Bats silent as Sox affiliates drop all four

5/14 Cup of Coffee: It was a tough day at the plate around the organization yesterday, as the four affiliates in action combined for just three runs and four losses.

Despite outhitting their opponents 7-2 and a great start by Brandon Duckworth, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (NYY) edged out Pawtucket 2-1. Duckworth allowed just 1 run over 7.0 innings, striking out 7 and walking 2. The run he gave up came in the first inning, as he shutout the Yankees over his final 6.0 innings and allowed just 1 hit. Clevelan Santeliz tossed the final 2.0 innings for Pawtucket and gave up 1 run on 1 hit while striking out 3. The lone Pawtucket run came in the bottom of the ninth on an RBI groundout by Daniel Nava. Lars Anderson was a lone bright spot in the PawSox offense, going 2 for 4 with a pair of doubles.

After a 10-9 slugfest last night, neither team seemed to have much offense left in their bats as the New Britian Rock Cats shutout Portland 2-0. Alex Wilson fanned 7 without walking a batter over 6.0 innings, but was saddled with the loss after allowing 2 runs on 2 hits. Seth Garrison pitched the final two innings for the Sea Dogs, holding the Rock Cats scoreless while allowing just 1 hit and striking out 1 batter. Portland did not have multiple runners on base in any inning, with 2 of their 4 hits being erased on double plays. Tim Federowicz had the only extra-base hit for the Sea Dogs, a double in the fourth inning.

Salem was also unable to push a run across, as they could only muster 1 hit in a 5-0 loss to the Winston-Salem Dash (CWS). The Dash scored four in the first inning off of Salem starter Drake Britton, whose 2011 struggles continued. He pitched just 3.0 innings, giving up 4 runs (2 earned) while walking 4 and striking out 2. William Latimer took over and threw well, giving up just 1 run in his 4.0 innings pitched. He gave way to Anatanaer Batista, who held Winston-Salem scoreless over the final 2.0 innings. Salem's lone hit came in the sixth on a James Kang single, breaking up the no-hit bid from Dash pitcher Hector Santiago.

Greenville had the most successful day at the plate of any Red Sox affiliate, but it was not enough to defeat the Charleston RiverDogs (NYY), falling by a score of 6-2. There were some fireworks at the beginning of this one after Miguel Celestino hit Slade Heathcott with the second pitch of the game. Heathcott confronted Drive catcher Christian Vazquez and the two were ejected along with two others, but Celestino remained in the game. The RiverDogs scored two runs in the first and led the rest of the way. Celestino hurled 4.2 innings allowing 2 runs on 4 hits while striking out 7 and walking 3. The game remained 2-0 until the sixth, when Charleston pushed across another run off of Juan Rodriguez to extend the lead to three. Charle Rosario came on in the eighth and ceded three more runs to give the RiverDogs a 6-0 lead. Bryce Brentz waited until the eighth to extend his hitting streak, but did so with a 2-run blast on an 0-2 pitch to get the Drive on the board. Brentz has now hit in 25 straight, and has also reached base in each of the last 34 games.

Player of the Night: Brandon Duckworth, who was a hard-luck loser for Pawtucket, tossing 7.0 innings and allowing 1 run on 2 hits while striking out 7 and walking 2.

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