June 27, 2012 at 6:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Wilkerson, Vazquez lift Salem as Marrero goes deep for Lowell
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| Shannon Wilkerson (Kelly O'Connor) |
6/27 Cup of Coffee: Salem pulled out the lone affiliate victory of the day as pitching was suspect in the majority of Tuesday’s contests.
Pawtucket’s recent struggles continued as they were blanked by the Charlotte Knights (CHW), 8-0. Billy Buckner was rocked in his 4.2 innings of work, allowing eight runs on eight hits and a walk, striking out six. Tony Pena added 3.1 innings of scoreless relief, allowing three hits and punching out two. Jose Iglesias returned to the PawSox lineup for the first time since May 25, going 0 for 5. The loss is Pawtucket’s ninth straight defeat, as they are tied for first place with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI).
A deadlocked extra inning tussle broke the wrong way as the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (TOR) sank the Sea Dogs, 5-3 in 13 innings. Chris Martin hurled the first 6.0 innings for Portland, allowing two runs on seven hits and a walk, striking out three. Josh Fields added 3.2 innings of scoreless relief, allowing a walk and striking out four. Chris Balcom-Miller received the loss for his lone inning of relief, allowing two runs on four hits. Down 3-0 in the seventh, the Sea Dogs pulled to within one on an RBI single from Jeremy Hazelbaker. In the ninth, Portland loaded the bases with nobody out before a run scoring double play tied the game, 3-3. The Sea Dogs had a golden opportunity in the 11th, having runners at the corners with one out before Dan Butler grounded into an inning ending double play. The Fisher Cats received a two run home run in the top of the 13th to take home the victory. Only four members of the Portland lineup mustered a hit, with Jackie Bradley, Derrik Gibson, Peter Hissey and Hazelbaker each collecting three.
Unliked their Double-A counterparts, the Salem Red Sox nipped the Winston-Salem Dash (CHW), 6-5 in 13 innings. Charle Rosario received the start for the Red Sox, tossing 5.0 innings, allowing four runs on four hits and two walks, striking out three. Andrew Jones picked up the victory for his 2.0 innings of scoreless relief, moving to 3-1 on the season. Down 2-0 in the third, the Red Sox cut the lead in half on a Shannon Wilkerson RBI single. Trailing 5-1 in the seventh, Salem once again pulled to within a run, plating three on a throwing error and a Travis Shaw RBI single. Wilkerson delivered big time in the ninth, roping a one out RBI double to tie the game, 5-5. In the 13th, Christian Vazquez's RBI single broke the deadlock and gave the Red Sox a 6-5 advantage they would not relinquish. Wilkerson and Vazquez each had three hits to lead the Salem offense.
Greenville lost a heartbreaker, allowing the Rome Braves (ATL) to walk off with a 3-2 victory. Noe Ramirez continued his stellar start to 2012, tossing 6.0 innings, allowing two runs on six hits and a walk, striking out four. Matty Ott added 2.0 scoreless innings of relief, allowing just two hits. Nathan Striz, making his Drive debut, received the loss for allowing the winning run on two hits in his 0.2 innings of work. With the game scoreless in the fourth, Greenville grabbed a 2-0 lead on RBI singles by Henry Ramos and Cody Koback. Rome tied the game in the bottom half of the inning and the two teams remained deadlocked into the later innings. In the bottom of the ninth, Rome staged a two out rally to bring home the winning run. Garin Cecchini stole his team leading 24th base in the contest, good enough to place him fifth in the South Atlantic League.
Lowell’s power display was not enough to save them from a 10-5 defeat at the hands of the Tri-City Valley Cats (HOU). Raynel Velette received the loss for his 4.1 inning performance, allowing six runs (five earned) on eight hits and a walk, striking out two. Yunior Ortega tossed 3.0 innings of relief, allowing four runs on five hits and two walks, striking out two. The Spinners grabbed a quick 1-0 lead in the first as Matthew Gedman laced an RBI single. With the game tied in the fourth, Lowell took a 2-1 lead on a Kendrick Perkins solo home run. Down 7-2 in the sixth, the Spinners pulled to within three on a Gedman two run home run. In the seventh, Deven Marrero smashed his first professional home run to bring the Spinners to within two, 7-5. Tri-Country added three more runs in the eighth and cruised to victory. After beginning the season 4-1, Lowell has now dropped four straight contests.
The GCL Red Sox were unable to get in both games of their doubleheader against the GCL Rays as they were once again postponed by rain.
The DSL Red Sox were doubled up by the DSL Mets2 (NYM), 12-6. Dioscar Ramirez struggled in his 3.1 innings of work, allowing six runs (four earned) on seven hits and two walks, striking out three. Yankory Pimentel added 2.1 innings of relief, allowing six runs (five earned) on four hits and two walks, striking out a pair. Finding themselves in a deep 12-0 hole in sixth, the Red Sox finally got on the board on an Alixon Suarez RBI ground out. In the eighth, the Red Sox scored their second run of the game on a Robert Del Rosario solo home run. In the ninth, the Red Sox rallied for four runs on a Kevin Segovia RBI single, Raymel Flores RBI triple and an Andres Garcia RBI ground out. Despite the loss, the Red Sox remain in first place with a 14-7 record, one game better than the DSL Mets2.
