Vote for the 2011 Rays Prospects Reader Choice Players of the Year: Hudson Valley Renegades

Round three of the voting is now up. Its time to vote for the Hudson Valley Renegades. Its up to you the reader to tell us who you think is the most valuable hitter and pitcher for the Renegades this season. The winner of this round will join the winners from the other affiliates in a final vote for most valuable players in the Rays minor league system.

The poll will run for three days and you can only vote once. The roster is comprised of players who played the majority of their 2011 games with the Renegades.

Voting begins now for the RP Reader's Choice Player of the Year for the Hudson Valley Renegades and will run until 6pm EDT on Tuesday.

Click here to take the survey now.

2011 Year in Review: GCL Rays (Overall)

Over the next few weeks I will recap the 2011 season of each affiliate. This week will focus on the overall season, next week will cover the hitting leaders and the final week will be pitching leaders. Like the week in reviews earlier in the season, each day will bring attention to a different affiliate as we work our way through the franchise. Today we take a look at the overall team stats of the GCL Rays.

After coming off a playoff season a year ago, the GCL Rays struggled to keep up with the division this season. The Rays finished the year with a 24-36 record and were 14 games back from the leader.

Final Standings:
GCL South Division
1. GCL Orioles (38-22)
2. GCL Twins (31-29)
3. GCL Red Sox (27-33)
4. GCL Rays (24-36)

Team Hitting Stats (league rank):
Average: .216 (15 of 15)
Slugging: .293 (15 of 15)
On Base Pct: .297 (15 of 15)
Hits: 400 (14 of 15)
Doubles: 69 (14 of 15)
Triples: 13 (tied 12 of 15)
Home Runs: 17 (11 of 15)
Runs Scored: 222 (12 of 15)
Stolen Bases: 100 (4 of 15)

Team Pitching Stats (league rank):
ERA: 3.32 (4 of 15)
Runs Allowed: 246 (6 of 15)
Strikeouts: 426 (8 of 15)
Walks: 166 (2 of 15)

2011 GCL Rays Roster :
Pitchers
Daniel Bream
Zach Butler
Shay Crawford
Joe Cruz
Hugo Duarte
Eli Echarry
Jacob Faria
Felix Fuentes
Theron Geith
Isaac Gil
Roberto Gomez
Joan Guerrero
Stepan Havlicek
David Kubiak
Ricky Orta
Trevor Shull
Shawn Smith
Blake Snell
Albert Suarez
Bruedlin Suero
Stayton Thomas
Ryan Turner
Kirby Yates

Catchers
Michael Bourdon
Brandon Choate
Omar Narvaez
Alejandro Segovia
Ian Tomkins

Infielders
John Alexander
Johnny Eierman
Darryl George
Granden Goetzman
Brandon Martin
Julian Morillo
Cesar Perez
Jonathan Quinonez
Hector Rodriguez
Ariel Soriano
Riccio Torrez

Outfielders
Ismel Antunez
Edward Dorville
Todd Glaesmann
James Harris
Matt Johnson
Isaias Velasquez

Coaching Staff
Manager: Joe Alvarez
Hitting Coach: Hector Torres
Pitching Coach: Darwin Peguero
Coach: Dan DeMent

2011 Rays Prospects Reader Choice Players of the Year: Princeton Rays

The poll has closed for the P-Rays and here are the results.

Princeton Rays Hitter of the Year: Joel Caminero
Princeton Rays Pitcher of the Year: Matt Spann

Caminero found himself in the top of most of the P-Rays offensive categories. He finished the 2011 season with a team high .330 batting average, 9 doubles, a team leading 6 triples, 3 home runs and 22 RBI's in 48 games this season. Defensively, Caminero patrolled the Princeton outfield with a .924 fielding percentage. Caminero was signed by the Rays as a non-drafted free agent in July 2007.

Spann was the P-Rays strikeout leader for the 2011 season. He finished the season 4-1 with a 3.13 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 14 games. Spann closed out the 2011 season by recording a personal best 8 strikeouts against the Elizabethton Twins on 8/29. Spann was the Rays 25th round pick in the 2010 Draft.

285 readers participated in the Princeton Rays poll. Below are the top five of each category as chosen by the readers of Rays Prospects.

Hitters
1. Joel Caminero (24.91%)
2. Jake Hager (16.36%)
3. Taylor Motter (15.24%)
4. Cameron Seitzer (12.64%)
5. Drew Vettleson (10.78%)

Pitchers
1. Matt Spann (64.10%)
2. David Kubiak (8.97%)
3. Ian Kendall (5.56%)
4. Jose Molina (3.85%)
5. Jeff Ames (3.42%)

The next poll will open tomorrow and will focus on the Hudson Valley Renegades.

Minor Moves: Canzler, De La Rosa

The first round of promotions to the Rays have been announced in tonight's game notes. According to the notes, Russ Canzler and Dane De La Rosa are scheduled to be called up to the Rays tomorrow.

Canzler was the International League MVP for the 2011 season. He hit .314 with 40 doubles, 4 triples, 18 homers and 83 RBI's in 131 games for the Bulls. Canzler was drafted by the Cubs in 2004 and joined the Rays as a free agent prior to the 2011 season.

De La Rosa was 6-5 with a 3.20 ERA and 83 strikeouts in 52 games with the Bulls. He will be making his second appearance this season with the Rays, he pitched one game for them back on 7/20 against the Yankees. De La Rosa was signed by the Rays as a free agent in 2009.

