Coello on his game in PawSox win

6/23 Cup of Coffee: Solid pitching performances were common on Tuesday's slate, as two Single-A All-Star Games and some rain in the Dominican kept the action light for Sox affiliates:

Pawtucket was out-hit on Tuesday by Scranton Wilkes-Barre (NYY), but ended up leading where it counts, winning a close game 3-1. The PawSox got the scoring started in the second on Dusty Brown's RBI double. The Yankees tied things up in the bottom of the frame, but Pawtucket took the lead in the third when Angel Sanchez doubled and later scored on a Lars Anderson sacrifice fly to make it 2-1. A Bubba Bell solo home run in the fourth provided the game's final run, but it was already more than enough for Robert Coello, who went the first 5.2 innings allowing just the 1 run on 4 hits and a walk, striking out 10 along the way. Tommy Hottovy, Chad Paronto, and Fernando Cabrera took things from there with 3.1 innings of scoreless relief.

In a well-pitched game on both sides, Portland managed to tie things up late, but couldn't quite hold on and fell 2-1 to Altoona (PIT). After a rough first start at the Double-A level, Alex Wilson was on his game in this one, allowing just 1 run on 5 hits and 2 walks in 5.2 innings, striking out 4. While he left with the score 1-0 in favor of the Curve, he was pulled off the hook in the seventh by Luis Exposito, whose two-out solo home run tied the game at 1. But Eammon Portice allowed three straight singles to open the bottom of the eighth, allowing the eventual winning run to score. Portland managed only 3 total hits in the contest.

Salem may have had the night off on Tuesday as the Carolina and California Leagues played their All-Star Game, but the High-A Sox were well represented in the contest, which was won by the California League All-Stars, 4-3. Oscar Tejeda started at second base and played the entire game, going 1 for 4 with a solo home run in the fourth. Ryan Lavarnway also recorded a hit in the game, going 1 for 2, while Will Middlebrooks went 0 for 2. Unfortunately, Salem contributed a bit less on the mound, where Brock Huntzinger was touched for 2 runs in an inning of work. Salem will get back to work on Thursday when the team travels to Wilmington (KC).

The South Atlantic League also held its All-Star Game on Tuesday night, and after some fast and furious early scoring, the game ended in a 5-5 tie after 10 innings. Representing the SAL South All-Stars, the only Greenville player to see action at the plate was Dan Butler, who went 0 for 1 with a walk and a run scored as the starting catcher. On the mound, Dennis Neuman did the Drive proud by striking out the side in his inning of work on just 11 pitches. Greenville also returns to action on Thursday, traveling to Charleston to take on the Riverdogs (NYY).

After taking an early lead and letting it slip away at home against Tri-City (HOU), Lowell rose to the occasion in the bottom of the ninth and walked off with a 3-2 victory. The Spinners took a 2-0 lead in the first when Kolbrin Vitek walked and scored on a double by Bryce Brentz, who was subsequently singled home by Brandon Jacobs. Hunter Cervenka certainly did his part to make that lead stand up, allowing only 1 run on 2 hits and 3 walksin his 4.0-inning start. Stephen Fox was just as good in his 4.0 innings, allowing only 2 hits and 2 walks while striking out 6, but he allowed the tying run to score in the seventh. He was redeemed in the bottom of the ninth, whe Jose Garcia took advantage of a throwing error that put the tying run in scoring position when he singled up the middle to end the game. Garcia was 2 for 5 in the game, while David Renfroe also had 2 hits in 4 trips to the plate.

The GCL Red Sox scored in four of the game's first five innings and took advantage of 4 errors to topple the GCL Rays (TB), 8-3. Keury De La Cruz got things off to a good start in the first when he hit a two-run home run out to right, and the Red Sox added 3 more runs on two ground outs and a Jose Vinicio RBI single over the next two innings to make it 5-1. De La Cruz helped create another run in the fifth when he led off the inning with a triple and scored on a Boss Moanaroa sacrifice fly, making it 6-2, and the Red Sox never looked back from there. Juan Rodriguez was solid in his start, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks in 4.0 innings, but it was the work of Raynel Velette that really made the difference. Velette allowed only an unearned run in 4.0 hitless innings, striking out 4 to earn the win. Moko Moanaroa also had a good night, going 3 for 4 with a double, while Jason Thompson was 2 for 5 with a double and an RBI.

Action in the DSL between the Red Sox and Astros was postponed on Tuesday due to rain.

Player of the Night: Robert Coello, who allowed just 1 run in 5.2 innings, striking out 10 to help the PawSox take down the Yankees.

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