Worcester: W, 10-5 (BOX SCORE)
This WooSox team found themselves in a quick hole after Isaac Coffey gave up a home run and the Red Wings (Nationals AAA) pulled out to a 5-2 lead, but that’s not to say the WooSox were just laying down without a fight. Mickey Gasper started off what would become a four-hit night with a solo shot in the first, and Vinny Capra kept the team to within striking distance with a home run of his own. Combined, Iggy Suarez’s first three slots (Nick Sogard, Capra and Gasper) in the lineup went 8-for-15 with 6 RBI’s.
The game swung in Worcester’s favor with three solid innings from Eduardo Rivera, who the Red Sox saw in their bullpen early in the season and who’s been great in Triple-A since. Rivera allowed one hit on five strikeouts and no walks. This allowed the WooSox to climb back into the game with those aforementioned three hitters and a Braiden Ward triple that would later score. Ward flies around the basepaths; the outfielder already has nine swiped bases on the season. All told, the Woo Sox had thirteen hits on the way to a win.
It’s curious to see some MLB veterans in Gasper, Sogard (veteran is doing some heavy lifting here for these two, but still) and Capra seeing the ball well at the Triple-A level amidst some infielders, well, not doing that. (Also worth noting that Sogard played in right field Friday night but is certainly capable in the infield.) With recent production, it’s entirely possible we see a transaction or two later in the month… but it’s also notable that none of these guys have reached any real success at the plate in their prior experience, so maybe it’s more likely the organization opts to get some of these younger talents like Mikey Romero up in a year like this.
Portland: L, 3-13 (BOX SCORE)
Joe Holobetz got fried in his three and two thirds innings in Somerset (Yankees AA), where he registered his only truly bad start of the season thus far. He allowed two home runs and the latter prevented him from finishing the fourth. The Sea Dogs were down 10-0 at one point and pitching issued ten walks on the night which didn’t make it easy, but Portland did gather some offense with some garbage time home runs from some struggling bats in Will Turner and Johanfran Garcia.
Greenville: L, 1-7 (BOX SCORE)
Greenville’s starter, Anthony Eyannson, also couldn’t make it out of the fourth but utlimately it was his pitch count and trouble finding the strike zone more than his ability to create outs, throwing 37 strikes in 67 pitches. He had four strikeouts but walked three Spartanburg (Astros High-A) batters. Brandon Neely had his welcome to High-A moment as he got taken for a ride in his two innings, getting tagged for six runs on eight hits and taking this game squarely out of Greenville’s hands. The Drive didn’t exactly do the pitching staff many favors, though, as they went 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine.
Salem: : L, 1-11 (BOX SCORE)
Another brutal loss by some uninspired middle relief by the only remaining piece of the Rafael Devers trade, Jose Bello, who, despite striking five out, fell victim to allowing runs reached by errors to score. The RidgeYaks, though, were never going to win when they had as many of those errors committed (3) as hits. Skylar King provided some spark with his fourth home run of the season, but that was about it.
Have a superior Saturday! Go Celtics.