Iglesias drives in 5 in Solar Sox win

11/7 Cup of Coffee: Mesa extended its winning streak to three games on Friday with an 11-1 thrashing of the Surprise Rafters.

The Solar Sox scored early and often in this contest. In the second inning, they scored four runs with one of those crossing the plate on Jose Iglesias' ground out to second. Mesa added three more in the third on a three-run homer by Iglesias, his second of the fall season. Twin prospect Steve Hirschfeld allowed one hit and struck out two over three shutout innings for the win. In the fourth, the Solar Sox added another three runs. With the bases loaded, Matt Dominguez (FLA) doubled in two runs. Iglesias, then grounded out to first scoring Hank Conger (LAA) from third for his fifth RBI of the game.

Mesa scored its final run in the sixth. Conger led off the inning with a double, moved to third on a PJ Phillips (LAA) single and scored on a Dominguez sacrifice fly. Richie Lentz entered the game in the eighth and pitched a scoreless inning, despite giving up base hits to the first two Rafter hitters he faced. He retired the next three hitters on a strikeout, a pop fly to the catcher and another strikeout.

The Rafters scored their only run of the game in the bottom of the ninth on a home run by Royal prospect Mike Moustakas.

Regular action takes a break today, as the Arizona League holds its Rising Star Showcase with the Eastern Division taking on the West at 8:15 pm EST. Dustin Richardson is the only Sox prospect taking part.

Player of the Night: Jose Iglesias, who went 1 for 5 with a home run and 5 RBI.

Cabrera, Green, Gathright become free agents

The Red Sox yesterday outrighted Fernando Cabrera, Nick Green (pictured) and Joey Gathright, removing them from the 40-man roster and effectively making all three free agents.

Cabrera was originally signed as a free agent in January 2009 and had a stellar season at Pawtucket. Appearing in 43 games out of the bullpen, he compiled a 1.71 ERA with 22 saves. He appeared in six games with Boston, posting a 8.44 ERA.

Green appeared in 103 games for Boston, seeing the bulk of time at shortstop early in the season due to a combination of injuries and ineffectiveness on the part of Julio Lugo and an injury to Jed Lowrie. He hit .236 with 6 HR and 35 RBI. He had many memorable moments during the season, including a walk-off home run on June 21 against the Atlanta Braves, pitching 2.0 innings of scoreless relief on August 27 against the Chicago White Sox, and a key two-out walk against the Angels in a 9-8 win on September 16.

Gathright was acquired from the Baltimore Orioles on August 29 for a player to be named later or cash considerations. He appeared in 17 games for Boston, often as a pinch runner or late-inning defensive replacement, hitting .313.

Exposito scores twice as Solar Sox humble Javelinas

11/6 Cup of Coffee: Mesa's pitching and hitting combined to give it a second straight win over the Javelinas on Thursday. The Solar Sox pounded out 14 hits on way to an 8-1 win.

Mesa struck for a run in the bottom of the first when Rene Tosoni (MIN) scored on a Ryan Kalish ground ball that Javelina shortstop Carlos Triunfel (SEA) mishandled. The Solar Sox added three more runs in the second. PJ Phillips (LAA) led off the inning with his first home run of the fall season. Luis Exposito then singled and scored on a single by Cubs prospect Michael Brenly after Javelina center fielder Lorenzo Cain (MIL) committed a throwing error. Brenly then scored on a sacrifice fly by Starlin Castro (CHC).

Andrew Cashner (CHC) pitched the first 4.0 innings for the Solar Sox and did not allow a run or a walk. He gave up 5 hits and had 4 strikeouts. Mesa scored two more runs in the bottom of the fourth, when Phillips led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on an Exposito single. Ryan Mount (LAA) singled scoring Phillips, with Exposito moving to second. The Red Sox catching prospect moved to third on a fly ball to center field and scored on a Tosoni ground out to first.

The Javelinas scored their only run in the seventh, when Jessie Mier (LAD) led off the inning with a double off Cubs prospect Blake Parker. With one out, Mier scored on a single by Cain. The Solar Sox completed their scoring in the bottom half of the inning, as Castro singled to lead off the inning and moved to second when Chris Parmelee (MIN) walked. Kalish singled, scoring Castro and moving Parmelee to third. Parmelee then scored on a sacrifice fly by Twins prospect Steve Singleton.

Dustin Richardson pitched a scoreless, hitless eighth inning. He allowed 2 walks while fanning 2 Javelina hitters. Alex Burnett (MIN) threw a clean ninth, striking out two of the three hitters he faced.

Kalish went 2 for 4 with a RBI. Exposito also went 2 for 4 and scored twice. The Solar Sox face Surprise this afternoon at 2:35 EST.

Player of the Night: Luis Exposito who had 2 hits and scored 2 runs.

Alvarez, Jones traded to Florida for Jeremy Hermida

With the off-season just a day old, the Red Sox were quick to strike a deal. According to Peter Abraham of Boston.com, the Red Sox will send left-handed pitchers Hunter Jones and Jose Alvarez (pictured) to the Florida Marlins in exchange for outfielder Jeremy Hermida. A first-round pick by the Marlins in 2002, Hermida hit .259/.348/.392 in 429 at-bats in 2009, including 14 doubles, 13 home runs, and 57 RBI. A veteran of five Major League seasons, the 25-year-old left-handed hitter owns a career line of .265/.344/.425 with 57 home runs in 1708 at-bats with Florida. Hermida, who is under team control for 2010 and 2011, avoided arbitration last season by agreeing to a one-year, $2.75 million deal.