Scores and Highlights from 9/9

Columbus Clippers 5, Durham Bulls 2 (International League Semi-Finals: Game Three)
The Bulls have been eliminated from the playoffs after being swept by the Clippers following Friday's loss in game three. The Clippers took the lead by scoring twice in the second inning. The Bulls cut the lead in half by scoring in the top of the third inning on an RBI double by Tim Beckham. But the Clippers matched the run by scoring in the bottom half of the third. The Bulls pulled within a run of the lead by scoring in the fifth. John Matulia drove home Leslie Anderson for the Bulls second run of the night. The Clippers posted two insurance runs in the eighth to earn the win and sweep the series. Despite matching the Clippers in hits, the Bulls could not convert those hits into runs as they suffered the loss. Four Bulls had multi-hit games including Stephen Vogt (3-4 with a double), Beckham (2-4, double, RBI), Anderson (2-3) and Robinson Chirinos (2-4, 2 doubles). Alex Torres suffered the loss for the Bulls. Matt Bush chipped in with a no-hit inning with 2 strikeouts and a walk.


Fort Wayne Tin Caps 5, Bowling Green Hot Rods 1 (Midwest League Eastern Division Semi-Finals: Game Two)
The quest for the Hot Rods to pick up their first playoff win will have to wait another year as they fell to the Tin Caps 5-1 and were swept in the opening round of the playoffs. The Hot Rods were held scoreless until the ninth inning while the Tin Caps posted five unanswered runs to the scoreboard. The lone Hot Rods run came in the bottom of the ninth on an RBI single by Phil Wunderlich. Victor Mateo suffered the loss for the Hot Rods. The Hot Rods dropped the series 0-2 and have been eliminated from the playoffs.

Scores and Highlights from 9/8

Columbus Clippers 8, Durham Bulls 3 (International League Semi-Finals: Game Two)
The Bulls find themselves in an 0-2 hole in the first round of the playoffs following a game two loss to the Clippers. The Clippers took the lead by scoring three runs in the first inning. The Bulls battled back in the bottom of the first by scoring two runs. Dan Johnson drove home both runs with an RBI single that scored Tim Beckham and Matt Carson to pull the Bulls within a run of the lead. The Clippers pushed across a run in the second to extend their lead to two run. The game then quieted down a bit as both pitchers dueled through three straight scoreless innings before the Clippers struck for a run in the sixth and three more in the seventh inning to give them a commanding lead. The Bulls plated their third and final run of the night when Carson scored on a ground ball by Russ Canzler. The Bulls compiled ten hits on the night, but struggled to convert those runners into points on the scoreboard. Chris Archer suffered the loss despite striking out 11 hitters in 5 2/3 innings. The Bulls are now 0-2 in the best of five series and will try to avoid elimination in game three as the series now shifts to Columbus for the final three games.



Fort Wayne Tin Caps 6, Bowling Green Hot Rods 3 (Midwest League Eastern Division Semi-Finals: Game One)
The Hot Rods kicked off their first playoff run in franchise history by losing to the Tin Caps in game one. After the game was rained out Wednesday, it appeared like Mother Nature was going to have her way again. But they managed to get the field ready for play following an hour and a half delay. Fort Wayne jumped out to a two run lead in the home half of the first inning. The Hot Rods cut the lead in half by scoring in the fourth inning when Phil Wunderlich scored on an sac fly by Keith Castillo. The Tin Caps countered the run with a run of their own in the bottom of the fourth. The Tin Caps scored three more runs in the seventh to take a five run lead. The Hot Rods scored two runs in the eighth via an RBI single by Wunderlich that scored Robby Price and Derek Dietrich. But the Hot Rods couldn't get another run as they fell in the in series opener. George Jensen suffered the loss for the Hot Rods. They trail the best of three series 0-1 as the venue shifts to Bowling Green for the final two games.

Updated Rays Record Book

With the minor league regular season over let's see who added their names to the Rays single-season minor league record book in 2011:

Home runs:

Kevin Witt (2006) - 36
Scott McClain (1998) - 34
Dan Johnson (2010) - 30
Ryan Royster (2007) - 30
Jonny Gomes (2002) - 30
Earl Snyder (2005) - 29
Ozzie Timmons (2000) - 29
Luke Wilcox (1999) - 29
Midre Cummings (2004) - 27

2011: Derek Dietrich led the organization with 22 for Bowling Green.

RBI:

Steve Cox (1999) - 127
Delmon Young (2004) - 115
Scott McClain (1998) - 109
Stephen Vogt (2011) - 105
Scott McClain (1999) - 104
Ozzie Timmons (1999) - 104
Chris Nowak (2006) - 103
Wes Bankston (2004) - 101
Reid Brignac (2006) - 99
Kevin Witt (2006) - 99
Delmon Young (2005) - 99

2011: Vogt was followed by Phil Wunderlich with 86 for Bowling Green.

Hits:

Steve Cox (1999) - 182
Delmon Young (2005) - 176
Joey Gomes (2005) - 172
Matt Diaz (2001) - 172
Matt Diaz (2003) - 170
Carl Crawford (2000) - 170
Fernando Perez (2006) - 168
Reid Brignac (2006) - 167
Matt Diaz (2004) - 167
B.J. Upton (2005) - 165

2011: Once again Vogt led the way with 152 between Montgomery and Durham.

Batting average (minimum 316 PA):

Jason Pridie (2002) - .368
Matt Diaz (2003) - .354
Stephen Vogt (2010) - .345
Steve Cox (1999) - .341
Toby Hall (2001) - .335
Joey Gathright (2003) - .334
Toby Hall (2000) - .333
Matt Diaz (2004) - .332
Rocco Baldelli (2002) - .331

2011: Among qualifiers Russ Canzler led at .314 for Durham.

