Jennings stays hot in Bulls' win

Desmond Jennings has been red-hot this month. The question is how much longer he'll remain in the Minor Leagues.

Jennings went 3-for-5 with two RBIs for his fifth straight multi-hit game Friday as the Durham Bulls blanked the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, 6-0.

It also marked the fifth consecutive contest in which MLB.com's preseason No. 11 prospect has scored a run. Jennings is batting .436 (17-for-39) in nine games in June with five extra-base hits, five RBIs and nine runs scored.

The Rays' 10th-round pick in the 2006 Draft singled in each of his first two at-bats before drilling a two-run double with one out in the fourth inning.

Overall, the 24-year-old center fielder is batting .296 with nine homers, 28 RBIs and an International League-leading 46 runs scored. It's a far cry from his 2010 output, when Jennings homered three times and drove in 36 runs in 109 games for the Triple-A Bulls.

"I've been more aggressive towards the ball," Jennings said earlier this week. "Last year, I was tentative in swinging at some pitches, but now I'm feeling good about letting it go and taking an aggressive swing."

On the same day a year ago, Jennings had a .684 OPS; this season, it stands at .885, second on the Bulls behind Brandon Guyer. With several of the Minors' top prospects having recently been promoted, it may be only a matter of time before the Alabama native gets the call to Tampa Bay.

"I would think he was disappointed when he didn't make the [Major League] club, but he knows he's got to wait for his chance," Durham manager Charlie Montoyo said this week. "But he also knows he's going to get a chance."

Chris Carter homered and drove in three runs, while Leslie Anderson chipped in two hits and scored a run for the Bulls.

Dirk Hayhurst (2-1) earned the win after allowing one hit and striking out five over six innings.