around game for the Bulls, and it started with the rehabbing Brandon Guyer, who went 1 for 3 with a double, 2 walks, and 3 runs scored. It is going to be fun when he rejoins the Rays outfield. Mikie Mahtook also had a huge game, going 2 for 3 with 2 walks, 2 RBI, and 3 runs scored, while Ray Olmedo went 2 for 5 with 3 RBI. One downright bizarre thing: Justin Christian went 0 for 4 but somehow drove in 3.

Then, on the pitching side, Alex Colome was not at his sharpest. He needed 96 pitches to get through 6 innings and allowed 7 hits and 2 walks while striking out only 4. Yet continuing his recent trend, Colome allowing just a lone run. Let’s just say that he’s pitching pretty well.

Double-A Southern League: Montgomery Biscuits 5, Birmingham Barons (CHW) 2

A couple of struggling Biscuits came through with big games to lead their team to victory. Mike Colla has just a 5.59 ERA in his second Montgomery go-around, but he went 6 innings in this one allowing just 1 run on 8 hits. Cameron Seitzer, meanwhile, went 2 for 4 with a 3-run homer that proved to be the difference in the game and Alejandro Segovia went 2 for 4 with an RBI. Seitzer’s numbers are steadily improving thanks to a .359 average and .951 OPS in June as he hopes to get to Triple-A before the year is through.

Low-A Midwest League: Bowling Green Hot Rods 12, Fort Wayne Tincaps (SDP) 3

Jaime Schultz was a major sleeper after the Rays drafted him in the 14th round last year, and it is easy to see why. In this game, Schultz went 6 innings allowing 2 runs, 1 earned, on 7 hits, striking out 8 while walking none. Overall this year, he has a 0.93 ERA and a 38-10 strikeout to walk ratio in 23 innings pitched. Good luck finding a much better performance than that (oh wait, you already did- Alex Colome).

On the offensive side, Yoel Araujo capped a 2 for 4 day with his 10th homer, Armando Araiza went 4 for 5 with a double and 2 RBI, Juniel Querecuto went 4 for 6 with an RBI and 2 runs scored, and Johnny Field, Alexander Simon, Kean Wong, Pat Blair, and Ariel Soriano also had multi-hit games. Yes, I just rattled off 8 of the 9 players in the Bowling Green lineup.

Short Season-A New
York-Penn League: Hudson Valley Renegades 4, Aberdeen Ironbirds (BAL) 2

Dylan Bundy has already cracked the major leagues. A Short Season-A team is not supposed to win when it faces him. However, that’s exactly what the Hudson Valley Renegades did. Nolan Gannon had a tremendous start in his season debut, allowing just 1 hit in 5 shutout innings. Then, on the offensive side, he was supported by Casey Gillaspie‘s first professional hit, a 2-run home run, and a 3 for 3 day by Douglas Duran. The Renegades are off to a 3-0 start as they hope to clinch their second New York-Penn League title in three years.