New York-Penn League notebook
WEEK IN REVIEW: The IronBirds are 11.5 games behind first-place Brooklyn after a 4-4 week. They remain in last place in the McNamara Division.
BURST OF OFFENSE: On Monday, the IronBirds beat the Hudson Valley Renegades, 13-2. The team's 18 hits that day are tied for the most in franchise history, and their 13 runs mark the the most they've scored in a single game this season and the sixth-most ever. The 11-run margin was also the largest spread for Aberdeen of the season.
CHRISTMAS IN JULY: On Wednesday, the 'Birds will hold their annual Christmas in July promotion as Ripken Stadium transforms into the North Pole, complete with snow, elves and Santa.
Auburn Doubledays (Toronto Blue Jays)
WEEK IN REVIEW: The Doubledays won their first five games last week and lost the remaining two, moving into fifth in the Pinckney Division. They are now seven games in back of first-place Mahoning Valley.
WHO'S HOT: RF Welinton Ramirez (.313 batting average, three home runs, 21 RBIs) remained hot last week, recording a four-game multi-hit streak. Ramirez ranks among the league leaders in batting average and is tied for the lead in doubles with 12.
NEWS & NOTES: The Doubledays completed a six-game winning streak last week, their longest of the year. It came on the heels of a season-high eight-game losing skid.
Batavia Muckdogs (St. Louis Cardinals)
WEEK IN REVIEW: After a 5-2 week, the Muckdogs are just two games out of first. They remain in third in the Pinckney Division.
WHO'S HOT: LHP Jon Bravo (2-0, 0.00 ERA) picked up his first two wins of the season with Batavia last week. The reliever has not allowed a run in three appearances with the Muckdogs. ... In the first game of the week, RF Ryde Rodriguez (.322, 2, 27) went 3-for-4 with a stolen base and two runs scored. In the last game of the week, he went 2-for-3 with a run scored. Rodriguez tops the circuit in RBIs, and his batting average is sixth-best in the league.
NEWS & NOTES: The Muckdogs defeated the Scrappers, 2-0, on Monday. The victory was Batavia's fourth shutout of the season, all of which have come at home.
Brooklyn Cyclones (New York Mets)
WEEK IN REVIEW: The Cyclones still have the best record in the league (26-11) following a 5-1 week. They remain atop the McNamara Division, 5.5 games ahead of second-place Hudson Valley.
WHO'S HOT: LHP James Fuller (3-3, 1.64) received a no-decision in the Cyclones' 14-inning 3-2 win over Aberdeen on Monday, despite allowing just two runs (one earned) over eight innings. He struck out eight.
NEWS & NOTES: Brooklyn pitchers continue to boast the second-lowest ERA (2.69) in the league. They have issued the fewest walks (79) and are one of only two teams to have walked less than 100 batters. ... Although Cyclones batters have the lowest strikeout total in the league (236), their team batting average has dropped to .237.
Hudson Valley Renegades (Tampa Bay Rays)
WEEK IN REVIEW: The Renegades remain in second place in the McNamara Division after a 3-4 week. They have dropped to 5.5 games behind front-running Brooklyn.
WHO'S HOT: RHP Devin Fuller gave up two earned runs over five innings in his first professional start. ... RHP Zach Quate (1-0, 0.00) picked up two more saves and is tied for second in the league with six. Quate has not allowed an earned run in nine outings with the Renegades.
ROSTER MOVES: LHP Jason Cromer and RHP Matt DeSalvo were assigned to the Hudson Valley Renegades from the Durham Bulls last week. ... RHP Juan Santana was assigned to the Bowling Green Hot Rods from Hudson Valley. ... RHP Chris Andujar was assigned to Hudson Valley from Bowling Green.
Jamestown Jammers (Florida Marlins)
WEEK IN REVIEW: The Jammers fell to last in the Pinckney Division after going 2-4 last week. They are 8.5 games behind first-place Mahoning Valley.
PITCHING WOES: Jamestown's pitching staff continued to struggle last week. Their 4.01 ERA is the third-worst in the league. Interestingly, Jammers pitchers have fanned 313 batters this season, second-most in the league. ... RHP Daniel Mahoney leads the league with six losses. ... RHP Wilson Matos is tied for second in the league in homers allowed with four.
ROSTER MOVES: RHP Skyler Crawford was assigned to Jamestown from the Jupiter Hammerheads. ... 3B Taylor Krick was assigned to the GCL Marlins from the Jammers.
Lowell Spinners (Boston Red Sox)
WEEK IN REVIEW: The Spinners remain in a tie for second in the Stedler Division after posting a 3-4 record last week. They are three games behind first-place Oneonta.
WHO'S HOT: 2B Derrik Gibson stole three bases last week and is tied for the league lead with 15. On Sunday, Gibson went 3-for-6 with a double, a stolen base, two runs scored and two RBIs.
ROSTER MOVES: The Spinners placed LF Roberto Feliz on the seven-day disabled list July 21. ... RHP Charle Rosario was assigned to the Lowell from the GCL Red Sox. ... LHP Fabian Williamson was assigned to the Greenville Drive from the Spinners. ... RHP Blake Maxwell was assigned to the Portland Sea Dogs from the Spinners. ... RHP Charlie Zink was assigned to Lowell from the Pawtucket Red Sox.
Mahoning Valley Scrappers (Cleveland Indians)
WEEK IN REVIEW: Mahoning Valley remains atop the Pinckney Division, despite going 3-4 last week. They are just one game ahead of second-place Williamsport.
