July 30, 2010 at 7:10 AM
Exposito homers twice in loss
7/30 Cup of Coffee: Lowell moved to within one game of double digits in the win column Thursday night, while Pawtucket got it done at the dish and on the mound.
Turns out Pawtucket didn't really need Mike Lowell after all, as they romped Toledo (DET) 7-0. Felix Doubront got back to his prior form, scattering 6 hits in 5.1 scoreless innings before Fernando Cabrera, Tommy Hottovy, and Rich Hill combined for 3.2 shutout, one-hit innings. Josh Reddick returned to the lineup to go 3 for 4 with a triple and 2 RBI, while Lars Anderson added 2 hits and a pair of RBI. Ryan Shealy and Ryan Kalish had 2 hits and an RBI each in the win.
A pair of Luis Exposito home runs accounted for all five of Portland's runs, but the Sea Dogs made four errors en route to a 10-5 loss to Harrisburg (WAS). Kyle Weiland struck out 8 in 5.1 innings, but gave up 8 runs, 7 earned on 6 hits, including 2 home runs. Eammon Portice allowed a hit and struck out 3 in 1.2 innings, and Bryce Cox allowed a pair of runs in the eighth. Exposito hit a two-run home run in the first and a three-run shot in the eighth.
Salem endured through some early fireworks and a near-brawl to top Lynchburg (CIN) 9-8. Brock Huntzinger allowed a 3 home runs and 6 earned in 2.2 innings while causing a near-brawl with a fastball up-and-in after allowing back-t0-back home runs. Alex Hassan was 3 for 4 with a pair of RBI, while Dan Butler also drove in a pair. Four other players, including b and Pete Hissey, added RBI. Seth Garrison and Will Latimer allowed a run each, and Pat Ryan tossed two scoreless innings to get the save.
Greenville pulled even in the top of the eighth but conceded in the bottom half of the frame, dropping a 4-3 decision to Charleston (NYY). Ryan Pressly gave up 3 early runs but struck out 9 in 5.0 innings of work. Anatanaer Batista worked the sixth and seventh without trouble before allowing the go-ahead run in the eighth, while Dennis Neuman worked the rest of the frame without further damage. Chris McGuiness was 2 for 2 with a double and 3 walks, and Jeremy Hazelbaker, Reynaldo Rodriguez, and Zach Gentile drove in a run each in the loss.
Lowell hung crooked numbers in the second and third innings to win their ninth game of the season, this one a 9-2 win over Tri-City (HOU). Joantoni Garcia and Jose Garcia drove in 2 runs each in the second inning, while David Renfroe added 2 RBI and Felix Sanchez drove 1 in batted in the third. Bryce Brentz drove in a run in each inning. Roman Mendez struck out 6 and allowed 2 runs on 4 hits, including a home run, in 5.0 innings. Stephen Fox allowed a hit and struck out 3 in as many innings of relief, and Wilson Matos tossed a scoreless ninth.
Four pitchers combined on an impressive performance down in the GCL, with the Red Sox topping the Orioles 7-2. Sergio Gomez allowed a run in 2.1 innings, and Raynel Velette allowed a run in 4.0 frames of relief before Justin Erasmus recorded his seventh save with 2.0 scoreless innings. Keury De La Cruz was 1 for 3 with a triple and 3 RBI, while Henry Ramos, Moko Moanaroa, and Jose Vinicio each added an RBI. Heiker Meneses had a pair of hits in the win.
Player of the Night: Luis Exposito homered twice and drove in all 5 Sea Dog runs Thursday night.