Castillo sharp in walk-off win

5/26 Cup of Coffee: It was another poor night for Sox affiliates, but Greenville once again pulled off some late-inning magic to walk off with Tuesday's lone win.

A tie game in the middle innings quickly got out of control for Pawtucket, which despite a valient ninth-inning comeback attempt fell at the hands of the Durham Bulls (TAM), 8-5. Michael Bowden put the PawSox in an early 2-0 hole when he allowed a two-run big fly in the first inning, but was solid from there, ultimately throwing 4.1 innings allowing only those 2 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks. He left the game tied 2-2 thanks to a second-inning solo home run from Lars Anderson, his third at Triple-A, and a fourth-inning RBI groundout by Aaron Bates. But reliever Fabio Castro ran into all kinds of trouble in the sixth and seventh innings, allowing 6 total runs (4 earned) on 5 hits and 2 walks to put Pawtucket in an 8-2 hole heading into the ninth. The PawSox would make some noise in the final frame, when Bates singled to open the inning and was followed by three straight walks, the last by Jorge Jimenez to bring home a run and make it 8-3. After a strikeout, another walk by Tug Hulett made it 8-4, but after Angel Sanchez grounded out to make it 8-5, Daniel Nava struck out with the tying runs aboard to end the game. Nava had been having a nice night prior to that at-bat, and ended up 2 for 5 with a double and the only Pawtucket player with multiple hits.

Portland was far less successful in Reading (PHI) on Tuesday, managing only 3 total hits and falling 6-0. Two of those hits came in the first inning for Portland, when Nate Spears and Ray Chang both singled with one out. But no runs came of it, and the Sea Dogs had no answer from there for Drew Naylor, who went the distance for the Phillies to earn the shutout. The only other Portland hit was an Anthony Rizzo single in the fourth. On the mound, it was Kyle Weiland who was saddled with the loss, going 4.2 innings allowing 3 runs on 4 hits and 5 walks.

It was a much closer affair in Salem, but Winston-Salem (CWS) got the better of it, beating the home-standing Red Sox 3-2. The game was close throughout and entered the top of the fifth in a scoreless tie. Caleb Clay had been brilliant to that point but allowed a triple and a single in the fifth to make it 1-0. Clay ended up going 6.0 innings total, allowing just 4 hits and 1 walk, striking out 5. The Dash got another run off Will Latimer in the seventh, but came back with a run in the bottom of the frame when Pete Hissey singled home Alex Hassan to make it 2-1. But Winston-Salem extended the lead in the top of the ninth to 3-1, and while Salem was able to pull out another run on a Hissey groundout, Oscar Tejeda struck out to end the game with the tying run on third. Salem managed only 5 hits in the game, with no player earning more than 1.

There was another pitchers' duel down in Greenville on Tuesday, and for the second straight night the Drive walked off with a win, this time 1-0 over Charleston (NYY). Yeiper Castillo was sensational in this one, going the first 6.0 innings allowing only 4 hits and no walks, striking out 6. Cesar Cabral was nearly as impressive, going the next 3.0 innings without allowing a hit, walking 2 and striking out 3 to send the game to the bottom of the ninth tied 0-0. It looked like the game was going to go to extras when the Drive made two quick outs, but Derrik Gibson's wheels kept things going. Gibson singled to shortstop and promptly stole second base, his 14th of the season, before a wild pitch moved him to third. Chris McGuiness was intentionally walked to bring up Michael Almanzar, who didn't hit the ball hard but managed an infield single to third, plating Gibson and ending the game.

Player of the Night: Yeiper Castillo, who fired 6.0 scoreless innings to put Greenville in a position to walk-off with a 1-0 win.

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