Gillaspie, McKenry lead Bulls' onslaught

Casey Gillaspie can't go back and change the first two-plus months of the season, no matter how much he wants to. What the Rays' No. 5 prospect can do is ignore what the numbers say, start over and look ahead.
It appears to be working.
Gillaspie reached base five times, fell a triple shy of the cycle and drove in three runs Saturday as Triple-A Durham rolled past Charlotte, 17-3, at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. 

Gameday box score
Already leading, 6-0, the Bulls scored 11 runs before an out was recorded in the fourth inning. Michael McKenry launched a three-run homer and matched his career high with six RBIs for Durham, which topped its previous season high of 13 runs set against Syracuse on April 27.
"One of those nights for the Bulls. Pretty much from third inning on, everything we hit found holes," Gillaspie said. "It was a crazy and bizarre night that happens from time to time. It's just a good thing to be on the winning side when that sort of thing happens."
Gillaspie got the Bulls' offense off and running in the second, connecting on a two-run homer over the right-field fence after Curt Casali singled to right to open the frame. The 24-year-old walked and scored on McKenry's bases-clearing double in the third and collected his third RBI on an infield hit in the fourth. McKenry followed with a three-run blast over the right-center field fence.
Johnny Field added a three-run shot of his own to cap Durham's 11-run frame, which gave the International League South Division leaders a 17-0 cushion.

"He's been squaring the ball up pretty much all year," Gillaspie said of McKenry, who also drove in six runs for Class A Advanced Modesto on April 14, 2008. "He's lined out more times this year than I can ever remember seeing one player do. It's nice to see him find some holes and getting RBIs. I'm super-happy for him. He's a great guy and teammate. He's been around for a while and it's great to see him getting the results he deserves."
Gillaspie continued his march toward a cycle with a double to right in the fifth, his second straight multi-hit performance and third in four games. Needing a triple, the Omaha native walked in the seventh and grounded to short in the eighth. The 3-for-4 effort gave him eight hits in his last 15 at-bats and raised his average to .225, the highest it's been since May 30. 
"You always want to start out good and come out of the gates playing well. I just wasn't able to do that this year," said Gillaspie, who batted .186 in April. "I've started picking it up the last few games after I told myself to just start over, take one at-bat at a time and not try and hit three homers every game.
"I'm putting myself in better counts to hit in. My focus is on that, so I'm trying to forget the first few months but learn from it at the same time. I can't go back and change the past. What's happened has happened, but I'm not gonna lie, the first two months were tough on me. Anytime you struggle, there's a lesson to be learned and I think I've definitely learned mine."

The outburst came in support of starter Brent Honeywell Jr. (7-6), who won for the fourth time in five starts. The Rays' second-ranked prospect allowed three runs on five hits and four walks with nine strikeouts in six innings.

"He's a complete gamer," Gillaspie said. "Anytime he's on the mound you know what you're gonna get. He's fun to play defense behind and is a true competitor. No matter what jam he's in, you believe that he'll find a way out of it because that's the type of player he is. He's just a bulldog." 
Rays top prospect Willy Adames singled, doubled, drove in one run and scored two, while Casali plated three runs.
Fifth-ranked White Sox prospectReynaldo López (5-4) lasted three innings and was charged with six runs on four hits and four walks. He fanned four.