Runs scored:

Fernando Perez (2006) - 123
Steve Cox (1999) - 107
Scott McClain (1999) - 106
Jason Pridie (2004) - 103
Jonny Gomes (2002) - 102
Reid Brignac (2006) - 100
Ozzie Timmons (2000) - 100
Carl Crawford (2000) - 99
Hak-Ju Lee (2011) - 98
B.J. Upton (2005) - 98
Francisco Leandro (2005) - 97

2011: Lee was followed by Tyler Bortnick with 96 for Charlotte.

Stolen bases:

Alex Sanchez (1997) - 92
Joey Gathright (2003) - 69
Ty Morrison (2010) - 58
Fernando Perez (2005) - 57
Carl Crawford (2000) - 55
Alex Sanchez (2000) - 54
Desmond Jennings (2009) - 52
Irwin Centeno (2001) - 48
Alex Sanchez (1999) - 48

2011: Bortnick led with 43.

Wins:

Heath Rollins (2007) - 17
Chris Mason (2007) - 15
Andy Sonnanstine (2006) - 15
Richard De Los Santos (2010) - 14
Jeremy Hall (2009) - 14
Andy Sonnanstine (2005) - 14
Chris Seddon (2004) - 14
Scott Autrey (2003) - 14

2011: George Jensen led with 13 for Bowling Green.

ERA (minimum 130 IP):

Chad Gaudin (2003) - 1.81
Matt Moore (2011) - 1.92
Jason Standridge (1999) - 2.02
Darin Downs (2009) - 2.23
Chad Gaudin (2002) - 2.26
Todd Belitz (2002) - 2.42
Luis De Los Santos (2002) - 2.42
Wade Davis (2007) - 2.50
Heath Rollins (2007) - 2.54
Chris Mason (2007) - 2.57
Jason Hammel (2004) - 2.64

2011: Only seven pitchers met the innings pitched requirement in 2011. After Moore was C.J. Riefenhauser at 2.80 for Bowling Green and Charlotte.

Innings pitched:

Pablo Ortega (1997) - 188.2
Andy Sonnanstine (2006) - 185.2
Jim Magrane (2001) - 182.0
Dan Wheeler (1998) - 181.0
Andy Sonnanstine (2005) - 180.2
Mark Malaska (2001) - 174.2
Jason Standridge (2002) - 173.0
Jim Magrane (2000) - 173.0
Jim Magrane (2006) - 172.1
Matt White (2002) - 172.1

2011: Alex Colome had 157.2 innings for Charlotte and Montgomery.

Strikeouts:

Matt Moore (2011) - 210
Matt Moore (2010) - 208
Andy Sonnanstine (2005) - 178
Matt Moore (2009) - 176
Jake McGee (2007) - 175
Neal Frendling (2000) - 174
Jake McGee (2006) - 171
Wade Davis (2007) - 169
Wade Davis (2006) - 165
Seth McClung (2001) - 165
Mark Malaska (2001) - 165

2011: After Moore was Alex Torres with 156 for Durham.

Saves:

Evan Rust (2002) - 31
Lee Gardner (2003) - 30
John Daniels (1997) - 29
Josh Parker (2003) - 28
Eddy Reyes (1999) - 27
Neal Frontz (2008) - 26
Billy Taylor (2000) - 26
Eddie Gaillard (1999) - 26
Zach Quate (2010) - 25
Greg Dupas (2006) - 25

2011: Zach Quate and Chris Rearick tied for the lead with 20.

Vote for the 2011 Rays Prospects Reader Choice Players of the Year: Princeton Rays

Its time for the second round of Reader's Choice MVP Voting. Its your turn to tell us who you feel is the most valuable hitter and pitcher for the Princeton Rays this season. The winner of this round will join the winners from the other affiliates in a final vote for most valuable players in the Rays minor league system.

The rules are the same as in round one. The poll will run for three days and you can only vote once. The roster is comprised of players who played the majority of their 2011 games with the Princeton Rays.

Voting begins now for the RP Reader's Choice Player of the Year for the Princeton Rays and will run until 6pm EDT on Saturday.

Click here to take the survey now.

Scores and Highlights from 9/7

Columbus Clippers 3, Durham Bulls 0 (International League Semi-Finals: Game One)
The Bulls were shut-out in game one of the playoffs against Columbus. The Clippers scored in the first inning to take the lead. They added a solo run in the fouth and another in the sixth to hand the Bulls the 3-0 loss. The Bulls had five hits on the night with Ray Olmedo recording the only multi-hit performance and Stephen Vogt picking up the only extra base hit for the Bulls. Matt Moore suffered the loss, allowing 3 runs in 6 2/3 innings while striking out 3. With the loss, the Bulls trail 0-1 in the best of five series.



Bowling Green Hot Rods, Fort Wayne Tin Caps (Midwest League Eastern Division Semi-Finals: Game One)
Mother Nature was the winner Wednesday night as the Hot Rods will have to wait another day to play their franchise first playoff game. Due to the rain in Fort Wayne, the entire series has been pushed back a day. Game One will be played in Fort Wayne on Thursday before the series shifts to Bowling Green for game two and three on Saturday Friday and Sunday Saturday respectivly.

2011 Rays Prospects Reader Choice Players of the Year: GCL Rays

The first poll has closed and here are the results for the GCL Rays.

GCL Rays Hitter of the Year: John Alexander
GCL Rays Pitcher of the Year: Jacob Faria

Alexander appeared in just 12 games for the GCL Rays. In that short time he hit .314 on the season and recorded 4 doubles, a triple, 2 homers and 11 RBI's. He wrapped up the season on a nine game hitting streak dating back to August 16. Alexander was the Rays 8th round pick in the 2011 Draft out of Glendora High School.

