June 20, 2012 at 6:47 AM
Cup of Coffee: Portland embarasses Senators, Shaw powers Carolina League All-Stars
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| Travis Shaw (Milb.com) |
6/20 Cup of Coffee: Portland's offense exploded for the lone affiliate win of the evening. Meanwhile, a handful of Red Sox prospects participated in All-Star contests.
Syracuse's early lead proved to be too much to overcome as the Chiefs (WAS) slid past Pawtucket, 4-3. Doug Mathis fell to 5-4 for his 6.0 innings of work, allowing four runs (two earned) on nine hits while striking out four. Will Inman added 2.0 scoreless innings of relief, allowing a hit while punching out three. Down 3-0 in the fifth, Pawtucket crept to within one on a Tony Thomas solo home run and a Jason Repko RBI double. Trailing by two in the sixth, the PawSox trimmed the lead to one on Alex Hassan's solo home run. Pawtucket remained quiet the rest of the contest, with their best chance to tie the game coming in the eighth when they stranded a runner on third. The PawSox were a dreadful 0 for 11 with runners in scoring position.
Portland was firing on all cylinders as they hammered the Harrisburg Senators (WAS), 14-0. Chris Hernandez was solid once again as he improved to 4-6, hurling 7.0 shutout innings, allowing five hits and two walks while striking out three. Chris Balcom-Miller made his first career relief appearance, tossing a scoreless ninth inning, allowing a hit while striking out two. The Sea Dogs commenced their scoring in the second, plating two on a Ryan Dent RBI single. In the fourth, Portland put the game out of reach with nine runs on a Derrik Gibson RBI single, Jeremy Hazelbaker bases loaded walk, Oscar Tejeda grand slam, Bryce Brentz RBI double and a Marquez Smith sacrifice fly. Hazelbaker added a two run home run in the seventh and a wild pitch brought Dan Butler home in the eighth to cap the Sea Dogs offensive barrage. Portland compiled 16 hits in the victory.
In the High-A All-Star game, the Carolina League topped the California League, 9-1. Salem's Travis Shaw took home MVP honors for his 1 for 2 evening that saw him crush a two run home run in the fifth inning. Teammate Jackie Bradley was 0 for 5 with a run scored and an RBI. Xander Bogaerts finished the contest 0 for 2.
The Low-A South Atlantic League All-Star game saw the North All-Stars top the South All-Stars, 3-2. For the South squad, Garin Cecchini was 0 for 2 and Miguel Pena added an inning of relief, walking one and striking out one.
Unable to duplicate their opening day magic, Lowell was mauled by the Connecticut Tigers (DET), 11-4. Zach Good received the start for the Spinners, tossing 5.0 innings, allowing one run on four hits while striking out three. Leandro Marin had a rough outing as he begins a rehab assignment, allowing five runs on two hits and three walks without recording an out. Kyle Kraus made his professional debut, tossing an inning of relief, allowing an unearned run on a hit and a walk, striking out two. Down 1-0 after the top of the first, Kendrick Perkins smacked a solo home run to tie the game, 1-1. A Mookie Betts RBI single in the fourth would give the Spinners a 2-1 advantage. The Tigers responded with six runs in the sixth, one in the seventh and three in the top of the ninth to take a commanding 11-2 lead. A throwing error and a Williams Jerez RBI single gave Lowell two runs in the bottom of the ninth. Jerez was 3 for 4 with an RBI to lead the Spinners offense.
For the second day in a row, the GCL Red Sox were nipped by the GCL Rays (TB), 3-2. Sergio Gomez received the start for the Red Sox, hurling 3.0 innings, allowing one run on three hits and two walks, striking out six. Pedro Reyes picked up the loss for his 2.0 innings of relief, allowing two runs (one earned) on a hit and three walks. The Red Sox quickly got on the board, bringing home a run in the first inning on a throwing error. After the Rays tied the game in the bottom of the first, the Red Sox grabbed the lead back in the third on a Nick Moore RBI ground out. The Rays plated two runs in the fifth to take a 3-2 lead and held the Red Sox in check the rest of the contest. Jose Colorado continued his strong start to the season, going 3 for 4 with two runs scored.
The DSL Rangers (TEX) were able to blow by the DSL Red Sox, 9-3. Luis Ortega received the loss for his 1.2 innings of work, allowing four runs on four hits. Wildyn Florian tossed 1.1 innings of relief, allowing three runs on three hits and two walks, striking out two. Carlos Garcia hurled 4.0 innings of relief out of the Red Sox bullpen, allowing a run on three hits and two walks, striking out three. Down 7-0 in the third, the Red Sox grabbed two runs on a Robert Del Rosario RBI single and a Alixon Suarez sacrifice fly. The Red Sox only other run of the game came in the sixth on a Roberto Duncan RBI single.
Player of the Night: Travis Shaw, who went 1 for 2 with a two run home run in the High-A All-Star Game, earning himself MVP honors as he helped the Carolina League take home a 9-1 victory.