Jones, who came to the Red Sox as an undrafted free agent following the 2005 MLB draft, split time this season between Pawtucket and Boston, putting up a 9.24 in 12.2 innings of Major League work. The 25-year-old left-hander pitched to a 4-3 record with a 4.25 ERA and 39 in 53.0 Triple-A innings.

Alvarez, meanwhile, enjoyed an All-Star season for the Lowell Spinners, going 8-3 with a 1.52 ERA in 83.0 innings, striking out 63 against only 10 walks. His 8 wins set a Lowell franchise record, while his 1.52 ERA led the New York-Penn League. He also got into 12 games for High-A Salem, posting a 4.74 ERA in 24.2 innings. A native of Venezuela signed by the Red Sox as an international free agent in 2005, the 20-year-old Alvarez has a career record of 23-15 with a 3.21 ERA in four seasons in the Red Sox organization.

Solar Sox muzzle Javelinas in power-fueled victory

11/5 Cup of Coffee: The Mesa Solar Sox used 11 hits, 2 home runs and another dominant performance by the bullpen to beat back the Peoria Javelinas 8-5 on Wednesday afternoon.

Mesa wasted no time getting on the board as Steve Singleton (MIN) singled and came around to score on David Cooper's (TOR) RBI single in the top of the first. In the top of the second, lead-off hitter Bryan Peterson (FLA) reached on an error and came around to score on Singleton's RBI double. Singleton would then score on Chris Parmelee's (MIN) RBI triple.

With a 3-0 lead, the Solar Sox feasted on Peoria reliever Mark Rogers (MIL) in the top of the third. Cooper would lead off the inning with a double, then Ryan Kalish added a double of his own, scoring Cooper. Matt Dominguez (FLA) followed with his second home run of the fall to score Kalish. Casey Kelly kept the rally going with a walk and then scored on Michael Brenly's (CHC) two-run home run give Mesa an 8-0 lead.

Peoria answered the Solar Sox outburst with five runs of their own in the bottom of the third as Mesa starter Randor Bierd ran into trouble. Taylor Green (MIL) led off the inning with a single, Justin Sellers (LAD) followed with a walk, then Trayvon Robinson (LAD) laced an RBI single to score Green and put the Javelinas on the board. Bierd then forced in a run with his bases-loaded walk to Jordan Danks (CWS). Jonathan Lucroy (MIL) followed with a sac fly, and then Casper Wells (DET) unloaded on a Bierd change-up for his fourth home run of the fall, making the score 8-5. Unfortunately for the Javelinas, the Solar Sox bullpen squashed any further scoring, holding Peoria to only two hits over the remaining six innings, capped by Chris Province earning his first save of the fall.

Bierd picked up the win going only 3.0 innings, allowing 5 runs on 4 hits, walking 2 and striking out 4. Kelly was 0 for 4 with a walk and a strikeout. Province picked up the save by pitching a hitless ninth inning, allowing a walk and striking out 2. Kalish had a big day, going 2 for 3 with a double, a run scored, an RBI, 2 walks and a stolen base. The Solar Sox look to beat back the Peoria Javelinas once again this afternoon at 2:35 EST.

Player of the Night: Ryan Kalish, who was a menace to the Javelinas as he reached base four times with 2 walks, and a double, adding an RBI, a run scored and a stolen base.

Solar Sox drop another close game

11/4 Cup of Coffee: Another night, another close loss for Mesa, which dropped a 2-1 decision to the Peoria Saguaros on Tuesday.

The Solar Sox did get on the board first in the fourth, when Starlin Castro (CHC) drilled his first home run of the AFL season to open the inning. Peoria would strike right back in the bottom half of the inning, as a Matt McBride (CLE) walk and singles by Carlos Rivero (CLE) and Brandon Hicks (ATL) knotted the score at 1-1. The Saguaros would take the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth after Jose Vallejo (TEX) tripled with one out and came home one batter later when San Diego prospect Lance Zawadzki singled.

Mesa would have a golden chance to tie the game when Castro tripled to lead off the sixth inning. The next batter, Minnesota prospect Rene Tosoni, lofted a shallow fly ball in the direction of Peoria left fielder McBride that fell for a single, but Castro was thrown out attempting to score. Luis Exposito would lead off the seventh with a double, but he was stranded at third base following a fly out and back-to-back strikeouts induced by Saguaros pitcher Sean Watson (CIN).

Exposito was the only Red Sox prospect to see action in the game, going 1 for 4 with a double. He also grounded into a double play in the second and grounded out to third base to end the game. Mesa's next game will be this afternoon against the Peoria Javelinas at 2:35 EST.

Richardson named to AFL Rising Stars game

Rosters for the fourth annual Arizona Fall League Rising Stars Game were released on Tuesday, and left-handed reliever Dustin Richardson was the lone Red Sox player selected. The game will take place this Saturday, November 7, and will be televised at 8:15 PM EST on the MLB Network.

This fall, Richardson has pitched 7.2 innings with a 5.87 ERA and 11 strikeouts against 5 walks. A fifth-round selection by the Red Sox in 2006, Richardson pitched in 45 games out of the bullpen between Portland and Pawtucket in 2009, compiling a 2.55 ERA in 76 innings. He struck out 96 while walking 42 in his first season as a relief pitcher. Richardson's success in the minors led to a call-up to Boston on September 28, and in three games with Boston, he pitched 3.1 scoreless innings.

The Rising Stars Game, which will pit players from the Eastern Division Mesa Solar Sox, Phoenix Desert Dogs and Scottsdale Scorpions against players from the Western Division Peoria Javelinas, Peoria Saguaros and the Surprise Rafters, is a showcase of top minor league talent participating in the AFL. This year's contest is especially ripe with talent, including 2009 first overall pick Stephen Strasburg, who is scheduled to start for the East.