Faria, the youngest of the GCL Rays pitching staff, compiled a 0-1 record with a 2.87 ERA in 6 games for the Rays. In those games, he struck out 14 hitters while earning a 1.02 WHIP. Faria was drafted by the Rays in the 10th round of the 2011 draft out of Gahr High School.

178 readers participated in the GCL Rays poll. Below are the top five of each category as chosen by the readers of Rays Prospects.

Hitters
1. John Alexander (46.79%)
2. Jonathan Quinonez (12.82%)
3. Ariel Soriano (7.69%)
4. Riccio Torrez (7.05%)
5. Johnny Eierman (5.77%)

Pitchers
1. Jacob Faria (48.26%)
2. Theron Geith (19.77%)
3. Roberto Gomez (13.37%)
4. Blake Snell (8.14%)
5. Shawn Smith (2.33%)

The second poll will open tomorrow and will focus on the Princeton Rays.

Scores and Highlights from 9/5

Norfolk Tides 8, Durham Bulls 5
The Bulls could not recover after surrendering six runs in the first inning as they lost to the Tides in the regular season finale. The Bulls scored first in the first inning on a solo home run by Tim Beckham. The Tides answered by scoring six runs in the bottom of the first to take the lead. The Bulls used the long ball once again in the third to add two more runs to the scoreboard. This time it was Stephen Vogt and Matt Carson going deep for the Bulls. The Bulls scored again in the fifth on an RBI single by Dan Johnson. But Norfolk plated two runs in the bottom of the fifth to extend their lead further. The Bulls scored one final time in the top of the ninth on an RBI single by Russ Canzler but it wasn't enough as the Bulls fell in the regular season finale. Brian Baker suffered the loss for the Bulls as they finished the 2011 regular season with an 80-62 record. The Bulls will begin their run for the Governor's Cup as they face off against the Columbus Clippers in Game One of the International League Playoffs on Wednesday.



Montgomery Biscuits, Chattanooga Lookouts (Cancelled: Rain)
The Biscuits season finale was washed away due to unplayable field conditions. The Biscuits finished the season with a 65-74 record on the year.



Lake County Captains 4, Bowling Green Hot Rods 1
The Hot Rods lost their regular season finale on Monday. The Hot Rods took the first lead by scoring in the first inning. Julio Cedeno drove home Robby Price to give the Hots Rods a 1-0 lead. The Captains answered by scoring two runs in the bottom of the first to take the lead away from the Hot Rods. The Captains scored two more runs in the eighth to hand the Hot Rods the loss in the finale. Wilking Rodriguez was charged with the loss. The Hot Rods concluded the regular season with a 77-63 record. They will advance to the Midwest League Semi-Finals to face the Fort Wayne Tin Caps in a three game series begining Wednesday.

Vote for the 2011 Rays Prospects Reader Choice Players of the Year: GCL Rays

Today we are releasing the first of many reader's choice polls. Over the next few weeks, you the reader will have the chance to vote for your choice of Player of the Year for each of the domestic affiliates.

Here are the Ground Rules for the contest. Each affiliates poll will run for three days. The listings will include the players that spent time with the club for the 2011 season. For players that spend time split between teams, they will be listed with the team they spent the most time with during the season. Each reader will be able to vote in the poll once. At the conclusion of the poll, the winners will be posted at Rays Prospects.

With that being said, here is our first group of players. Voting will now begin for the RP Reader's Choice Player of the Year for the GCL Rays. Voting ends at 6pm EDT on Wednesday.

Click here to take the survey now.

Scores and Highlights from 9/4

Durham Bulls 3, Norfolk Tides 2
The Bulls won their way into the record books by beating the Tides to pick up their 80th win of the season for the third straight season. The Bulls jumped out into the lead in the third inning on an RBI single by Dan Johnson. The Bulls added two more runs in the top of the seventh via a two run triple by Russ Canzler. The Tides tried to mount a comeback by scoring twice in the eighth but Dane De La Rosa preserved the win for the Bulls. Matt Torra improved to 5-1 on the season with the win.



Chattanooga Lookouts 10, Montgomery Biscuits 5
The Biscuits losing skid extended to six games following a loss to the Lookouts on Sunday. The Biscuits scored first in the top of the first. Henry Wrigley struck an RBI double and Greg Sexton later drove home a run to give them a 2-0 lead. The Lookouts battled back to tie the game by scoring twice in the home half of the inning. The Lookouts then posted a run in the second and another in the fourth to take a two run lead. The Biscuits then cut the lead in half in the fifth inning as Cole Figueroa drove home a run. But the Lookouts offense came alive, scoring four in the sixth and two more in the seventh to take a commanding 10-3 lead. The Biscuits would string together back to back one run innings to end the game. Kyeong Kang drove home a run in the eighth and Wrigley plated one in the ninth to finish the night. Alex Colome suffered the loss for the Biscuits. Meanwhile, Zach Quate was the only Biscuit pitcher not to allow a run.



Bradenton Marauders 4, Charlotte Stone Crabs 3 (10 innings)
The Stone Crabs did not have luck on their side for the series finale as they watched several leads dissolve resulting in an extra inning loss to the Marauders. The Stone Crabs took the lead in the third inning on an RBI single by Tyler Bortnick that scored Alejandro Torres. The Marauders matched the run in the bottom of the third. The Stone Crabs took the lead again in the sixth on a solo home run by Bortnick, his fourth of the season. But like before, the Marauders tied things up again in the bottom of the inning. The Stone Crabs grabbed the lead for the third time in the eighth when Mike Sheridan drove home a run to give the Stone Crabs a one run lead once again. In typical see-saw fashion, the Marauders scored in the ninth to tie the game and force extra innings. The pattern was broken as the Marauders scored in the bottom of the tenth to earn the walk-off win and swept the four game series. Matt Stabelfeld was charged with the loss for the Stone Crabs. The loss concluded the 2011 Stone Crabs season as they finished the year with an overall record of 64-75.