Player of the Night: Shannon Wilkerson, who went 3 for 6 with a double, two RBI and a run scored in Salem's 6-5 victory over Winston Salem.
Pawtucket’s recent struggles continued as they were blanked by the Charlotte Knights (CHW), 8-0. Billy Buckner was rocked in his 4.2 innings of work, allowing eight runs on eight hits and a walk, striking out six. Tony Pena added 3.1 innings of scoreless relief, allowing three hits and punching out two. Jose Iglesias returned to the PawSox lineup for the first time since May 25, going 0 for 5. The loss is Pawtucket’s ninth straight defeat, as they are tied for first place with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI).
A deadlocked extra inning tussle broke the wrong way as the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (TOR) sank the Sea Dogs, 5-3 in 13 innings. Chris Martin hurled the first 6.0 innings for Portland, allowing two runs on seven hits and a walk, striking out three. Josh Fields added 3.2 innings of scoreless relief, allowing a walk and striking out four. Chris Balcom-Miller received the loss for his lone inning of relief, allowing two runs on four hits. Down 3-0 in the seventh, the Sea Dogs pulled to within one on an RBI single from Jeremy Hazelbaker. In the ninth, Portland loaded the bases with nobody out before a run scoring double play tied the game, 3-3. The Sea Dogs had a golden opportunity in the 11th, having runners at the corners with one out before Dan Butler grounded into an inning ending double play. The Fisher Cats received a two run home run in the top of the 13th to take home the victory. Only four members of the Portland lineup mustered a hit, with Jackie Bradley, Derrik Gibson, Peter Hissey and Hazelbaker each collecting three.
Unliked their Double-A counterparts, the Salem Red Sox nipped the Winston-Salem Dash (CHW), 6-5 in 13 innings. Charle Rosario received the start for the Red Sox, tossing 5.0 innings, allowing four runs on four hits and two walks, striking out three. Andrew Jones picked up the victory for his 2.0 innings of scoreless relief, moving to 3-1 on the season. Down 2-0 in the third, the Red Sox cut the lead in half on a Shannon Wilkerson RBI single. Trailing 5-1 in the seventh, Salem once again pulled to within a run, plating three on a throwing error and a Travis Shaw RBI single. Wilkerson delivered big time in the ninth, roping a one out RBI double to tie the game, 5-5. In the 13th, Christian Vazquez's RBI single broke the deadlock and gave the Red Sox a 6-5 advantage they would not relinquish. Wilkerson and Vazquez each had three hits to lead the Salem offense.
Greenville lost a heartbreaker, allowing the Rome Braves (ATL) to walk off with a 3-2 victory. Noe Ramirez continued his stellar start to 2012, tossing 6.0 innings, allowing two runs on six hits and a walk, striking out four. Matty Ott added 2.0 scoreless innings of relief, allowing just two hits. Nathan Striz, making his Drive debut, received the loss for allowing the winning run on two hits in his 0.2 innings of work. With the game scoreless in the fourth, Greenville grabbed a 2-0 lead on RBI singles by Henry Ramos and Cody Koback. Rome tied the game in the bottom half of the inning and the two teams remained deadlocked into the later innings. In the bottom of the ninth, Rome staged a two out rally to bring home the winning run. Garin Cecchini stole his team leading 24th base in the contest, good enough to place him fifth in the South Atlantic League.
Lowell’s power display was not enough to save them from a 10-5 defeat at the hands of the Tri-City Valley Cats (HOU). Raynel Velette received the loss for his 4.1 inning performance, allowing six runs (five earned) on eight hits and a walk, striking out two. Yunior Ortega tossed 3.0 innings of relief, allowing four runs on five hits and two walks, striking out two. The Spinners grabbed a quick 1-0 lead in the first as Matthew Gedman laced an RBI single. With the game tied in the fourth, Lowell took a 2-1 lead on a Kendrick Perkins solo home run. Down 7-2 in the sixth, the Spinners pulled to within three on a Gedman two run home run. In the seventh, Deven Marrero smashed his first professional home run to bring the Spinners to within two, 7-5. Tri-Country added three more runs in the eighth and cruised to victory. After beginning the season 4-1, Lowell has now dropped four straight contests.
The GCL Red Sox were unable to get in both games of their doubleheader against the GCL Rays as they were once again postponed by rain.
The DSL Red Sox were doubled up by the DSL Mets2 (NYM), 12-6. Dioscar Ramirez struggled in his 3.1 innings of work, allowing six runs (four earned) on seven hits and two walks, striking out three. Yankory Pimentel added 2.1 innings of relief, allowing six runs (five earned) on four hits and two walks, striking out a pair. Finding themselves in a deep 12-0 hole in sixth, the Red Sox finally got on the board on an Alixon Suarez RBI ground out. In the eighth, the Red Sox scored their second run of the game on a Robert Del Rosario solo home run. In the ninth, the Red Sox rallied for four runs on a Kevin Segovia RBI single, Raymel Flores RBI triple and an Andres Garcia RBI ground out. Despite the loss, the Red Sox remain in first place with a 14-7 record, one game better than the DSL Mets2.
Player of the Night: Shannon Wilkerson, who went 3 for 6 with a double, two RBI and a run scored in Salem's 6-5 victory over Winston Salem.