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July 31, 2008 at 11:11 PM

Q&A with Daniel Bard


Daniel Bard is back on top of his game after suffering through a nightmare season in 2007. The second of two first-round picks by the Red Sox in the 2006 draft, Bard made his professional debut last year, and the results weren't pretty. Despite a fastball that has been clocked as high as 100 mph, the University of North Carolina product went only 3-7, 7.08 between Greenville and Lancaster, walking 78 batters in 75 innings while striking out only 47. Thanks to some mechanical changes and the influence of Red Sox sport psychologist Bob Tewksbury, the 23-year-old Bard has rebounded nicely, posting an ERA of 1.78 in 38 games this season (15 with Greenville and 23 with Portland), logging 89 strikeouts to go with only 23 walks in 65.2 innings. David Laurila talked to Bard moments after the trading deadline on Thursday afternoon, and prior to word of the Manny Ramirez-trade reaching the Sea Dogs clubhouse.

David Laurila: The trade deadline passed a few minutes ago, and you're obviously still here. What was it like hearing your name mentioned in a trade rumor the past few days?
Daniel Bard
: It's something that just about every guy in the minor leagues goes through at one point or another, and I guess it's at least nice to know that somebody else wants you too; you're in a little bit of demand. It would have been quite an experience to get traded, because it would be like having a whole new family around you, but I'm certainly happy to be where I am.

DL: How did you learn that you were involved in a trade rumor?
DB: I got a call from my agent and a call from my girlfriend. They both said that they heard some things from different places, but nothing was very concrete, so I took it with a grain of salt.

DL: How different were the calls from your agent and girlfriend?
DB
: They were both messages that I checked later, so they were similar in that way. My girlfriend actually freaked out a little more; my agent just said, "Don't expect anything, necessarily, but if something does happen, just be ready for it."

DL: Less than half an hour before the deadline you were playing cards with a few of your teammates in the clubhouse. Were you thinking about the possibility of being traded at the time?
DB
: No, it was totally out of my control, so if something were to happen, whether or not I was playing cards wasn't going to affect it. I was just going along with my day.

DL: Can you talk a little about the changes you've made to your game this summer?
DB
: I think that the biggest thing was becoming a reliever, which is something I found out in spring training. It's obviously a lot different mentality than starting - a little more in your face. You have to come in and be aggressive, and that's what I've tried to do this year, and it's what I think I've done. As far as mechanically, I did drop my arm slot a little bit, just back to what was comfortable. I also worked on finishing pitches - finishing everything toward the plate instead of cutting myself off.

DL: Can you elaborate on what you mean by finishing pitches?
DB
: Basically getting to a flat-back position, head over heels, falling with everything moving toward the plate. I was kind of rotating a little bit before, which led to a lot of misfires; I was lacking a lot of consistency with my pitches. There was a lot of repetition in the bullpen that went into that, including drills where I was repeating my delivery without throwing a baseball, which is easier on your arm. I feel like my body knows what it's supposed to do now. It's just a matter of keeping my head out of the way and letting my body do what it knows how to do.

DL: Has your repertoire or pitch mix changed at all this season?
DB
: Yes, I was throwing a curveball -- a fast, a curve and a change. I actually threw a curveball for the first two or three months of this season, and it was actually pretty good for me, but it wasn't as consistent as I'd have liked, so a little less than a month ago I started throwing a slider. That's kind of developed in the last few weeks as a good pitch for me. It's been a strikeout pitch, and I've been in able to throw it early in the count as well. So right now I'm fastball, slider and changeup.

DL: When I interviewed you in November 2006, I asked how difficult you thought it might be if you encountered adversity in your first professional season. Now that you've experienced that, was it more difficult than you imagined it would be?
DB: Yeah, I mean, I went through about as tough a season as a minor leaguer can go through last year. I just couldn't find any sense of consistency in what I was doing out there. I basically just battled through it and tried to see the light at the end of the tunnel, and kept my eyes on that. That's part of the reason I am where I'm at today.

DL: How important has Bob Tewksbury been to you over the past year?
DB
: He's been important, but I wouldn't say that he's been the one thing that got me out of the funk that I was in. But he was a big part of it, because I learned so many things from him. The mechanical things I fixed on my own and with some pitching coaches, but there are things I learned from Tewks that helped me take my game to the next level as far as being aggressive and taking what he calls a type-A player out to the mound every day - a guy who is a winner and finds a way to get outs no matter what.

DL: What role has Mike Cather played in your development?
DB: A big role, especially mechanically. He was with me in Hawaii last fall, and we compared some video from the previous year when I was throwing from a lower slot. He said that's where I looked comfortable, and that it's where I needed to be. It wasn't an instant thing to go back to - it took time for me to find it again - but we both agreed that it was where I needed to throw from, and we went from there.

DL: How much of your success this season can be attributed to the mechanical changes, and how much to the mental side of your game?
DB: I'd say it's 50/50. I did have mechanical issues to take care of, and once those were taken care of it was a matter of getting my confidence back, the feeling that I'm better than every hitter that I'm going to face. I feel that now, and I think that's how you have to feel to pitch in the big leagues. At this point I think it's more the mental; the physical is something that you just have to keep in tune every day. You need to keep the feel for your offspeed pitches, and keep the feel for your fastball, and once you're out there it's competition. You're competing against the hitter and trying to find a way to get him out, and part of that battle is won in your head.
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at 4:55 PM

Sox get Bay, Manny to LA in three way deal


In a three way trade involving the Los Angeles Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates, the Red Sox have traded OF Manny Ramirez to the Dodgers and will receive OF Jason Bay from the Pirates in exchange for OF Brandon Moss and RHP Craig Hansen. Pittsburgh will also receive RHP Bryan Morris and 3B Andy LaRoche from the Dodgers. Bay, 29, posted a .282/.375/.519 (.894 OPS) line in 393 ABs (111 hits) over 106 games with the Pirates in 2008, hitting 22 home runs, 23 doubles and three triples, 64 RBI and seven stolen bases (0 CS).Peter Gammons is reporting that the Red Sox will pay the remaining $7 million of Manny's 2008 contract and Manny has reportedly waived his no-trade clause to facilitate the deal in exchange for assurances that his contract options for 2009 and 2010 will not be picked up by Los Angeles, allowing him to became a free agent after the season. Hansen was a first round pick of the Red Sox in 2005 out of St. John's and Moss was an eighth-rounder in 2002.
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at 10:11 AM

Kelly's home run leads GCL Red Sox to come from behind win


On Wednesday, Pawtucket fell to Rochester 8-3. David Pauley pitched 5 innings giving up 4 runs (2 earned) on 6 hits while striking out 4 and walking 1. Jose Vaquedano pitched a scoreless inning of relief striking out 2. Keith Ginter went 2 for 4 with a double while Jeff Natale went 1 for 4 with a home run in the loss.