Lake County Captains 3, Bowling Green Hot Rods 2 (10 innings)
The Hot Rods saw their two run lead disappear as they lost in extra innings to the Captains. The Hot Rods broke the scoreless tie by pushing across two runs in the fifth inning. Derek Dietrich drove home both runs with a double to left field that gave them a 2-0 lead. The Captains cut the lead in half by scoring in the sixth. They then tied the game in the bottom of the ninth to push the game into extra innings. It would only take one extra frame to determine a winner as the Captains scored in the bottom of the tenth to pick hand the Hot Rods the loss. Enny Romero pitched 5 scoreless innings. Lenny Linsky turned in a no-hit inning. Austin Hubbard was charged with a blown save and the loss for the Hot Rods.



Hudson Valley Renegades 3, Aberdeen Iron Birds 2
The Renegades closed out 2011 on a winning note, defeating the Iron Birds in the season finale. The Iron Birds took an early lead by scoring two runs in the second inning. The Renegades quickly went to work at reducing the deficit by scoring a run on a sac fly by Cesar Guillen in the bottom of the second inning. The Renegades later tied the game in the seventh inning thanks to an RBI single by Juniel Querecuto. Leonardo Reginatto then drove home the go ahead run in the eighth inning to give the Renegades the win. Roberto Gomez picked up the win for the Renegades and Mickey Jannis the save. Justin Woodall also contributed a shut-out inning of relief. The Renegades finished the season with a 37-39 record.

Scores and Highlights from 9/3

Norfolk Tides 7, Durham Bulls 6 (10 innings)
Despite holding the lead through most of the game, the Bulls surrendered five runs in the ninth to send the game into extra frames where they ended up losing to the Tides in the tenth. Norfolk took the lead by pushing across a run in the second inning. The Bulls answered with a three run homer by Matt Carson to grab the lead in the third. The Bulls added to their lead with another three run inning in the sixth. This time it was a two run homer by Dan Johnson and an RBI single by Daniel Mayora that increased the lead to 6-1. But things got ugly in the ninth when Norfolk struck for five runs in the inning to tie the game and force extra innings. It didn't take long into extra frame to determine a winner as the Tides pushed across a run in the bottom of the tenth to hand the Bulls the loss. The Bulls pitching combined for 11 strikeouts on the night. Rob Delaney was charged with a blown save and the loss.



Chattanooga Lookouts 3, Montgomery Biscuits 2
A ninth inning rally fell a run short as the Biscuits lost their fifth game in a row on Saturday night. The Biscuits jumped out to an early lead in the fourth inning as Cole Figueroa tripled to left and then scored on a sac fly by Henry Wrigley to give them a slim one run lead. But the Lookouts answered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth and another in the fifth to take the lead 3-1. The Biscuits tried to rally in the top of the ninth with Kyeong Kang driving home Craig Albernaz. But the rally was cut short as the tying run was stranded on the bases. Figueroa led the offense by going 3 for 4 and finishing a home run shy of the cycle. Shane Dyer was charged with the loss and has fallen to 7-11 on the season.



Bradenton Marauders 10, Charlotte Stone Crabs 9
The Stone Crabs continue to struggle as the season winds down, losing their fifth straight game. The game opened with both clubs exchanging runs in the first inning. Bradenton struck for two runs in the top of the frame and the Stone Crabs countered with two of their own in the bottom of the inning. Charlotte's runs came via a two run double by Mike Sheridan to tie the game. Bradenton regained the lead by scoring seven unanswered runs, four in the second and three more in the fourth. But the Stone Crabs clawed their way back into things by scoring seven runs in the seventh inning to tie the game. Ty Morrison, Sheridan, Riccio Torrez and Matt Hall all drove home runs in the inning as the Stone Crabs sent 12 hitters to the plate in the inning. But the red-hot Marauders found a way to win the game as they pushed across the winning run in the top of the ninth to hand the Stone Crabs the loss. Sheridan hit his way into the Stone Crabs record books as he set the single season RBI record for the franchise. Deivis Mavarez took the loss and is now 1-6 on the year.



Lake County Captains 4, Bowling Green Hot Rods 3
The Hot Rods fell a run short on Saturday as they lost to Lake County. The Captains took an early lead by scoring twice in the second inning. The Hot Rods matched runs in the third to tie the game. Derek Dietrich and Steve Tinoco each drove home a run to tie the game 2-2. The Hot Rods took their only lead of the game in the sixth inning on a solo homer by Dietrich to give them a one run lead. But the Captains countered with two runs in the seventh to hand the Hot Rods the loss. Eliazer Suero took the loss for the Hot Rods. Lenny Linsky and Chris Rearick each contributed a scoreless inning out of the bullpen.



Aberdeen Iron Birds 1, Hudson Valley Renegades 0
The Renegades found themselves on a losing side of a 1-0 pitcher's duel on Saturday night. The game remained scoreless until the top of the eighth when the Iron Birds pushed across the only run of the game. For the Gades, Jacob Partridge threw 6 scoreless innings with 5 strikeouts while Theron Geith surrendered the lone run and suffered the loss while notching 3 strikeouts.

