Killer B's: Bogaerts and Blair lead Greenville's offensive outburst

7/27 Cup of Coffee: Portland the DSL Red Sox each pulled out close victories while Greenville brought home a more decisive victory on Tuesday. Pawtucket dropped an extra inning affair while Salem and the GCL Red Sox could not pull out close battles.

After losing a close game the night before, Pawtucket could not close out the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI) as they dropped an extra inning decision, 8-7. Tony Pena twirled 7.0 innings for the PawSox, allowing 5 runs on 6 hits and a walk while striking out 5. Scott Atchison added an inning of relief, allowing an unearned run on 1 hit, striking out 1. Jason Rice received the loss for his 1.1 innings of work, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits while striking out 1. Hector Luna’s RBI double in the first gave Pawtucket an early 1-0 lead. A Ryan Lavarnway 2-RBI double in the second inning vaulted the PawSox to a 3-0 advantage. Down 5-3 in the seventh, Pawtucket reclaimed the lead on another Lavarnway 2-RBI double and a Daniel Nava RBI single. Lehigh Valley tied the game in the bottom of the eighth on a costly passed ball by Luis Exposito. Nate Spears led off the top of the tenth inning with a solo home run to give the PawSox a chance for the victory. However, the IronPigs plated two in the bottom of the tenth to crush Pawtucket’s hopes and take home the victory. Nava was 4 for 5 with 3 runs scored in the loss.

A day after being beat down easily, Portland’s pitching held firm as they toppled the Binghamton Mets (NYM), 4-2. Chris Balcom-Miller tossed 5.2 innings for the Sea Dogs, allowing 1 run on 7 hits and a walk while punching out 7. Kyle Fernandes picked up the win for his 2.0 innings out of the bullpen, allowing 1 run on 1 hit and a walk, striking out 4. Blake Maxwell added 1.1 scoreless innings of work to collect his tenth save. Chih-Hsien Chiang’s RBI single in the first and Oscar Tejeda’s sacrifice fly in the second put Portland on top, 2-0. After Binghamton tied the game in the seventh, the Sea Dogs added runs on an Alex Hassan RBI single in the eighth and a Tim Federowicz solo home run in the ninth to seal the victory.

Salem could not squeeze out enough offense as they were silenced by the Frederick Keys (BAL), 4-3. Anthony Ranaudo hurled 5.0 innings for the Red Sox, allowing 2 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks while punching out 3. Chris Martin finished the game with 3.0 innings of relief, allowing 2 runs on 3 hits while striking out 1. A run scoring double play in the first gave Salem a quick 1-0 advantage. In the sixth, Bryce Brentz cracked a leadoff home run to put the Red Sox on top, 2-0. Down 4-2 in the eighth, Dan Butler added a solo home run to put Salem within one at 4-3. The Red Sox offense remained quiet for the remainder of the ballgame as they lost their third in a row.

Greenville compiled a 15 hit attack and took advantage of 3 errors to dim the Hagerstown Suns (WAS), 11-4. Manuel Rivera pitched the first 3.0 innings of the contest for the Drive, allowing 1 run on 2 hits and a walk, striking out 3. Scott Swinson picked up the victory for his 4.0 innings of work, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks, striking out 2. Justin Erasmus added a scoreless innings of relief, allowing 1 hit and punching out 1. Michael Gleason also added an inning out of the bullpen, allowing 1 run on 2 hits and 2 walks, striking out 1. The Drive wasted no time getting on the board in this one, plating three in the first on a Xander Bogaerts 2-RBI double as well as a David Renfroe RBI single. Leading 3-1 in the second, the Drive tacked on 2 more on a run scoring balk and a Sean Coyle RBI single. Greenville took an 8-1 lead in the third on an error and a Carson Blair two run home run. Bogaerts added a solo home run in the seventh to widen the Greenville lead to 9-2. The final two runs of the day for the Drive came on a Drew Domginuez RBI groundout and a Blair RBI single in the ninth. Bogaerts and Blair were the stars of the day for Greenville, each going 3 for 5 with a home run, double, and 3 RBI.

Despite outhitting their opponents 8-3, the GCL Red Sox were kept at bay by the GCL Rays (TB), 3-1. Sergio Gomez received the start for the Red Sox and tossed 6.0 scoreless innings, allowing a walk and 3 hits while punching out 3. John Killen received the loss for his 0.1 innings of work, allowing 3 runs on 3 walks. Jennell Hudson added 1.2 innings out of the bullpen, allowing a hit and 2 walks while striking out 1. The Red Sox lone run of the contest came in the seventh on a Bryan Johns sacrifice fly. David Chester and Jose Vinicio each had two hits in the loss.

The DSL Red Sox used a 4 run eighth inning to pull out a 4-3 victory over the DSL Pirates (PIT). Jeffry Fernandez hurled 3.1 innings for the Red Sox, allowing 3 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks, striking out 2. Ricardo Betancourt moved to an impressive 7-0 for his 4.1 shutout innings of work, allowing 3 hits and a walk. Ellis Jimenez received his fourth save for 1.1 scoreless innings of relief in which he struck out a batter. Down 3-0 in the eighth, the Red Sox plated four runs on an Anthony Amaya RBI single, and an Aneudis Peralta 3-RBI double to take a 4-3 lead. The Pirates had their chances to tie the game, leaving the bases loaded in the eighth to fall to the defeat.

Players of the Night: Xander Bogaerts and Carson Blair. Bogaerts was 3 for 4 with a double, home run, 3 RBI and 3 runs scored while Blair was 3 for 4 with a double, home run, 3 RBI and 1 run scored in Greenville’s 11-4 trouncing of Hagerstown.

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