May 2, 2012 at 8:38 AM
Cup of Coffee: Bradley's home run not enough to save Salem
5/2 Cup of Coffee: Only two affiliates saw action on Tuesday, with both Pawtucket and Salem falling victim to their opponents hot hitting.
Jackie Bradley Jr. (Kelly O'Connor) |
Portland's contest against the Trenton Thunder (NYY) was postponed due to rain. The teams will make up the contest July 1st as part of a doubleheader.
Salem, looking to bounce back from a loss Monday that snapped their five game winning streak, was unable to avoid giving Wilmington (KC) big innings as they fell to the Blue Rocks, 9-5. Miguel Celestino received the start for the Red Sox, tossing 4.0 innings, allowing 3 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks, striking out 3. Manuel Rivera received the loss for his 3.0 innings of relief, allowing 4 runs (3 earned) on 5 hit and 2 walks while punching out 5. Marco Duarte added an inning of relief out of the Salem bullpen, allowing 2 unearned runs on 2 hits. Jackie Bradley Jr. led off the contest with his first home run on 2012 to give the Red Sox a quick 1-0 advantage. In the second, Michael Almanzar's solo home run doubled Salem's lead, 2-0. Finding themselves trailing Wilmington 3-2 in the sixth, the Red Sox tied the contest on a Xander Bogaerts solo home run. The Blue Rocks quickly answered the Red Sox in the bottom half of the sixth, aided by a Sean Coyle throwing error and a steal of home as they plated four runs to take a 7-3 lead. Salem answered right back in the seventh, bringing home two runs on a Travis Shaw RBI double and a Brandon Jacobs RBI single to pull within two, 7-5. The Red Sox were unable to keep the game close, as they allowed Wilmington to bring home two more runs in the bottom of the eighth and wasted a golden opportunity in the ninth with two on and no outs. Bradley, Coyle, Jacobs and Bogaerts each had two hits to lead the Salem offense.
Player of the Night: Jackie Bradley Jr., who continued his torrid start to the 2012 season with a 2 for 5 evening, smacking his first home run of 2012, picking up an RBI and scoring a run in Salem's 9-5 loss to Wilmington. Bradley is now hitting .361/.462/.518 with 10 extra base hits and 17 RBI through the Red Sox first 22 contests.