Portland lost to New Hampshire, 9-2. Adam Mills got roughed up as he gave up 8 runs (7 earned) in 3 2/3 innings pitched. He gave up 10 hits, struck out 1 and walked 3. Argenis Diaz went 3 for 4 while Lars Anderson went 2 for 3 with a RBI and a run scored. Bryan Pritz also went 2 for 5 with a double for the Dogs.

Lancaster won a marathon of a game last night 2-1 over Inland Empire in 16 innings. Blake Maxwell pitched 7 innings giving up an unearned run on 4 hits while striking out 3 and walking 1. Josh Papelbon was a workhorse out of the pen going the last 4 1/3 innings giving up only 2 hits and striking out 2 to pick up the win. Kris Negron hit a lead off home run in the top of the 16th on his way to a 2 for 5 night. Jon Still went 2 for 6 with a home run and a RBI.

Greenville fell to Rome last night 3-2. Ryne Lawson pitched 6 innings giving up 3 runs on 6 hits while striking out 5 and walking 1. Jose Alvarez pitched 2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen giving up 2 hits. Ryan Kalish went 2 for 3 with a RBI and a walk while Oscar Tejeda went 2 for 4 with a double and David Mailman went 1 for 4 with a double and a run scored.

Lowell defeated the Staten Island Yankees 5-2. Hunter Strickland pitched 6 innings giving up 1 run on 4 hits while striking out 3 and walking 2. Charlie Rosario pitched the final 3 innings giving up a run to pick up his second save of the season. Zach Gentile went 3 for 4 with a double, triple, 2 RBI and 3 runs scored. Deshaun Brooks went 2 for 4 with a RBI while Ryan Khoury went 1 for 1 with 2 walks and 2 RBI in a rehab appearance.

The GCL Red Sox had a stirring 8th inning comeback win over the GCL Reds 8-7. Ryan Pressly pitched 4 innings giving up 1 run on 5 hits while striking out 5 and walking 1. Anatanaer Batista pitched 1 1/3 innings giving up 1 hit and striking out 2 to pick up the win. Dustin Mercadante pitched the final 2 innings for his 5th save. Casey Kelly went 3 for 5 with his first professional home run in the win. He also drove in 2 runs. Derrik Gibson went 2 for 5 with a RBI and a run scored while Bryan Peterson went 1 for 3 with 2 walks and a run scored in the win.

Finally the DSL Red Sox fell to the DSL Marlins 6-4. Danny Dilon pitched 2/3 of an inning getting roughed up for 5 runs on 4 hits. Victor De La Cruz came on in relief and pitched 5 1/3 innings giving up a run on 3 hits while striking out 7. Leonel Escobar went 2 for 4 with a walk while Felix Sanchez went 1 for 3 with 2 walks, a run scored and a RBI.


Player of the night: Casey Kelly who went 3 for 5 with a home run and 2 RBI in the GCL Red Sox 8-7 win.
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July 30, 2008 at 11:58 PM

Player of the Week, July 21-27: Daniel Nava


Lancaster OF Daniel Nava posted a .500/.606/.885 (1.491 OPS) line in 26 ABs (13 hits) while appearing in all seven of the Jet Hawks games last week, hitting two home runs and four doubles, an impressive feat even playing six of seven games in the offense friendly confines of Clear Channel for which the voters recognized him as SoxProspects.com (position) Player of the Week for July 21-27. He also scored eight runs, batted in nine, walked four times and stole a base. In 71 games with Lancaster in 2008 Nava (25) owns a .348/.432/.549 (.982 OPS) line over 264 ABs (92 hits) with 10 home runs, 21 doubles and one triple, scoring 48 runs and batting in 49. Nava was previously named Player of the Week for June 9-15.
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at 11:55 PM

Pitcher of the Week, July 21-27: Devern Hansack


Pawtucket RHP Devern Hansack worked seven innings at Columbus (Nationals) July 23, allowing one run on five hits (.192 BAA), striking out 11 batters while walking only one, earning him no-decision but he was rewarded by the voters with SoxProspects.com Pitcher of the Week honors for July 21-27. On the season with Pawtucket, Hansack (29) is 5-9 with a 4.05 ERA in 111 innings pitched over 20 starts, allowing 50 earned runs on 102 hits (.244 BAA) and striking out 103 opposing batters and walking 31. He was previously voted Pitcher of the Week for June 23-29.

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at 4:26 PM

6th rounder Lavarnway gets $325k


The Red Sox have officially signed their sixth-round pick C Ryan Lavarnway out of Yale for $325k according Jim Callis of Baseball America. Lavarnway, 20, features plus power at the plate as well as outstanding plate discipline and makes good contact (he led the NCAA in batting average in 2007). He still still raw behind the plate, having been converted to catcher at Yale after playing in the outfield in high school. He had one year eligibility remaining.


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at 8:57 AM

Huntzinger promoted, Spann released in another flurry of moves


The Boston Red Sox made another flurry of moves in recent days, this time highlighted by the promotion of pitcher Brock Huntzinger from Lowell to Greenville and the release of Pawtucket infielder Chad Spann. Huntzinger, a third-round pick in the 2007 draft, toyed with hitters in the New York-Penn League to earn the call up to the Drive. The 20-year-old righty was 5-0 in eight starts, allowing just 3earned runs for a 0.64 ERA, allowing just 25 hits and seven walks, while striking out 32 over 42.0 innings.

