July 28, 2011 at 8:36 AM
Dent, Middlebrooks go deep in Sea Dogs victory over Binghamton
7/29 Cup of Coffee: The pitching was outstanding throughout the organization on Wednesday, as opponents combined for just 14 runs over six different games. The offenses did not follow suit, however, as the affiliates went 3-3 on the day.
Pawtucket was done in by allowing a crooked number early, dropping one to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI), 4-1. Back in Triple-A, Kyle Weiland allowed three runs in the second, and finished his day with those 3 runs allowed on 2 hits in 4.0 innings pitched. He struggled with his command, however, walking 5 in his outing while striking out 3. In the seventh, the IronPigs tacked on a run against Clevelan Santeliz. The only PawSox run came courtesy of Lars Anderson, who delivered a solo home run in the fourth, his 10th of the season. The PawSox offense managed just three hits in the game, as the team dropped its third straight.
Portland, meanwhile, scored the first five runs of the game to take down the Binghamton Mets (NYM) 5-2. Ryan Dent opened the scoring with a second-inning two-run home run to give the Sea Dogs an early 2-0 lead. Ryan Khoury singled a run home in the fifth, and two more came around in the sixth thanks to a Will Middlebrooks solo homer and a wild pitch to score Mark Wagner. On the mound, Stephen Fife held the B-Mets scoreless over his 6.0 innings of work, allowing 5 hits and 3 walks while striking out 3. Binghamton did get two runs off of Charle Rosario, but Portland held on for the win.
Salem used a run in the ninth inning to propel itself to a 2-1 victory over the Frederick Keys (BAL). It was Frederick that took the lead first, however, scoring its only run of the game off of Chris Hernandez in the fourth. Hernandez went 4.2 innings and allowed 1 run on 6 hits while walking 4 and striking out 4. He gave way to Jeremiah Bayer, who not only kept the Red Sox in the game, he went on to earn the win thanks to 3.1 innings of one-hit ball. In the sixth inning, Peter Hissey tied the game at 1 with an RBI double. With the game still knotted up in the ninth, a two-out RBI single by Daniel Butler gave Salem the 2-1 lead. Kendal Volz pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his second save of the season.
Greenville had the night off, but the team returns home for a four-game set with the Charleston River Dogs (NYY) tonight.
Lowell yielded single runs in each of the first five innings and dropped its game with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers (CLE), 5-3. Three of those runs were charged to Raynel Velette, who pitched the first 3.0 innings allowing 3 hits and 4 walks while striking out 4. Nefi Ogando replaced his Dominican countryman and gave up the other two. Lowell got in the board in the third thanks to an error which allowed Jayson Hernandez to score. Then in the fourth, Seth Schwindenhammer led off with a home run to give the Spinners another run. Trailing 5-2 in the ninth, a Keury De La Cruz groundout gave Lowell one more run, but that was all the would get in both the inning and the game.
Though outhitting its opponent 7-5, the GCL Red Sox fell to the GCL Orioles (BAL) by a score of 2-1. Adalberto Ibarra gave the Red Sox a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI single, but that was the only run the team would score all game. The Orioles tied it in the second, then took the lead in the third, and that was that. Both teams had its chances, but were held off the scoreboard for the remainder of the game. Mario Alcantara was saddled with the loss after allowing 2 runs on 4 hits in 5.0 innings of work. He also walked 2 and struck out 1.
The offense was even more scarce in the DSL Red Sox contest, but the Red Sox came away with the 2-0 win over the DSL Rays (TB). Two pitchers combined for the shutout, including a 5.0 inning, 8 strikeout performance by starter Edwar Garcia. The right hander gave up 3 hits and did not walk a batter. Oscar Melendez also pitched well, tossing the final 4.0 innings and giving up 3 hits with 1 walk sprinkled in. A fourth-inning double by David Sopilka gave the Red Sox a 1-0 lead while the insurance run came in the eighth on a Jair Bogaerts sacrifice fly.
Player of the Night: Jeremiah Bayer, whose stellar relief outing helped Salem to a 2-1 come-from-behind win over Frederick. The right hander allowed just 1 hit in his 3.1 innings of relief work and struck out 2 to earn the win and move to 6-2 on the season.