Tampa Bay Rays MLB/MiLB Recap: Alec Sole Goes 4 for 4

Just went on vacation (and didn’t have wifi last night so I couldn’t cover Sunday’s MLB game), so this one will be quick.

Texas Rangers 5, Tampa Bay Rays 3

Drew Smyly was disappointing, giving up 5 runs on 7 hits in 4 innings. He did strike out 4 while walking 2, but his homer-prone tendencies from his rehab continued as he gave up a pair of blasts. Alex Colome and Xavier Cedeno were excellent in relief, with Colome allowing just 2 hits and a hit batsman in 3 shutout innings, striking out 1, before Xavier Cedeno struck out the side in the eighth. Offensively, Kevin Kiermaier had 3 hits while James Loney and Logan Forsythe both went 2 for 4. Kiermaier, Loney, and John Jaso had an RBI each.

Triple-A International League: Indianapolis Indians (PIT) 4, Durham Bulls 1

Scott Diamond was great in his start, allowing an unearned run on 3 hits, striking out 3 while walking 1. Diamond looked better than Smyly in extended relief outings after his rehab starts, for what it’s worth. Dylan Floro and Robert Zarate put the game out of reach in relief. Offensively, J.P. Arencibia went 2 for 4 with 2 doubles while Joey Butler went 1 for 3 with a walk.

Double-A Southern League: Montgomery Biscuits 10, Birmingham Barons (CHW) 6

Jake Bauers is no basestealer, but he finished this game 2 for 5 with 2 stolen bases and 2 runs scored. One of the steals was a double-steal where he stole home! What? Johnny Field also swiped 2 bags to cap a day where he went 1 for 2 with a double, a walk, an RBI, and 2 runs while Tyler Goeddel drove in a pair. On the mound, Chris Kirsch allowed 3 runs in 6 innings, striking out 5 while walking 2, before Matt Lollis and Jared Mortensen made this game closer than it should have been.

High-A Florida State League: Fort Myers Miracle (MIN) 5, Charlotte Stone Crabs 1

Hunter Wood had a rough start, allowing 5 runs, 3 earned, on 7 hits in 5 innings. At least he struck out 5 while walking 1. Jordan Harrison, Josh Kimborowicz, and Colton Reavis deserve credit for stopping the bleeding right there, although a seventh-inning homer by Mike Marjama was all the Charlotte offense could muster. Braxton Lee also went 1 for 3.

Low-A Midwest League: Bowling Green Hot Rods 7, Peoria Chiefs (STL) 3

Alec Sole‘s remarkable season continued as he went 4 for 4 with 3 RBI. He didn’t score a run, mostly because he was caught stealing 3 times. Ouch. In any event, Sole is up to a .328/.374/.443 line in 188 plate appearances with the Hot Rods as he has turned his career entirely around. Cade Gotta also went 3 for 4 with 2 doubles, 2 RBI, and 3 runs scored while Grant Kay and Hunter Lockwood both went 2 for 4. Gotta is already 24, but on this positive side, he has speed, athleticism, and on-base skills.

On the mound, Hyrum Formo had a solid start, allowing 1 run on 3 hits, striking out 3 while walking 2. Edgar Gomez earned the win in relief as he allowed 1 run in 3 innings before Luis Urena allowed a run in the ninth.

Short Season-A New York-Penn League: Hudson Valley Renegades 3, Brooklyn Cyclones (NYM) 2 (11 innings)

Matt Dacey delivered the go-ahead hit in this one on an RBI double. He finished 1 for 3 with that big hit and 2 walks. Michael Russell also had a great game, going 2 for 4 with a triple, a double, a hit-by-pitch, an RBI, and 2 runs scored. The Renegades managed to overcome a rough outing from Travis Ott, who allowed 2 runs on 3 hits in 2.2 innings, striking out 4, walking 4, hitting 2 batters, and even allowing a balk.

Luckily the relievers were spectacular. Tyler Brashears tossed 2.1 perfect innings with 2 strikeouts and 4 groundouts. Brashears has faced 15 batters since joining Hudson Valley, and just 1 has reached base. After Tim Ingram got past 2 hits in a scoreless frame, Brandon Koch was incredible again, tossing 2 innings allowing just a hit while striking out 4. He picked off that lone baserunner. Then Justin McCalvin earned the win with quite an outing. He tossed 3 no-hit innings with 6 strikeouts, although he walked 1 batter and hit 2 more.

Advanced Rookie Appalachian League: Kingsport Mets 8, Princeton Rays 5

Eduar Lopez allowed 6 runs in 3 innings in his start, but Spencer Moran and Ruben Paredes kept it together to keep the P-Rays in this game. Brett Sullivan performed well, going 3 for 5 with his 8th homer, while Landon Cray went 3 for 4 with a triple, a walk, 2 RBI, and a run. Sullivan’s 8 homers are the most on the team by far–Zac Law (who went 1 for 3 with a walk and a run in this game) is the only other player with more than 3, and he has just 5.

Next: Tampa Bay Rays: Drew Smyly Hopes To Prove the Rays Right Again