Spann, a corner infielder, was released to make room for infielder Jeff Natale, who was activated from the disabled list after a lengthy rehab assignment in Lowell. Spann was once a highly regarded prospect in the Sox system, ranked 8th in the system in April 2003 by SoxProspects.com behind Freddy Sanchez, Hanley Ramirez, Jorge de la Rosa, Kevin Youkilis, Phil Dumatrait, Kelly Shoppach, and Jon Lester - who are all currently in the majors - and ahead of David Murphy, Charlie Zink, Kason Gabbard, and Manny Delcarmen.

In other moves, speedy infielder Kris Negron and left-handed relief pitcher Kyle Fernandes were promoted from Greenville to Lancaster. Two highly regarded Taiwanese prospects, infielder Chih-Hsien Chiang of the JetHawks and Greenville outfielder Che-Hsuan Lin, were placed on the Temporarily Inactive List, as they will represent their country at the coming Olympic Games in Beijing. Greenville pitcher Jose Alvarez was activated off of the Drive's disabled list, and Sea Dogs pitcher Matt Goodson began a rehab assignment with Lowell. The Sox also signed infielder Zach Penprase, a former member of the Phillies organization who had been excelling this year in the independent Northern League, and assigned him to Greenville. Greenville righty Ryan Colvin was placed in the GCL on a rehab assignment.

After these moves, the JetHawks and Spinners both have an open roster spot, so expect a few more transactions to come. According to sources, one pending move could be the promotion of lefty Felix Doubront from Greenville to Lancaster following his Thursday start. While the recently signed Ryan Lavarnway will likely take the open roster spot in Lowell, another pitcher is also expected to be promoted from the GCL to Lowell, signaling the possible return of Dennis Neuman to the Spinners' bullpen. Sandy Madera is still occupying a roster spot for Lowell on a temporary paper move from Pawtucket. Additionally, infielder Ryan Khoury could be activated for Portland shortly, as he is presently rehabbing with Lowell. In the last of the anticipated moves, look for recently signed draftees Richie Wasielewski and Tyler Wilson to officially report to the GCL team in the next week or so. The pending trade deadine will determine how some of these moves pan out in terms of timing and roster space.
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at 6:44 AM

Daeges drives in 4 in Sea Dog win


7/30 Cup of Coffee: Pawtucket downed Rochester 5-3. Charlie Zink (13-3) threw 7 innings giving up 3 runs on 9 hits and a BB. He had 2 Ks. Jon Swtitzer and Chris Smith each threw a clean inning and each had 1 K. Jeff Bailey went 2 for 4 with a run scored and a RBI. Chris Carter went 2 for 4. Gil Velazquez went 3 for 3 with a home run, 2 runs scored and 2 RBI.

Portland defeated New Hampshire 11-7 in 10 innings. Dustin Richardson threw 2.2 innings allowing 6 runs on 4 hits and 5 BB. He had 4 Ks. Miquel Asencio went 3.1 frames giving up 1 run on 2 hits and 1 BB. He had 4 Ks. Daniel Bard threw 3 scoreless innings allowing 2 hits and a BB. He had 5 Ks. Beau Vaughn (2-1) went 1.1 clean frames with 2 Ks. Jorge Jimenez went 2 for 5 with a home run, 2 runs scored and 2 RBI. Zach Daeges went 4 for 5 with a home run, 3 runs scored and 4 RBI. Josh Reddick went 2 for 5 with a home run and 3 RBI.

Inland Empire defeated Lancaster 10-6. Chris Jones (5-7) went 3 innings giving up 8 runs on 8 hits and a BB. He had 4 Ks. Derrick Loop pitched 2 innings giving up 2 runs on 5 hits. He had 2 Ks. Craig Molldrem threw 3 perfect innings of relief fanning 4. Jason Place went 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored and 3 RBI.

Greenville downed Rome 4-2. Chad Povich (8-3) threw 7 innings allowing 1 run on 4 hits. He had 5 strikeouts. Ryne Miller went 1 inning giving up 1 run on 3 hits. He had 1 K. Felix Ventura pitched a clean final frame. David Mailman went 2 for 5 with a RBI. Ryan Kalish went 3 for 4 and scored a run. Oscar Tejeda went 2 for 4 with a run scored and a RBI.

Staten Island defeated Lowell 8-6. Matt Goodson went 1.1 frames giving up 5 runs on 5 hits and a BB. He had 1 K. Drake Britton threw 5 innings allowing 3 runs on 6 hits and a BB. He had 3 Ks. Seth Garrison threw 2.2 scoreless innings allowing 3 hits. He had 2 Ks. Rafael Cabreja went 2 for 4 with a run scored and 3 RBI. Ryan Dent went 2 for 3 with a run scored.

In the Dominican League, the Dodgers downed the Red Sox 3-1. Raynell Vellette (2-3) took the loss going 5 innings. He gave up 3 runs on 5 hits and 3 BB. He had 3 Ks.

Player of the Night: Zach Daeges who went 4 for 5 with a homer, 3 runs scored and 4 RBI
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July 29, 2008 at 6:50 AM

Gibson scores twice to lead Gulf Coast Sox to win


7/29 Cup of Coffee: Last night was one of marathons starting with Toledo edging Pawtucket 5-4 in 12 innings. Devern Hansack went 6 innings giving up 3 runs on 7 hits and 2 BB. He had 7 Ks. Eric Hull threw 1 scoreless hitless inning. He allowed 2 BB and fanned 2. Michael Tejera retired the 2 hitters he faced. He recorded 1 K. Hunter Jones pitched 2.1 innings giving up 1 run on 2 hits. He had 5 Ks. Lincoln Holdzkom took the loss giving up a run on 2 hits and a BB in 1.2 innings of work. He had 2 Ks. Brandon Moss went 1 for 3 with a run scored. He also walked 3 times.

New Hampshire defeated Portland 7-5. Kyle Jackson threw 3.2 frames allowing 4 runs on 3 hits and 3 BB. He had 4 Ks. Daniel Haigwood (2-2) went 4.1 innings giving up 3 runs on 5 hits and 3 BB. He had 5 Ks. Iggy Suarez went 2 for 2 with 2 home runs.

The Greenville/Columbus game was postponed.

