Up until first pitch, use the comments section to predict who you think will be the Sunburst Player of the Game. (be sure to use a valid email address while leaving the comment). The commenter that correctly predicts who we will name the Sunburst Player of the Game the most times prior to the all-star game, will win two tickets to a second-half game. Runners-up get their choice of a t-shirt. [Click HERE for rules]
Check Marc Topkin’s blog for the starting lineups.
The Good, The Bad and The Telling sandwich, where The Bad is nice and lean and the The Telling is ripe.
click above image for boxscore
THE GOOD: David Price Early. Price did not allow a baserunner until he hit a batter in the 4th. He did not allow a hit until a leadoff single in the 5th. Price consistently hit 96-97 on the radar gun, something we don’t recall seeing in a couple of months. And no walks raises his innings streak to 13 consecutive without a walk.
THE BAD: David Price Late. Once the no-hitter was gone, it all came apart. 3 runs and 4 hits in the 5th and 3 more runs and 4 more hits in the 6th…Anemic Offense. Was the perfect game a fluke? Does this team just take days off? Or are they exposed when they face a good pitcher?
THE TELLING: The Rays were the second-highest scoring team in baseball in the first-half. Since the all-star break they are 14th, down more than half a run a game from 5.3 to 4.7. The pitching staff’s ERA has gone from 10th (4.18) to 18th (4.36).
SUNBURST PLAYER OF THE GAME: David Price. (by default)
DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA…
Gwinnett 5, Durham 4. Calvin Medlock got the spot start, working 3 innings and allowing 1 run…Winston Abreu gave up 3 runs on 2 home runs in 1.1 innings in his second appearance since being resigned by the Rays…Desmond Jennings was 1-4 with an RBI and Reid Brignac went 1-3…Matt Joyce did not play…John Jaso hit his 5th home run.
Montgomery. (no games scheduled)
Charlotte 6, St. Lucie 4. Ryan Morse gave up 1 unearned run in 3 innings…Chad Bradford pitched 1 perfect inning, striking out 2…Fernando Perez went 1-3 with a walk and his first stolen base.
Bowling Green 5, Greenville 2. Nick Barnese allowed just 1 unearned run in 6.1 innings. He struck out 8 and walked 3, giving up 2 hits…Tim Beckham was 1-4 with a strikeout and Jake Jefferies was 1-3 with a walk and a run scored.
Princeton 10, Danville 2 (gm 1).
Danville 13, Princeton 0 (gm 2). Princeton was the victim of a 7-inning no-hitter in the nightcap.
Notes from Down on the Farm…