WHO'S HOT: 3B Kyle Bellows played a role in half of Mahoning Valley's runs in its 10-0 rout over Aberdeen on July 22. Bellows went 3-for-4 with a walk, a triple, two RBIs and three runs scored. ... CF Jordan Henry remained hot last week, scoring a run in five consecutive games. He tops the league in on-base percentage (.448) and is tied for second in runs scored (26). ... RHP Marty Popham (3-1, 1.89) threw five shutout innings July 25, leading the Scrappers to a 4-0 victory. His 45 strikeouts are tied for second in the league.
LOW-SCORING AFFAIRS: The Scrappers shut out two teams last week and were shut out once themselves. ... Of the four games that were not shutouts, three were one-run games.
ROSTER MOVES: 2B Lurvin Basabe was assigned to the AZL Indians from the Scrappers. ... 3B Casey Frawley was assigned to Mahoning Valley from the AZL Indians. ... C Dwight Child was assigned to the Scrappers from the Columbus Clippers.
Oneonta Tigers (Detroit Tigers)
WEEK IN REVIEW: Oneonta continues to sit atop the Stedler Division after a 4-3 week.
WHO'S HOT: RHP Adam Wilk threw seven shutout innings, allowing only three hits while striking out eight en route to a 13-2 Oneonta victory July 23. Wilk improved to 2-0 on the season, and his 0.30 ERA is the best in the league. ... RHP Kenny Faulk earned two saves last week, bringing his season total to seven, tied for best in the league.
NEWS & NOTES: Oneonta's .260 team batting average leads the league. They rank second in runs scored with 171. ... Oneonta pitchers have allowed just nine home runs this season, fewest in the league.
State College Spikes (Pittsburgh Pirates)
WEEK IN REVIEW: The Spikes went 5-2 last week, yet they remain in fourth place in the Pinckney Division. They are 4.5 games behind first-place Mahoning Valley.
WHO'S HOT: 1B Carlos Silva hit three doubles Monday to tie the State College record. He finished the game 4-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI.
STRUGGLING SPIKES: State College's .224 team batting average is the worst in the league.
Staten Island Yankees (New York Yankees)
WEEK IN REVIEW: The Staten Island Yankees went 1-5 last week and remain in third place in the McNamara Division, 6.5 games behind first-place Brooklyn.
NEWS & NOTES: RHP Ryan Flannery tops the league in games with 17. RHP Griffin Bailey, LHP Gavin Brooks and RHP Ronny Marte are all tied for second with 15.
ROSTER MOVES: LHP Trenton Lare was assigned to the Charleston RiverDogs from Staten Island. ... RHP Matthew Richardson was assigned to Staten Island from the GCL Yankees. ... Staten Island activated RHP Paul Patterson. ... RHP Kelvin Perez was assigned to the GCL Yankees from Staten Island.
Tri-City ValleyCats (Houston Astros)
WEEK IN REVIEW: The ValleyCats went 2-5 last week and still own the worst record in the league (11-24). The basement-dwellers are 10 games in back of first-place Oneonta in the Stedler Division.
ROSTER MOVES: LHP Douglas Arguello was assigned to Tri-City. ... SS Jorge De Leon was assigned to the ValleyCats from the Lexington Legends.
HALL OF FAME NIGHT: On Aug. 1, six artifacts from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum will be on display at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium. The objects include Babe Ruth's 1934 bat, Derek Jeter's 1996 World Series jersey, Johnny Evers' glove, Craig Biggio's batting gloves from his 3000th hit, a ball from Roger Clemens and Koby Clemens and Jeff Bagwell's spikes.
Vermont Lake Monsters (Washington Nationals)
WEEK IN REVIEW: Vermont went 3-4 last week to remain in a tie for second in the Stedler Division. The Lake Monsters are three games in back of first-place Oneonta.
NUMBER NOTES: Vermont's .229 team batting average is second worst in the league. ... The Lake Monsters are the only team not to reach double digits in homers this season, having just nine.
ROSTER MOVES: LHP Chad Jenkins was assigned to Vermont from the GCL Nationals. ... The Lake Monsters activated RHP Patrick Lehman and RF Yhonson Lopez from the seven-day disabled list. ... Vermont placed 2B Jeffrey Kobernus on the seven-day DL, retroactive to July 18. ... RHP Juan Jaime was assigned to the Hagerstown Suns from Vermont. ... LF Brian Pruitt was assigned to the GCL Nationals from Vermont. ... RF Destin Hood was assigned to Vermont from the GCL Nationals.
Williamsport Crosscutters (Philadelphia Phillies)
WEEK IN REVIEW: Williamsport posted a 3-4 record last week. The Crosscutters remain in second in the Pinckney Division, 1.5 games behind the Scrappers.
NEWS & NOTES: C Sebastian Vale (.347, 4, 23) and Leandro Castro (.336, 2, 13) lead the league in batting average. Vale also ranks second in slugging percentage (.634) and extra-base hits (18), while Castro ranks fourth in slugging percentage (.513).
ROSTER MOVES: LF T.J. Warren was assigned to the Lakewood BlueClaws from Williamsport. ... RF Zachary Collier was assigned to the Crosscutters from Lakewood. ... 1B Darin Ruf was assigned to Williamsport from the GCL Phillies.
Kira Jones is an associate reporter for MLB.com.