Vermont edged Lowell 5-4 in a game that lasted 18 innings. Stolmy Pimentel went 5 innings allowing 3 runs on 2 hits and 2 BB. He had 5 Ks. Stephen Fife gave up 1 run on 1 hit and 3 BB in 3 innings of work. He had 4 Ks. Mike Tomoleoni threw 1.1 scoreless, hitless innings. He allowed 4 BB while fanning 2. Dan Buller threw 2.2 scoreless innings allowing 1 hit and 3 BB. He had 3 Ks. Jorge Rodriguez threw 3 scoreless, hitless innings allowing 2 BB. He had 1 K. Mitch Herold pitched 2 scoreless frames allowing 1 hit and 2 BB. He had 1 K. Catcher Matt Cooney came in to pitch the 18th and retired 1 hitter before allowing the winning run to score on 2 hits and 2 BB. Ryan Khoury went 2 for 4 and scored a run. Tim Federowicz went 2 for 5.

In the Gulf Coast League, the Red Sox downed the Orioles 5-3. Jeremy Kehrt threw 5 innings giving up 2 runs on 6 hits. He had 6 Ks. Armando Zerpa (2-0) threw 2 scoreless innings allowing 1 hit. He had 1 K. Leandro Marin pitched 0.2 of an inning allowing 1 run on 2 hits and a BB. He had 1 K. Dennis Neuman threw 1.1 scoreless innings allowing 2 hits. Derrick Gibson went 3 for 5 and scored 2 runs. Bryan Peterson went 2 for 3 with 2 RBI.

In the Dominican, the Blue Jays edged the Red Sox 7-6. Eddie Lora went 2 for 3 with a home run, 2 runs scored and 3 RBI.

Player of the Night: Derrick Gibson who had 3 hits and scored 2 runs
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July 28, 2008 at 7:02 AM

Moss homers twice in PawSox win


7/28 Cup of Coffee: Sunday's action saw Pawtucket down Toledo 8-5. Edgar Martinez (5-2) went 6 innings allowing 2 runs on 2 hits and 2 BB. He had 6 Ks. Jon Switzer went 1 inning and gave up 2 runs on 4 hits. He had 1 K. Jose Vaquedano threw 1 inning allowing 1 run on 3 hits. Chris Smith pitched a scoreless 9th allowing 1 hit. He had 1 K. Jeff Bailey went 2 for 5. Joe Thurston went 2 for 5 with a run scored. Brandon Moss went 2 for 5 with 2 homers and 3 RBI. Chris Carter went 2 for 5 with a home run and 2 runs scored. George Kottaras went 2 for 5 with a home run. Gil Velazquez went 2 for 3 with a RBI. Jon Van Every went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI.

Portland defeated Trenton 6-3. Kris Johnson went 3 perfect innings. He had 2 Ks. Mike James (4-4) threw 4 innings giving up 2 runs on 3 hits and a BB. He fanned 2. TJ Large pitched the final 2 innings giving up 1 run on 5 hits. Bryan Pritz went 2 for 4 with a home run and 2 runs scored.

Lancaster downed High Desert 8-6. Travis Beazley threw 5.2 frames allowing 2 runs on 5 hits and 2 BB. He had 8 Ks. Bryce Cox went 1.1 innings and gave up 3 runs on 3 hits. Jason Blackey (7-3) pitched the final 2 innings giving up 1 run on 1 hit. He had 4 Ks. Jason Place went 2 for 4 and scored 2 runs. Daniel Nava went 2 for 3 with a home run, 2 runs scored and 2 RBI. Jon Still went 3 for 4 with a run scored and 2 RBI. Luis Segovia went 2 for 4 with a run scored.

Greenville defeated Columbus 5-3. Terumasa Matsuo went 4.1 innings allowing 3 runs on 6 hits and 3 BB. He had 4 Ks. Lance McClain (1-0) pitched 3.2 frames and did not give up a run. He allowed 1 hit and a BB. He had 1 strike out. Felix Ventura pitched a scoreless 9th. He gave up 1 hit and had 1 K. Kris Negron went 2 for 4. Manny Arambarris went 2 for 4 with a home run and 2 RBI.

Lowell downed Vermont 3-1. Bryan Price pitched 4 shutout innings allowing 4 hits. He had 6 Ks. Yeiper Castillo (1-2) threw 5 innings and gave up 1 run on 3 hits. He had 4 Ks. Jeff Natale went 2 for 4 with a run scored.

In the Gulf Coast League, the Twins were leading the Red Sox 4-2 when the game was suspended in the top of the 5th inning.

Player of the Night: Brandon Moss who had 2 homers and 3 RBI
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July 27, 2008 at 10:20 AM

JetHawks Pitcher Bajoczky retires


According to Lancaster JetHawks broadcaster Jeff Lasky, pitcher Tony Bajoczky has retired from baseball to attend law school. Bajoczky, who was drafted by the Red Sox in the 34th round of the 2007 Draft out of Duke University, had held a spot in the Lancaster rotation for most of the season, going 5-4 with a 4.73 ERA in 21 appearances, 19 of which were starts. In 2007, after eight impressive appearances in the Gulf Coast League, in which he went 4-2 with a 1.91 ERA and made six starts, he was promoted to Lowell, where he made four appearances, including one start, and even made a spot start at Double-A Portland.

No announcement has been made of a roster move to fill the spot in Lancaster vacated by Bajoczky. Lancaster also has a roster space availabe from the recent promotion of Josh Reddick to Portland, leaving two open roster spots in total.
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at 7:12 AM

Stanley homers twice and drives in 6 in Greenville's win


7/27 Cup of Coffee: On Saturday, Toledo blanked Pawtucket 1-0. The offense managed just 2 hits in the game. Michael Bowden (0-2) went 6 innings giving up 1 run on 6 hits. He had 3 Ks. Lincoln Holdzkom threw 1.2 scoreless hitless frames. He allowed 1 BB while striking out 3. Hunter Jones got the final out in the game allowing 1 hit. He had 1 K. e.

