Sep 23
Durham 5, Memphis 3 (11). Durham won the triple-A championship on a wild pitch in the 11th. Jeremy Hellickson was named the MVP with 5 shutout innings. He allowed just 2 hits and a walk while striking out 2…Desmond Jennings finished 3-5 and drove in the first run for Durham on a ground ball past the second baseman that Jennings turned into a double. He also beat out an infield single in the 4th on which Ray Olmedo scampered home for the Bulls’ 4th run after the throw to first base…Julio DePaula survived a bases loaded, one out situation in the 10th inning when he grabbed a ground ball back to the mound and turned it into a 1-2-3 inning-ending double play.
Notes from Down on the Farm…
Sep 18
Durham 3, Scranton/WB 2 (Bulls win series 3-0). The Bulls won the IL championship in come-from-behind fashion. After getting just 1 hit in the first 7 innings, Durham scored twice in the 8th to tie it on a Desmond Jennings two-out single. And then the Bulls scored the go-ahead run in the 12th on a John Jaso single…Sean Rodriguez dodged a goat-sized bullet when he was ejected in the 7th inning. Rodriguez hit a dribbler in front of the plate and was thrown out. Rodriguez thought the ball was foul. Rodriguez argued and got tossed. Twice in later innings, Rodriguez’ spot in the lineup came up with runner(s) on base. Each time, Chris Nowak, Rodriguez’ replacement, grounded out to end the inning. In the 9th, it was an inning-ending double play. And in the 11th it was a groundball with the bases loaded…Jason Cromer started, giving up 2 runs in 6 innings, but the stars of the game were the relievers who worked 6 shutout innings and survived a couple of late-inning jams.
Notes from Down on the Farm…
- The ball that struck Montgomery pitcher Darin Downs in the head causing a skull fracture was traveling 103 mph. He was told in the hospital that he was lucky to be alive (pitchers wearing some sort of protective helmet is coming). John Romano has Downs’ story. [St. Pete Times]
- Watching Durham Bulls Baseball recaps the Bulls championship victory. [Watching Durham Bulls Baseball]
Sep 17
Durham 4, Scranton/WB 1 (Durham leads 2-0). Durham takes a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-5 series. Mitch Talbot struggled with his control, walking 3 and giving up 3 hits in just 3.1 innings, but allowed only 1 unearned run…Rashad Eldridge, provided most of the offense, with 2 RBI doubles and a solo home run…If Durham is to win the Governor’s Cup, they will have to do so on the road. The final 3 games of the series will be held in Scranton if necessary.
Tampa 5, Charlotte 2 (Tampa wins series 3-2). Tampa wins the FSL championship in the decisive 5th game, breaking it open with 3 runs in the 5th inning…Brian Flores making just his 8th start, was limited to 3 innings, giving up 1 unearned run…Drew Anderson drove in both Stone Crabs runs with a pair of RBI singles.
Notes from Down on the Farm…
- Stacy Long has an update on Darin Downs, the Rays prospect that suffered a fractured skull after being hit by a line drive. [Montgomery Advertiser]
- Triangle Offense recaps game 2 of the Governor’s Cup. [Triangle Offense]
Sep 16
Durham 4, Montgomery 1 (Durham leads 1-0). Durham took game 1 of the Governor’s Cup Championship Series behind Jeremy Hellickson who did not allow a run until the 7th. He finished with 6.2 innings and 1 run on 5 hits and a walk. He struck out 6…Sean Rodriguez got the scoring started with an RBI single in the first…Joe Dillon add an RBI single in the 6th and Michel Hernandez capped the scoring with a 2-run single.
Charlotte 3, Tampa 1 (Series tied 2-2). David Newmann with a gem to keep Charlotte alive in the FSL championship series. He worked 8.2 innings, giving up just 1 run in the 9th inning. He did not give up a hit until the 7th and in the first 8 innings, he did not allow a run on just 2 hits and a walk…Greg Sexton provided all the offense with a 3-run home run in the 6th…Game 5 will be tonight.
Notes from Down on the Farm…
- Rays Prospects has the final attendance for all of the Rays affiliates…Apparently there is no truth to the rumor that Durham and Montgomery both drew more fans than the Rays this season. [Rays Prospects]
- Triangle Offense recaps game of the Durham-Tampa series. [Triangle Offense]
Sep 15
Tampa 3, Charlotte 1 (Tampa leads series 2-1). Alex Cobb held Tampa to 1 run in 6 innings on 4 hits and 2 walks. He struck out 5. However, Tampa scored 2 in the 9th on a double to stretch their lead to 3-0… Ryan Royster had an RBI single in the 9th and Charlotte got the tying run to second base with only 1 out. A strikeout and a ground out ended the threat…Matt Sweeney was 2-3 with a walk
Notes from Down on the Farm…
Sep 14
Durham 5, Louisville 3 (Bulls win series 3-2). Prior to being promoted to the Bulls last month, Paul Phillips had never made a start in 5 years as a pro. And yet on Sunday, Phillips made his second career start and picked up the win in the decisive 5th game, going 5 innings and giving up just 2 runs. He struck out 6 and did not walk a batter…Elliot Johnson broke a 2-2 in the 6th with an RBI single…Desmond Jennings went 1-3 with an RBI and a walk…Sean Rodriguez was 2-3 with a walk and his second steal…Justin Ruggiano went 3-4 with a double and 2 RBI.
