July 11, 2011 at 6:00 AM
Lavarnway's muscle powers Pawtucket
7/11 Cup of Coffee: Salem and Greenville powered their way to victory as Pawtucket, Portland and the DSL Sox lost close battles. Lowell’s bullpen continued to struggle, as they blew a late lead.The home run ball proved to be Pawtucket’s best friend as they defeated the Buffalo Bisons (NYM), 4-3. Matt Fox picked up the victory for his 5.1 innings of work, allowing 2 runs on 2 hits and 4 walks while striking out 7. Jason Rice added 2.2 innings of relief, allowing 1 run on 5 hits. Randy Williams picked up his fifth save by pitching a scoreless ninth inning, allowing a hit and a walk, striking out 1. The PawSox jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the fourth, as they received solo home runs from Ryan Lavarnway and Hector Luna. Buffalo cut the lead in half during the top of the fifth as former PawSox Bubba Bell scampered home on a double. In the bottom of the fifth, Lavarnway cracked a two run home run to give Pawtucket a 4-1 lead. Although the Bisons pulled to within one in the sixth, the PawSox bullpen shut the door the rest of the way. Lavarnway was 3 for 5 with 2 home runs, a double and 3 RBI to lead the Pawtucket offense.
In a late inning battle, Portland could not overcome the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (TOR) as they were defeated, 5-4. Stephen Fife hurled 7.0 innings, allowing 3 runs on 9 hits and a walk while striking out 7. Eammon Portice picked up the loss, pitching 1.1 innings, allowing 2 runs on 2 hits while striking out 1. The Fisher Cats jumped out to an early 3-0 lead as their bats got to Fife right away. In the third, Mitch Dening came home on a passed ball to cut the Fisher Cats lead to 3-1. Portland pulled to within one in the fourth as Reynaldo Rodriguez came home on an RBI ground out by Tim Federowicz. Jeremy Hazelbaker’s two run home run in the top of the eighth gave the Sea Dogs a 4-3 lead. New Hampshire tied the game in the bottom of the eighth on a solo home run and added another solo home run in the bottom of the ninth to walk off with a victory. Hazelbaker was 2 for 4 with a home run, run scored and 2 RBI to lead the Portland offense.
Salem used a 12 hit attack and solid starting pitching to slow down the Winston-Salem Dash (CHW), 8-4. Chris Hernandez tossed 5.0 innings, allowing 1 run on 1 hit and 2 walks while striking out 5. Michael Gleason followed Hernandez with 2.0 innings of relief, allowing 1 run on 3 hits and 2 walks, striking out 1. Tom Ebert also contributed 2.0 innings out of the bullpen, allowing 1 run on 2 hits and 2 walks while striking out 1. A Jorge Padron RBI double and a Bryce Brentz two run home run gave the Red Sox a 3-0 lead after three. In the fourth, Salem plated two more runs on back-to-back RBI singles by Kolbrin Vitek and Padron. After Winston-Salem got on the board with a run in the top of the fifth, the Red Sox added three more runs on a Zach Gentile RBI single and a Shannon Wilkerson RBI double. The Dash scored a run in the sixth and two in the eighth, but could not muster enough for a comeback. Padron was 3 for 4 with a double, run scored and 2 RBI to lead the Red Sox offense.
A 15 hit barrage led Greenville to an 8-5 victory over the Rome Braves (ATL). Miguel Celestino moved to 7-4, tossing 5.0 innings, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and a walk, striking out 1. Andrew Jones contributed 2.0 innings of relief, allowing 1 run on 2 hits while striking out 2. Charle Rosario was the next member of the Drive out of the bullpen, pitching 1.0 inning, allowing 2 runs on 2 hits and a walk. Dennis Neuman picked up his fifth save of the season for a 1-2-3 ninth inning. Down 2-0 in the second, Greenville tied the game on a Xander Bogaerts two run home run. Brandon Jacobs’ solo home run in the third gave the Drive a 3-2 advantage. Matty Johnson and Drew Hedman RBI singles in the seventh extended Greenville’s lead to 5-2. After Rome cut the lead to two in the bottom half of the seventh, the Drive answered with three runs in the top of the eighth, on a Felix Sanchez RBI single and a Jacobs RBI double. The Braves added two more in the bottom of the eighth, but ultimately fell short. Greenville was 5 for 20 with runners in scoring position and took advantage of three Rome errors.
The Spinners had another tough night as their bullpen once again proved to be unreliable in a 10-7 loss to the Hudson Valley Renegades (TB). Raynel Velette hurled 2.2 innings, allowing 2 unearned runs on 2 hits and 4 walks while striking out 1. Nefi Ogando added 4.1 innings of relief, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and 4 walks, striking out 3. Corey Vogt received the loss as he went 0.1 innings, allowing 4 runs on 1 hit and 3 walks. Michael McCarthy added 1.2 innings out of the bullpen, allowing 2 runs on 2 hits and 3 walks, striking out 3. Down 2-0 in the fourth, Lowell took a 3-2 lead on a Jayson Hernandez sacrifice fly and a Boss Moanaroa two run home run. Hudson Valley grabbed a 4-3 lead in the top of the sixth but the Spinners grabbed a 6-4 lead in the bottom half of the inning on a Drew Turocy two run home run and a Garin Cecchini RBI triple. Turocy’s RBI double in the seventh opened up a 7-4 advantage for the Spinners. Lowell’s bullpen melted down in the later innings, allowing 5 runs in the eighth and 1 run in the ninth to seal a 10-7 loss. Turocy was 3 for 4 with his first professional home run, a double, run scored and 3 RBI to lead the Spinners offense. Velette and Lowell manager Carlos Febles were ejected in the third inning.
The DSL Sox were clipped by the DSL Inidians (CLE), 2-1. Edwar Garcia went 3.2 innings, allowing no runs on 3 hits and 6 walks, striking out 1. Jonathan Aro picked up the loss for his 4.1 innings of work, allowing 2 unearned runs on 1 hit and 1 walk, striking out 2. The Red Sox lone run of the contest came in the second when Deiner Lopez came home on an errant throw on a pickoff attempt by the Indians pitcher.
In the thirteenth annual MLB Futures Game, the U.S. team rallied for a 6-4 victory over the World squad. Portland outfield Chih-Hsien Chiang was 0 for 3 with a walk and a run scored. Sea Dogs third baseman Will Middlebrooks was 1 for 2 with a single.
Player of the Night: Ryan Lavarnway, who was 3 for 4 with a double, home run, two runs scored and 3 RBI in Pawtucket’s 4-3 win over Buffalo.