Portland doubled the score on Trenton 6-3 despite being outhit by a 10-6 count. Dave Gassner (3-5) went 6 innings giving up 3 runs on 7 hits and a BB. He had 3 Ks. Daniel Bard threw a scoreless inning allowing 1 hit. He fanned 2. Miquel Asencio pitched a scoreless inning giving up 1 hit while fanning 1. Beau Vaughn pitched a scoreless 9th allowing 1 hit and 1 BB. He struck out 2. Aaron Bates went 2 for 3 with a home run, 2 runs scored and 2 RBI.

Lancaster came from behind to score a 10-9 win over High Desert. Chris Province threw 3 innings allowing 8 runs on 12 hits. He had 1 K. Josh Papelbon (2-3) went 4 innings giving up 1 run on 3 hits and a BB. He had 2 Ks. Cody McAllister pitched the final 2 innings and did not allow a run or a hit. He gave up 1 BB while fanning 3. Jason Place went 2 for 6 with a run scored and a RBI. Daniel Nava went 2 for 3 with a home run, 4 runs scored and 2 RBI. Mike Jones went 3 for 5 with a run scored and 2 RBI. Luis Exposito went 2 for 5 with a RBI. Chih-Hsien Chiang went 3 for 5 with a run scored and 2 RBI. Reid Engel went 2 for 5 with a run scored and 2 RBI.

Greenville defeated Columbus 15-9. Jose Capellan (2-3) threw 5 innings giving up 4 runs on 7 hits and a BB. He had 3 Ks. Javier Garcia threw 2 scoreless innings allowing 1 hit and 2 BB. He had 3 Ks. Mike Rozier went 1.1 frames and gave up 5 runs on 4 hits and 2 BB. He had 1 K. Kyle Foster retired the 2 batters he faced to end the game. He fanned 1 of them. Jared Stanley went 2 for 4 with 2 home runs and 6 RBI. Oscar Tejeda went 3 for 5 and scored a run. Manny Arambarris went 2 for 5 with a home run, 2 runs scored and 2 RBI.

Lowell defeated Vermont 5-3. Kyle Weiland (1-1) went 5 innings giving up 1 run on 3 hits. He had 5 Ks. Charlie Rosario threw 2.1 frames allowing 2 runs on 1 hit and 2 BB. He had 3 Ks. Seth Garrison threw a perfect final 1.2 innings. He had 1 K. Mitch Dening went 2 for 5 with a run scored and a RBI. Ricardo Burgos went 2 for 3 with a run scored and a RBI. Luis Sumoza went 2 for 4 with a RBI.

In the Gulf Coast League, the Pirates downed the Red Sox 8-4. Cesar Cabral pitched 5 innings giving up 3 runs on 3 hits and 2 BB. He had 8 Ks. Anatanaer Batista (2-1) lasted 0.1 of an inning giving up 5 runs on 5 hits. He had 1 K. Manuel Jimenez threw 2.2 scoreless innings allowing 2 hits. He had 1 K. Maykol Sanchez went 3 for 4.

Player of the Night: Jared Stanley who had 2 home runs and 6 RBI.
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July 26, 2008 at 7:07 AM

Sumoza drives in 5 in Spinner win


7/26 Cup of Coffee: On Friday, Pawtucket edged Toledo 3-1. David Pauley (12-3) threw 7.2 innings allowing 1 run on 5 hits and a BB. He had 9 Ks. Michael Tejera retired the only hitter fe faced. Chris Smith pitched the 9th giving up 1 run on 2 hits. Joe Thurston went 2 for 4 with a home run. Chris Carter went 2 for 4 with a home run and 2 RBI. Keith Ginter went 2 for 4.

Portland edged Trenton 2-1. Adam Mills went 5 innings allowing 1 run on 3 hits and a BB. He had 3 Ks. Daniel Haigwood threw 2 scoreless, hitless innings. He gave up 1 BB while fanning 3. Richie Lentz (1-0) threw a scoreless, hitless inning giving up 3 BB while fanning 2. Beau Vaughn pitched a clean 9th with 1 K. Tony Granadillo went 2 for 3 with a home run.

High Desert doubled the score on Lancaster 6-3. Blake Maxwell (3-5) threw 6 innings allowing 5 runs on 4 hits and a BB. He had 1 K. Craig Molldrem went 2 frames allowing 1 run on 2 hits. He had 2 Ks. Felipe Garcia threw a scoreless 9th allowing 1 hit. He fanned 2. Yamaico Navarro went 2 for 4. Daniel Nava went 2 for 4 with a run scored.

Greenville downed Columbus 4-1. Felix Doubront (11-6) went 5 innings allowing 1 run on 3 hits and 2 BB. He had 7 Ks. Kyle Fernandes threw 3 scoreless, hitless frames. He allowed 1 BB while fanning 2. Felix Ventura pitched a clean 9th recording 1 strikeout. Che-Hsuan Lin went 3 for 5.

Lowell defeated Vermont 11-3. Brock Huntzinger (5-0) went 5 innings allowing 1 run on 5 hits and 2 BB. He had 3 Ks. Jorge Rodriguez went 1.1 frames and did not allow a run. He gave up 2 runs on 2 hits and 3 BB. He fanned 1. Mitch Herold pitched the final 2.2 innings and did not allow a run or a hit. He walked 2 and struck out 3. Luis Sumoza went 2 for 4 with a home run, 2 runs scored and 5 RBI. Ryan Dent went 2 for 4 with a home run and 2 RBI.

In the Gulf Coast League, the Reds defeated the Red Sox 5-1. Pedro Perez (1-1) threw 4 inningsgiving up 4 runs on 3 hits and a BB. He had 4 Ks. Pete Ruiz threw 3 scoreless frames allowing 2 hits and a BB. He had 3 Ks. Leandro Marin went 1 inning allowing 1 run on 1 hit. He had 2 Ks. Dustin Mercadante threw a scoreless inning allowing 1 hit. He fanned 2. Roberto Feliz went 2 for 3 with a RBI.

The Dominican League Red Sox downed the Mets 11-6. Eddie Lora went 2 for 4 with a home run and 4 RBI.