Charlotte 9, Tampa 2 (series tied 1-1). Charlotte evened up their best-of-5 series behind Jeremy Hall who worked 7 innings giving up just 2 runs on 6 hits and 3 walks. He struck out 2…Charlotte scored 6 in the third and 3 in the seventh. Matt Sweeney finished 3-4 including an RBI single and a 2-run double…Matt Matulia was 2-5 with 2 RBI.
Notes from Down on the Farm…
- Triangle Offense recaps game 5 of Durham’s series win. [Triangle Offense]
- Durham will face Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for the Governor’s Cup in a best-of-5 series that begins tomorrow.
Sep 11
Louisville 5, Durham 2 (series tied 1-1). Mitch Talbot worked just 3 innings, and gave up 3 runs on 6 hits and 1 walk. He struck out 3…The first two batters of the game for the Bulls would score. The first on a Joe Dillon single and the second on a Matt Joyce double-play ground ball. But that would be all the scoring for Durham.
Charlotte 3, Ft. Myers 2 (Charlotte wins series 2-1 ). David Newmann struck out 10 batters in 6 innings, giving up just 1 run on 4 hits and a walk to help the Stone Crabs advance to the FSL championship series…Mike McCormick’s 2-out, 2-run single in the 2nd gave the Stone Crabs an early 2-0 lead they would never relinquish.
Notes from Down on the Farm…
- Triangle Offense has the game 2 recap…Also, due to all of the promotions to the Rays and the season-ending injury to Carlos Hernandez, games 4 and 5 (if necessary) will be started by Rayner Oliveros and Paul Phillips. [Triangle Offense]
- Charlotte will face the Tampa Yankees in the FSL Championship Series starting Friday night in a best-of-5 series. Games 3-5 (if necessary) will be held in Port Charlotte beginning on Sunday.
- Jeremy Hall who went 14-7 with a 3.62 ERA for Charlotte this season, overcame a horrific eye injury and several surgeries his senior year of college. Really, don’t read this story if you just ate. [Charlotte Sun]
Sep 10
Durham 8, Louisville 4 (Bulls lead 1-0). Jeremy Hellickson struck out 12 in 5.2 innings, but gave up 2 home runs and 3 runs total. He walked 3…Joe Dillon, Matt Joyce and Sean Rodriguez each had an RBI in the 3-run 5th and each had an RBI in the 5-run 6th. Rodriguez stole a base but also committed 3 errors.
Charlotte 7, Ft. Myers 4 (series tied 1-1). Alex Cobb held Ft. Myers to 1 run in 5 innings. He struck out 3 and walked 3…Drew Anderson went 3-5 and Henry Wrigley had 2 hits.
Notes from Down on the Farm…
Sep 09
Ft. Myers 8, Charlotte 7 (Ft. Myers leads 1-0). Jeremy Hall allowed 6 runs (5 earned) in 4.1 innings…Emeel Salem and Henry Wrigley had 4 hits apiece and Shawn Williams drove in 2.
Notes from Down on the Farm…
- Triangle Offense previews Durham’s first-round playoff matchup. [Triangle Offense]
- Rays Prospects looks back on the seasons for Nick Barnese and Matt Moore. [Rays Prospects]
- Hudson Valley set a single-season attendance record. [Renegades Rumblings]
Sep 08
Norfolk 4, Durham 3. Jason Cromer pitched 4 scoreless innings, giving up 4 hits and no walks…Desmond Jennings went 1-5…Sean Rodriguez and Matt Joyce each went 0-4…John Jaso was 3-4 with a pair of doubles. The Bulls finished the regular season 83-61, winning the IL South by 2 games behind Gwinnett in the IL South division as the Wild Card winner. They will face Louisville in a first-round, best-of-5 playoff series beginning Wednesday.
Montgomery 7, Mobile 5. Matt Spring’s 8th home run, a 3-run shot in the top of the 9th, proved to be the game-winner…Brian Baker went 5.1 innings and gave up 3 runs on 8 hits and 2 walks…JT Hall hit his 6th and 7th home runs and Matt Fields hit his 5th…The Biscuits finished the season 66-74, 27 games back in the Southern League South Division (that the Southern League has North and South divisions will never cease to amuse us).
Charlotte. No games scheduled. The Stone Crabs begin a best-of-3 divisional playoff series against Ft. Myers tonight.
Lexington 5, Bowling Green 1. Tim Beckham went 1-4 and Jake Jefferies was 0-4. Bowling Green finished the second-half of the season 30-38, 10.5 games back. Beckham finished the year hitting .275/.328/.389 with 5 home runs and 13 steals. Jefferies hit .261/.326/.359 with 8 home runs.
Hudson Valley. Finished their season 38-37, 8.5 games back in their division.
Princeton. Finished their season 36-31, 10.5 games back in the East division.
Notes from Down on the Farm…
- Mitch Talbot, who had been out since May with a shoulder injury, threw 3 innings over the weekend and is slated to start game 2 of the playoffs for Durham. [Triangle Offense]
- It is like 2006 all over again. The Rays can’t win a game but can lean on the fact that they have some of the best prospects in baseball. Desmond Jennings and Jeremy Hellickson come in 1 and 2 in the latest Prospect Hot Sheet. [Baseball America]
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