Scores and Highlights from 9/2

Durham Bulls 4, Norfolk Tides 1
The Bulls captured their fifth straight division title following a 4-1 win over Norfolk on Friday night. The Bulls jumped out to a two run lead in the first inning via a two run homer by Dan Johnson. The Bulls added another pair of runs in the fourth. The first run came on an RBI double by Leslie Anderson and then Anderson later scored on an RBI single by Tim Beckham. The Tide scored their lone run of the night in the home half of the fourth. Matt Moore was dominate on the mound once again, striking out 10 hitters in 6 innings while improving to 4-0. Dane De La Rosa and Rob Delaney chipped in with 3 no-hit innings from the bullpen.



Chattanooga Lookouts 8, Montgomery Biscuits 2
The Biscuits dropped thier fourth consectutive game following Friday's loss to Chattanooga. The Biscuits were held off the scoreboard until the seventh inning when they pushed across a pair of runs. Isaias Velasquez and Craig Albernaz each drove home a run with an RBI single. These hits extended the hitting streak for both players with Velasquez extended to 18 and Abernaz to 12. Kyle Lobstein was charged with the loss.



Bradenton Maruaders 5, Charlotte Stone Crabs 4 (Game One)
The first game of the doubleheader was a completion of yesterday's suspended game. We resumed play with a 0-0 score in the bottom of the second inning. The Stone Crabs strung together four consecutive one run innings that stetched from the third inning until the sixth inning. Ty Morrison drove home Dustin Biell with an RBI single to right to give them the lead. Bradenton countered with a three run third to take the lead. But the Stone Crabs clawed back to regain the lead following an RBI single by Riccio Torrez in the fourth, an RBI single by Tyler Bortnick in the fifth and then a solo home run by Torrez in the sixth. But the Marauders grabbed the lead for good following a two run sixth as they handed the Stone Crabs the defeat in game one. CJ Riefenhauser was charged with the loss. Kirby Yates contibuted 2 no-hit innings of relief with 4 strikeouts.



Bradenton Marauders 7, Charlotte Stone Crabs 6 (Game Two)
Game two finished much like game one with both clubs exchangng runs and the Stone Crabs being left with a one run decificit when it was all said and done. The Stone Crabs jumped out to the lead in the first inning. Tyler Bortnick doubled home a run and then later scored on a single by Mike Sheridan to take a 2-0 lead. The Marauders cut the lead in half in the bottom of the second and the Stone Crabs answered with a run of their own in the third on an RBI double by Sheridan. Bradenton took their first lead of the contest following a five run fourth inning. The Stone Crabs went to work in the fifth to reduce the deficit. Bortnick drove home two runs with a triple to right and then scored on a sac fly by Sheridan to tied the game. But the Maruaders pushed across the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth to sweep the doubleheader. All six Stone Crabs runs were driven home by the duo of Bortnick and Sheridan. Adam Liberatore was charged with the loss for game two.



Dayton Dragons 11, Bowling Green Hot Rods 5
The Hot Rods closed out their regular season home schedule with a loss to Dayton on Friday night. Dayton jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. The Hot Rods tied the game in the third with a two run inning of their own thanks to a two run homer by Robby Price. Dayton quickly took the lead back by scoring in the fourth and then put the game out of reach by scoring seven runs in the fifth inning. The Hot Rods added a run to their tally in the fifth on a solo homer by Phil Wunderlich. They then added two more in the seventh as Steve Tinoco and Wunderlich each drove home a run. But the Hot Rods were unable to overcome the big fifth inning by Dayton as they lost their home finale. Wundelich was 3 for 4 on the night with 2 double and a home run. Victor Mateo suffered the loss for the Hot Rods.



Hudson Valley Renegades 3, Aberdeen Iron Birds 0 (Game One)
The Renagades shut-out the Iron Birds in game one of Friday night's double header. The Renegades broke the scoreless tie in the fifth inning on an RBI single by Juniel Querecuto that scored Jonathan Koscso and gave them the lead. They added to their lead in the sixth as Leonardo Reginatto and Chris Winder each drove home a run to give the Renegaedes the 3-0 margin of victory. Ryan Carpenter and Charlie Cononie combined for the shut-out with Cononie picking up the win.



Hudson Valley Renegades 5, Aberdeen Iron Birds 4 (Game Two)
The Renegades swept the doubleheader by winning a close game two against the Iron Birds. Aberdeen jumped out to a quick three run lead after scoring twice in the first inning and again in the second inning. The Renegades pulled to within a run of the lead by scoring two runs in the home half of the second inning. Kyle Holloway doubled home a run and then later scored on a wild pitch/error to put them within striking distance. The Renegades then tied the game an inning later on an RBI double by Jeff Malm. The Renegades proceeded to take their first lead of the game in the fourth inning when Tanner Biagini scored on an error. Aberdeen tied the game once again in the top of the fifth by pushing across a solo run. Bu the Brian Bryles plated the winning run with an RBI triple in the bottom of the fifth to give them the win in game two. Stayton Thomas was the game two winner, improving to 3-0 on the season.

Minor Moves: Lyerly, Sonnanstine

The Rays organization report the following player moves that occured on 9/2 according to MiLB.com.

• Craige Lyerly has been promoted to the Bowling Green Hot Rods from the Hudson Valley Renegades.
• Andy Sonnanstine has been promoted to the Tampa Bay Rays from the Durham Bulls.

Lyerly had been reported to be moved to Bowling Green earlier in the week, but the move has now been made official by MiLB. He departed Hudson Valley with a .285 average with 2 doubles, a triple, 3 homer and 17 stolen bases in 50 games. Lyerly was the Rays 19th round pick from the 2010 Draft.

Sonnanstine returns to the Rays after spending ten games with the Durham Bulls. During that stretch, he was 3-6 with a 4.82 ERA and 35 strikeouts for the Bulls.