Player of the Night: Luis Sumoza whose 2 hits produced a homer, 2 runs scored and 5 RBI
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July 25, 2008 at 6:23 AM

Farkes homers twice in Jethawk win


7/25 Cup of Coffee: Pawtucket downed Columbus 11-6. Charlie Zink (12-3) threw 6 innings giving up 5 runs on 8 hits. He had 5 Ks. Jon Switzer pitched 2 innings allowing 1 run on 3 hits. Eric Hull pitched a scoreless 9th allowing 1 hit. He had 1 K. Chris Carter went 3 for 4 with a run scored and a RBI. Dusty Brown went 2 for 4 with a home run and 3 runs scored. Gil Velaquez went 3 for 5 with a home run, 2 runs scored and 2 RBI. Chad Spann went 2 for 5 with a home run and 4 RBI.

Portland saw both the resumption of the suspended game from the night before against Connecticut and the regularly scheduled game washed out last night.

Lancaster edged Lake Elsinore 5-4 in 11 innings. Tony Bajoczky threw 7 innings giving up 3 runs on 6 hits. He had 3 Ks. Bryce Cox went 2 innings giving up 1 run on 2 hits and a BB. He had 1 K. Jason Blackey pitched the final 2 frames and did not allow a run. He gave up a hit and 2 BB. He had 1 K. Jason Place went 2 for 5 with a run scored and a RBI. Zak Farkes went 3 for 5 with 2 home runs.

The Lowell / State College game was cancelled due to the weather.

The Dominican League Red Sox downed the Royals 7-1. Javier Jimenez (1-3) went 5 innings allowing 1 run on 4 hits and a BB. He had 5 Ks. Pedro Churio went 2 for 3 witha RBI.

Player of the Night: Zak Farkes who hit 2 homers
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July 24, 2008 at 11:59 PM

Moss back to Pawtucket to make room for Papi


The Red Sox have optioned OF/1B Brandon Moss to Pawtucket in order to facilitate the return of DH David Ortiz, who will be activated from the disabled list prior to tomorrow's series opener against the Yankees. In 34 games with the big club Moss is .295/.337/.462 with two home runs, five doubles and one triple over 78 ABs (23 hits), scoring seven runs and batting in 11.
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at 6:38 AM

Hansack goes 7 innings fanning 11 in PawSox win


7/24 Cup of Coffee: On Wednesday, Pawtucket edged Columbus 3-2 in 10 innings. Devern Hansack threw 7 innings allowing 1 run on 5 hits and a BB. He had 11 Ks. Hunter Jones (6-2) was charged with a blown save but then got the win. He threw 2 innings giving up 1 run on 2 hits and a BB. He had 1 K. Chris Smith earned the save pitching 1 inning allowing 2 hits. Joe Thurston went 2 for 4 and scored 2 runs. George Kottaras went 2 for 5 with 2 RBI.

Portland was leading Connecticut 2-1 in the fourth when the game was suspended.

Lake Elsinore downed Lancaster 10-4. Chris Jones (5-6) went 4.1 frames giving up 4 runs on 9 hits and a BB. He had 2 Ks. Derrick Loop threw 3.2 innings allowing 6 runs on 6 hits and 2 BB. He fanned 3. Felipe Garcia pitched the final inning allowing 1 hit. Daniel Nava went 3 for 4 with a run scored and a RBI. Jon Still went 2 for 5 with a RBI.

Hagerstown defeated Greenville 4-2. Ryne Lawson went 7 innings allowing 1 run on 5 hits and a BB. He had 5 Ks. Ryne Miller (1-2) pitched 0.2 of an inning and gave up 3 runs on 2 hits and a BB. He had 2 Ks. Kyle Foster threw 1.1 scoreless frames giving up 1 hit while fanning 1. The offense scattered 5 hits between 5 different players.

Lowell took the completion of the previous night's suspended game over State College by the score of 4-3. Stolmy Pimentel had pitched 4 innings the night before allowing 2 runs on 7 hits and 2 BB. He had 5 Ks. Hunter Strickland (2-2) finished the game last night going 4 innings allowing 1 run on 5 hits and 2 BB. He had 4 Ks. Jeff Natale went 3 for 5 with a home run, 2 runs scored and 2 RBI. Tim Federowicz went 3 for 3. The Spinners were tied 2-2 in the regularly scheduled game when it was suspended in the 4th inning.

In the Gulf Coast League, the Red Sox edged the Orioles 3-2. Ryan Pressly went 5 innings allowing 1 run on 4 hits and a BB. He had 3 Ks. Jeremy Kehrt (1-1) threw 4 innings allowing 1 run on 4 hits and a BB. He had 2 Ks. The offense scattered 3 hits in the game.

The Dominican League Red Sox blasted the White Sox 9-0. Danny Dilon threw 4 scoreless innings allowing 1 hit and 2 BB. He had 6 Ks. Juan Bonifacio went 2 for 5 with a home run and 2 RBI.

Player of the Night: Devern Hansack despite not getting a decision went 7 innings allowing 1 run while striking out 11
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July 23, 2008 at 11:59 PM

Pitcher of the Week, July 14-20: Brock Huntzinger


Lowell RHP Brock Huntzinger continued his impressive run with the Spinners, hurling 11 innings of shutout ball over two starts last week, holding opposing batters to an .108 BAA on only four hits, while striking out seven, earning the victory in both outings as well as recognition as SoxPropsects.com Pitcher of the Week for July 14-20. Over five innings of work July 14 at Auburn (Blue Jays) Huntzinger allowed three hits while striking out three, and worked six innings, allowing only one hit while striking out four at Tri-City (Astros) July 20. Over seven starts with the Spinners in 2008, Huntzinger has compiled a 4-0 record with a 0.49 ERA in 37 innings pitched, allowing two earned runs on 28 hits (.154 BAA) and striking out 29 while walking only five. Huntzinger, 19, was also named the New York-Penn League Pitcher of the Week for July 14-20. He is currently the 19th ranked prospect in the organization by SoxProspects.com.
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at 11:58 PM

Player of the Week, July 14-20: Zak Farkes


Lancaster 3B Zak Farkes made the most of his increased playing time last week, posting a .579/.636/1.211 line (1.847 OPS) with three home runs and three doubles over 19 ABs (11 hits), scoring seven and batting in nine runs en route to his first (position) SoxProspects.com Position Player of the Week Award for the week of July 14-20. He was also named California League Offensive Player of the Week for the same time period. Farkes, 25, hails from Boston and played his college ball at Harvard, from which he signed as an undrafted free agent in June 2005. With Lancaster in 2008, Farkes is .260/.332/.431 (.763 OPS) with six home runs, 17 doubles and two triples in 239 ABs (64 hits) over 64 games.
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at 6:49 AM

Tejeda scores 3 times in Drive win


7/23 Cup of Coffee: On Tuesday, Columbus defeated Pawtucket 4-1. Edgar Martinez (4-2) threw 5 innings allowing 4 runs on 4 hits and 4 BB. He had 6 Ks. Lincoln Holdzkom pitched 2 scoreless innings giving up 1 hit. He had 2 Ks. Jose Vaquedano pitched the final inning and allwed a BB. The offense produced 6 hits with no player having more than 1.

