Cup of Coffee: Impressive day for affiliates highlighted by Hazelbaker's banner day

7/19 Cup of Coffee: Portland, Salem and the GCL Red Sox all put up double digits in runs as they cruised to easy victories. Pawtucket and Lowell each fell short while the DSL Red Sox pulled out a win.

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Key hits were at a premium as Pawtucket fell to the Syracuse Chiefs (WAS), 5-1. Billy Buckner dropped to 1-5 as he hurled 6.0 innings, allowing two runs on six hits and two walks, striking out seven. The PawSox lone run of the evening came home on Che-Hsuan Lin's RBI single in the fifth. Jose Iglesias was 2 for 4 to lead the Pawtucket offense.

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The Sea Dogs jumped all over the Reading Phillies (PHI), 12-0. Jeremy Kehrt picked up the victory, tossing 5.0 perfect innings, striking out 5. Chris Balcolm-Miller relieved Kehrt and allowed Reading's first hit of the contest to lead off the seventh, it would be one of just two Phillies hits on the day. The majority of the production for Portland came from Jeremy Hazelbaker (pictured) and Marquez Smith who hit second and third respectively. Hazelbaker was 3 for 4 with two home runs, five RBI, four runs scored and a stolen base. Smith was 2 for 5 with a triple, home run and three RBI. In seven games since the All-Star break, Hazelbaker has hit .333/.467/.917 with four home runs and eight RBI.

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Pounding out 15 hits and taking advantage of four errors, the Salem Red Sox crushed the Frederick Keys (BAL), 14-4. Yeiper Castillo picked up his first win in a Salem uniform, hurling 6.0 innings, allowing an unearned run on three hits and two walks, striking out four. Every member of the Red Sox lineup reached base at least once with Travis Shaw and Xander Bogaerts each collecting three hits to lead the team. Shaw, Shannon Wilkerson and Sean Coyle each homered in the contest as the Red Sox also smacked five doubles.

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A sizable early deficit was too much to overcome for Lowell as the Spinners dropped a 9-3 decision to the Tri-City Valley Cats (HOU). Mike Aguilera was smoked in just 1.2 innings of work, allowing nine runs (eight earned) on seven hits and a walk. Francisco Taveras continued to dazzle in relief, twirling 6.1 scoreless innings, allowing just five hits and punching out four. Lowell's lone offense of the evening came on a David Chester two run home run in the sixth.

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The GCL Red Sox methodically dismantled the GCL Orioles (BAL), 16-1. Ricardo Betancourt moved to 4-0 for his 6.0 perfect innings, allowing just three walks while striking out four. The Red Sox scoring was primarily station-to-station as the team only had two extra base hits and no home runs. Every member of the Red Sox lineup except Shaq Green-Thompson had an RBI, with Tzu-Wei Lin, Jeremias Pineda and Keaton Briscoe leading the offensive charge with three hits apiece. First baseman Nathan Minnich was 1 for 1 with two runs scored, two RBI and four walks. Kolbrin Vitek continued his rehab by going 1 for 3 with a run scored and two RBI.

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A big day at the plate for Pablo Urena helped lead the DSL Red Sox past the rival DSL Yankees2 (NYY), 5-1. Keivin Heras moved to 4-0 due to his 6.0 outstanding inning of work, not allowing a run on just two hits while striking out three. Urena was 2 for 3 with two doubles, a run scored and two RBI to lead the Red Sox offense. 

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Player of the Day: Jeremy Hazelbaker, who ignited the Portland offense with two home runs and five RBI. Hazelbaker continued his trend of being an amazing player at home in 2012, as he has hit .323/.403/.620 with 11 home runs and 36 RBI at Hadlock Field as opposed to .180/.265/.259 with two home runs and nine RBI elsewhere.

Photo credit: Jeremy Hazelbaker by Drivfan08

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