Scores and Highlights from 9/1

Charlotte Knights 2, Durham Bulls 0
Chris Archer provided seven shut-out innings but in the end it wasn't enough to beat the Knights. Both starting pitchers dueled through seven innings of scoreless innings before the Knights reached the scoreboard in the bottom of the eighth inning. The Bulls offense struggled on the evening, just recording three hits on the night. Mike Ekstrom surrendered both runs and was charged with the loss. The Bulls magic number to reach the playoffs is still one and two to clinch the division.



Chattanooga Lookouts 8, Montgomery Biscuits 3
The Lookouts jumped out to an early lead by scoring two runs in the first inning. The Biscuits cut the lead in half on an RBI double by Isaias Velasquez. But the Lookouts turned in another two run inning in the fourth to extend the lead to three runs. The Biscuits pulled to within a run of the lead in the fifth thanks to a two run homer by Henry Wrigley, his 17th of the year. The Lookouts countered with a four run sixth to put the game out of reach and hand the Biscuits the loss. Jim Paduch was charged with the loss, allowing 8 runs on 13 hits in 5 2/3 innings. Paul Phillips pitched the remainder of the game and did not allow a run or a hit while striking out 4.



Charlotte Stone Crabs, Bradenton Marauders (Suspended)
The Stone Crabs/Marauders game was suspended in the second inning due to heavy rains. It will resume as part of a doubleheader today at McKechnie Field. The game will pick up where it left off, in the bottom of the second inning with the score tied 0-0.



Bowling Green Hot Rods 7, Dayton Dragons 5
The Hot Rods jumped out to the lead in the second inning on an RBI single by Taylor Motter that scored Keith Castillo. Motter helped add to the lead in the fourth with a two run homer to left. The Hot Rods extended the lead even further with a four run fifth inning. Phil Wunderlich plated a run with an RBI double, Castillo followed with a 2-run homer and then Kevin Kiermaier drove home the final run of the inning. The Dragons posted a four run inning of their own in the sixth and then another run in the ninth to bring us to the 7-5 final score. Omar Bencomo tossed 3 scoreless innings for the win. George Jensen, Lenny Linsky and Austin Hubbard were also scoreless on the mound for the Hot Rods. Chris Rearick notched his 20th save of the season.



Connecticut Tigers 5, Hudson Valley Renegades 1
The Renegades found themselves in an early hole as they game up three runs in the bottom of the first inning. They pushed across their lone run in the third inning when Cesar Guillen scored on a ground ball by Juniel Querecuto. The Tigers added a run in the third and another in the fifth to hand the Renegades the loss. Parker Markel was charged with the loss for the Renegades.

Site Suggestion Box Now Open

It's been a while since one of these general site update posts, but the season is winding down so we'd love to get your input on what you liked, didn't like, want to see more of for next season? The biggest question has to do with the day-to-day content, namely the daily highlight posts and the roughly twice-per-week TEA Time/Notes posts. Do you guys like this system? A TEA Time/Notes post every day would be great but there isn't really enough content for that, so I think what we currently have works. But what do you guys like? Let us know in the comments (I, for one, love BurGi's statistical looks at the prospects). If there are any features you'd like to see, let us now.

Second note is along those lines: We're planning on doing another off-season guide this year, similar to the one last year. Anything in particular you liked or didn't like from last year's that you'd like to see changed? I have some ideas of my own but don't want to give too much away right now because we're still a long way away from putting the proverbial pen to paper.

Basically, if there's any general site things you'd like to discuss, we'd love to hear from you in the comments.

Scores and Highlights from 8/31

Charlotte Knights 10, Durham Bulls 2
The Bulls were unable to contain the Knights offense as they fell 10-2 on Wednesday night. The Bulls found themselves in a five run hole in the first inning and never recovered. The Bulls reached the scoreboard in the fourth inning on a solo home run by Dan Johnson. Their other run came in the sixth inning on an RBI double by Leslie Anderson that scored Johnson. Andy Sonnanstine was charged with the loss and fell to 3-6 on the year.




Jupiter Hammerheads 3, Charlotte Stone Crabs 1
The Stone Crabs dropped the series finale against the Hammerheads on Wednesday night. The Hammerheads took an early lead in the first inning. The Stone Crabs battled back to tie the game in the third when Dustin Biell drove home a run to tie the game 1-1. The Hammerheads would eventually score in the sixth and again in the eighth to hand the Stone Crabs the loss. Biell was a perfect 3-3 at the plate on the night. Merrill Kelly was charged with the loss for the Stone Crabs.



Dayton Dragons 6, Bowling Green Hot Rods 5
The Hot Rods dropped a close contest against the Dragons on Wednesday. The Hot Rods took an early lead by scoring two runs in the second inning. Steven Tinoco drove home a run with an RBI single and then later scored on an RBI double by Nick Schwaner to spot them a 2-0 lead. But the Dragons bounced back to take the lead with a four run fourth inning. The Hot Rods answered with a run in the fourth on an RBI triple by Luke Bailey and another run in the fifth on an RBI double by Julio Cedeno to tie the game once again. The Hot Rods grabbed the lead again in the seventh on an RBI single by Derek Dietrich to give them a slim one run advantage. The Dragons would then push across two unanswered runs in the eighth to hand the Hot Rods the loss. Jimmy Patterson was charged with the loss and is now 7-4 on the year.