Connecticut thrashed Portland 18-6. Kris Johnson (7-5) went 3.1 innings allowing 8 runs on 5 hits and 5 BB. He had 1 K. Daniel Haigwood went 0.2 of an inning giving up 1 run on 1 hit and a BB. Miguel Asencio threw 2 innings allowing 2 runs on 3 hits and 2 BB. He had 1 K. TJ Large gave up 4 runs on 4 hits and 2 BB in 1.2 innings of work. Mike James went 1.1 frames allowing 3 runs on 5 hits and a BB. He had 2 Ks. Bryan Pritz went 2 for 4 with a RBI.

Lake Elsinore hammered Lancaster 13-1. Travis Beazley (4-10) threw 6.1 innings giving up 3 runs on 5 hits and a BB. He fanned 8. Cody McAllister went 1.1 frames allowing 5 runs on 4 hits and a BB. Josh Papelbon pitched the final 1.1 innings and allowed 5 runs on 3 hits. Zak Farkes went 2 for 4.

Greenville downed Hagerstown 7-1. Chad Povich (7-3) pitched 6 innings allowing 1 run on 3 hits and 2 BB. He had 3 Ks. Lance McClain threw the final 3 innings and did not allow a run on 2 hits and a BB. Kris Negron went 2 for 4 with a run scored and a RBI. Jared Stanley went 2 for 3 with a home run and 2 RBI. Oscar Tejeda went 2 for 3 and scored 3 times. David Marks went 2 for 4 with a home run.

State College was leading Lowell 2-1 in the fourth inning when the game was suspended.

The Gulf Coast Red Sox edged the Twins 3-2. Wang-Yi Lin threw 4.2 frames allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and 2 BB. He had 5 Ks. Armando Zerpa (1-0) earned the win going 3.1 scoreless frames allowing 2 hits while fanning 3. Dennis Neuman pitched the ninth and allowed a BB. Derrik Gibson went 3 for 4 with a RBI.

The Dominican League Red Sox blasted the Rays 16-1. Raynel Vellette (2-2) went 5 innings and gave up 1 run on 2 hits. He had 5 Ks. Jose Garcia went 4 for 7 with a home run and 5 RBI.

Player of the Night: Oscar Tejeda who scored 3 times in the Drive win
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July 22, 2008 at 3:01 PM

Q&A with Hunter Jones


Hunter Jones is on the doorstep of the big leagues. A 24-year-old lefthander who was signed by the Red Sox as an undrafted free agent in 2005, Jones began this season in Portland, but was promoted to Pawtucket after posting a 1.19 ERA in 13 appearances out of the Sea Dogs’ bullpen. The native of Palm Beach Gardens , Florida has been no less impressive with the PawSox, going 5-2, with a 2.97 ERA in 21 games. On the season, Jones has 60 strikeouts to go with only 11 free passes in 56 innings. David Laurila talked to Jones before a recent game at McCoy Stadium.

David Laurila: David Ortiz was just in Pawtucket on a rehab assignment. What was it like having Big Papi as a teammate?
Hunter Jones: Ortiz is definitely a fun and interesting character. I met him in spring training this year, and when he came to Pawtucket just recently he was a great clubhouse presence. He likes to play his music and laugh with everyone; he’s a cool person. I even asked him if he minded having his picture taken with me, and he was like, “Yeah, yeah, of course, man.” He’s just a real stand-up guy and a good teammate.

DL: What impact did he have on the team?
HJ: Well, there’s obviously never a lineup that you can’t put Ortiz in! He hit some bombs, and you can’t really say enough about what he does and how he goes about his business. He didn’t show anyone up or make anyone feel like they’re beneath him; he acted just like he was another guy on the team. And he can definitely hit.

DL: Can you swing the bat?
HJ: Can I hit? I can’t hit worth a lick. I used to hit in high school, but now I’ve been out of the hitting game for so long that I think I’d be scared to even get into the box. For one thing, my vision has gotten worse because of the eye injury. Back in 2006, when I used to wear contacts, I’d pack dirt on my hand to try to get it dry so the sweat didn’t get all over, and some dirt got in my eye -- some microscopic rocks or whatnot -- and it scratched my eye in three places. Besides, I haven’t picked up a bat in six years.

DL: Can any of the pitchers here in Pawtucket hit?
HJ: I don’t know, but Lincoln Holdzkom talks a big game. Everybody talks a big game, but then they get up there and nobody can hit it out of the park. Nobody gets hits, they just hit little roll-over grounders to the second baseman or shortstop. Pitchers’ BP usually looks pretty silly, because everybody is pretty bad.

DL: How would you describe the PawSox bullpen -- not on the field, but in the clubhouse?
HJ: Our bullpen is a little bit different. Before most games, guys are playing cards or something, but our bullpen is like a bunch of little kids because we play Risk, which is meant more for six year olds. But we all love it. Chris Smith is the one who brought it in, but we all play, and it’s kind of funny watching a bunch of grown men fighting each other over a board game, you know. The bullpen is kind of like a family, so sometimes we get into it, but everyone has a good time with it.

DL: Who usually wins?
HJ: John Switzer wins a lot of the games. Most everyone is pretty good, but there are a couple of poor players, too. The reason Switzer wins is that he gets everybody to attack each other; somehow he’s really good at convincing people about things. He’ll say, “Hey, you know what? You don’t need to attack me, you should go that way; it makes more sense.” Everybody believes him, so they do it and he ends up winning. He’s the salty vet, and he knows what he’s doing. Of course, most people haven’t played Risk since they were six -- except us.