Hudson Valley Renegades 6, Connecticut Tigers 4
The Renegades held off a late rally by the home team to earn the only affiliate win for Wednesday night. The Renegades broke the scoreless tie by scoring two runs in the fourth inning. Matt Rice singled home a run and then scored on an RBI double by Gerardo Olivares to take a 2-0 lead. The Tigers tied the game with a two run inning of their own in the sixth inning. The Renegades took the lead back an inning later thanks to a two run double by Jeff Malm and an RBI single by Rice that gave them a 5-2 lead. The Renegades picked up an insurance run in the top of the ninth on another RBI double by Malm. The Tigers challenged in the bottom of the ninth, but Justin Woodall rallied to limit the damage to two runs and end the inning, preserving the win for the Renegades. Roberto Gomez turned in five shut-out innings in the no-decision. Mickey Jannis was the winner and Woodall recorded the save.

Scores and Highlights from 8/30

Durham Bulls 4, Gwinnett Braves 3
The Bulls added a game to their division lead by beating the Braves on Tuesday night. The Braves jumped out to the lead in the first inning but the Bulls battled back to tie the game on an RBI single by Dan Johnson to tied things a 1-1. The Braves took the lead back in the second and held it until the bottom of the third when two run scored on a ground ball by Justin Ruggiano to give the Bulls a 3-2 lead. Gwinnett tied the game once again in the sixth inning. The game would remain tied until the bottom of the eighth inning when Russ Canzler drove home Tim Beckham to win the game 4-3. Dane De La Rosa picked up the win and Rob Delaney earned the save.


Carolina Mudcats 7, Montgomery Biscuits 3
A disastrous ninth inning doomed the Biscuits in Tuesday's loss. The Biscuits jumped out to an early lead in the first inning. Hak-Ju Lee and Shawn O'Malley scored in the first to give them an early 2-0 lead. The Mudcats got one back in the second but the Biscuits countered with another run of their own in the bottom of the second on sac fly by Craig Albernaz to score Isaias Velasquez. The Mudcats tied the game following a two run inning in the fourth. The game would remain tied until the top of the ninth when the Mudcats struck for four runs in the inning to hand the Biscuits the loss. Marquis Fleming surrendered three of the four ninth inning runs and was on the hook for the loss. The Biscuits have been eliminated from the Southern League playoff race as Mobile has clinched the division.


Charlotte Stone Crabs 8, Jupiter Hammerheads 3 (Game One)
The Stone Crabs and Hammerheads resumed a suspended game from July 7 when the came was called with the Stone Crabs leading 6-0 in the bottom of the second inning. The Stone Crabs added to their lead in the fourth inning when Jake Jefferies struck an RBI triple to score Mike Sheridan. Jefferies later scored on a ground ball by Omar Luna to give them an 8-0 lead. The Hammerheads reached the scoreboard via a three run homer in the sixth inning but the Stone Crabs held on for the win. Mike Jarman picked up the win.


Jupiter Hammerheads 4, Charlotte Stone Crabs 3 (Game Two)
The Stone Crabs split the doubleheader with the Hammerheads following a loss in game two. They jumped out to an early lead following an RBI double by Jose Lobaton to score Ty Morrison and give them a 1-0 lead. But the Hammerheads answered with back to back two run innings in the second and third to take the lead. The Stone Crabs rallied in the sixth inning. Mike Sheridan and Riccio Torrez each plated a run but it wasn't enough to overcome the deficit as they fell one run short. Jake Thompson was charged with the loss and fell to 5-7 on the season. The loss also crushed the Stone Crabs hopes of a third straight playoff appearance as losses by the Stone Crabs and Palm Beach allowed Bradenton to clinch the division.


Bowling Green Hot Rods 3, Great Lakes Loons 2
The Hot Rods took 3 out of 4 from the Loons after winning the Tuesday's finale. The Hot Rods took an early lead by scoring in the second inning. Robi Estrada singled home two runs to give the Hot Rods a 2-0 lead. They added to their lead an inning later as Mayo Acosta drove home a run to increase the lead to 3-0. The Loons challenged for the lead in the sixth inning by striking for two runs. But the Hot Rods closed the door and held on for the 3-2 victory. Braulio Laura picked up the win and Chris Rearick recorded his 19th save of the season. Lenny Linsky made his BG debut, pitching 1 1/3 no-hit innings.


Connecticut Tigers 5, Hudson Valley Renegades 0
The Renegades struggled to get run on the board as they were shut-out on Tuesday nights. The Renegades managed 5 hits on the night by could not turn any of them into runs as they were 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position. The lone offensive bright spot was Jeff Malm who accounted for three of their five hits including two doubles. Andrew Bellatti was charged with the loss. Theron Geith and Robert Dickmann combined to throw 4 shut-out innings from the bullpen.


Elizabethton Twins 10, Princeton Rays 6
The P-Rays found themselves on the losing side of an offensive display as the two clubs combined for 16 runs on 25 hits in Tuesday's game. The Twins took a two run lead in the first inning. The Ray cut the lead in half in the second on a solo home run by Junior Rodriguez. The Twins added another run in third. The Rays bounced back to tied the game following back to back one run innings in the fourth and fifth. Rodriguez drove home a run in the fourth and Josh Sale homered in the fifth to tie the game. But the Twins answered with two runs in the bottom of the sixth to regain the lead. Cameron Seitzer and Sale both drove home a run in the sixth inning to tie the game once again. The two clubs would exchange runs again in the sixth/seventh as the Twins scored in the bottom of the sixth and the Rays countered in the seventh with an RBI single by Jake Hager to tie the game yet again. But the pattern was broken in the bottom of the seventh when the Twins broke through for a four run inning in which the Rays could not recover from. They Rays were held scoreless through the final two frames as they took the loss. Shay Crawford was tagged for the loss for Princeton. The loss concluded the P-Rays 2011 season as they finish the year with a 30-38 record.