DL: What are your impressions of Triple-A so far?
HJ: It’s kind of the same old, but some of the guys up here are a little easier on you. They get tough on you right away, especially when you’re a bullpen guy, but they know how to let up on you, too. A lot of the guys here have been around for awhile and they’re pretty good teammates. They’ll mess with you; they’ll put bubbles on your hat when you’re running out to the field and whatnot, but when it’s game time they know it’s time to take it serious.

DL: How about on the mound -- is it different facing Triple-A hitters?
HJ: My personal opinion of professional baseball is that at every level you have guys who stand out. You also have guys who are average and below average, and you have guys who get better and guys who get worse. Pretty much all of the hitters are the same at every level; up here they maybe have a little more pop, a little more zone recognition. But it’s the same guys, they’re just moving up the system like you are. I think the biggest difference is actually the strike zone, which gets tighter and more consistent. That said, if you have stuff that plays well in the zone, I don't believe you have a whole lot to worry about.

DL: When you’re pitching well, are you getting many swings on pitches outside of the zone?
HJ: Not really. I’m in the zone a pretty good part of the time; that’s where my success is. I try to have all of my stuff in the zone, and if not, just outside of the zone. I’m not really a guy who gets a lot of chases, I just go after hitters.

DL: What is going to get Hunter Jones to the big leagues?
HJ: I guess more time in the minors? I don’t really know, because I’ve never been in the big leagues, but I feel like I’m doing the right things. According to a lot of guys, I haven’t been in the minors all that long, although it does feel like forever. So I don’t know. I just try to be a good teammate. I feel like I have a lot of friends here. I try not to talk down to anyone, and I try to lift guys when they're down because I want to see all of us in the majors. That’s the truth. I don’t feel that I have to be cutthroat to get to the bigs. I feel like my stuff has a good chance to play there, and when my time comes, hopefully it will.

DL: If you found a magic lamp and a baseball genie granted you three wishes, what would they be?
HJ: Oh my God. What’s funny is that we had a much more graphic description of that question in the clubhouse one day. I guess, to make it kind of PG, I’ll say -- man, that’s a lot of wishes. I could do a lot with just one. I mean, if I had a 100 mph fastball I could do a lot of damage! I’d wish for a happy, healthy career in the big leagues with a lot of success for the people around me. And I suppose I’d like to look back, when all is said and done, at the end of my career, and be able to say, “Do you know what? I had a good time. I met some great people. That’s all I could have ever wished from in life, and I did it.”
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at 5:11 AM

Fernandez-Oliva's 3 hits lead Drive to win


7/22 Cup of Coffee: On Monday, Columbus downed Pawtucket 4-1. Michael Bowden (0-1) went 4 innings allowing 3 runs on 7 hits. He had 4 Ks. Michael Tejera threw 2 scoreless innings allowing 1 hit and a BB. Eric Hull pitched the final 2 frams giving up 1 run on 3 hits and 2 BB. He had 2 Ks. Chris Carter
went 2 for 4. Sean Danielson went 2 for 4 with a run scored.

Portland defeated Connecticut 8-2. Dave Gassner (2-5) went 6 innings giving up 2 runs on 3 hits. He had 1 K. Richie Lentz threw a clean inning of relief with 1 K. Daniel Bard threw a scoreless, hitless inning allowing 1 BB. He fanned 2. Beau Vaughn threw a scoreless 9th allowing 1 hit. David Ortiz went 2 for 3 with a run scored and a RBI.

High Desert downed Lancaster 11-5. Chris Province went 5 innings allowing 4 runs on 10 hits and a BB. He had 2 Ks. Craig Molldrem (1-1) threw 1.1 frames and gave up 5 runs on 5 hits. He had 1 K. Jason Blackey went 1.2 innings giving up 2 runs on 3 hits and a BB. He had 2 Ks. Matt Sheely went 3 for 5 and scored a run. Jon Still went 2 for 5 with a home run and 2 RBI.

Greenville defeated Hagerstown 5-2. Terumasa Matsuo threw 5.2 frames allowing 2 runs on 3 hits and 2 BB. He had 10 Ks. Kyle Fernandes (3-1) went 2.1 scoreless innings allowing 1 hit.He fanned 2. Felix Ventura earned the save pitching a scoreless 9th allowing 1 hit. He had 1 K. Carlos Fernandez-Oliva went 3 for 4 and scored 2 runs. Michael Almanzar went 2 for 4 with a RBI. David Mailman went 1 for 4 with a home run, 2 runs scored and 3 RBI.

Lowell
edged Tri-City 5-4. Bryan Price threw 3 scoreless innings allowing 3 hits and a BB. He had a K. Yeiper Castillo went 3.2 frames giving up 2 runs on 3 hits and 1 BB. He had 5 Ks. Mitch Herold (2-0) pitched 1.1 innings allowing 2 runs on 3 hits. Seth Garrison threw a scoreless innings allowing 1 hit. He had 1 K. Mitch Dening went 2 for 5 with a home run. He is hitting .346. Rafael Gil went 2 for 3 with a home run. Will Middlebrooks went 2 for 4.

In the Gulf Coast League, the Pirates swept a doubleheader from the Red Sox by scores of 5-1 and 9-1. In the first contest
, Swen Huijer threw 3 innings allowing 1 run on 5 hits. Michael Lennox (0-2) went 3 innings giving up 4 runs on 6 hits and a BB. Joantoni Garcia went 2 for 3. In the second game, Cesar Cabral (1-2) went 1.1 innings allowing 7 runs on 7 hits and 2 BB. He had 1 K. Manuel Jimenez threw 2.2 frames allwing 1 run on 5 hits and 2 BB. Anatanaer Batista went 3 innings allwing 1 run on 2 hits. He had 5 Ks. Chih-Hsiang Huang went 2 for 3.

In the Dominican Summer League, the Red Sox downed the Blue Jays 4-2. Manuel Rivera threw 6 scoreless innings on 4 hits. He had 2 Ks.

Player of the Night:
Carlos Fernandez-Oliva who went 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored
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