Cup of Coffee: Rodriguez's thunder at the plate leads Portland

7/25 Cup of Coffee: Wins were hard to come by for the affiliates on Tuesday as Lowell split a doubleheader against Vermont while Portland and the DSL Red Sox also found the win column. Pawtucket and the GCL Red Sox failed to find offensive rhythm while Salem fell late and Greenville was embarrassed by Asheville. 
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A low scoring affair went the wrong way for Pawtucket as they fell to the Indianapolis Indians (PIT), 3-1. Zach Stewart received the start for the PawSox, hurling 5.0 innings, allowing three runs on six hits and three walks, punching out five. Mark Prior added 2.0 innings of scoreless relief, striking out two. Pawtucket's lone run of the contest came in the eighth on a Juan Carlos Linares RBI single. Ryan Lavarnway was 3 for 4 with a run scored in the loss.

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Portland's quick start proved to be enough as they overpowered the Trenton Thunder (NYY), 5-2. Stolmy Pimentel picked up the victory for his 6.1 innings of work, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk, striking out six. Josh Fields earned his seventh save of the season for a tidy 2.2 innings of relief, allowing only one hit while striking out five. The Sea Dogs wasted no time getting on the board in this one, receiving a a three run home run from Reynaldo Rodriguez (pictured) in the bottom of the first inning. Rodriguez would go deep again in the eighth as he accounted for all five of Portland's runs. On the evening, Rodriguez was 3 for 4 with two home runs, two runs scored and five RBI. Second baseman Marquez Smith also had a nice evening at the plate, going 2 for 4 with two doubles and two runs scored. Portland is now 11-4 in their last 15 games and finds themselves within two games of fourth place Binghamton (NYM) in the Eastern Division.

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Poor bullpen work sank Salem as they were nipped 6-5 by the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (TEX). Matt Barnes pitched well in his 5.0 innings of work, allowing a run on five hits while striking out three. After Myrtle Beach took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, the Red Sox responded with three in the bottom of the inning. Notably, Salem had Xander Bogaerts gunned out at the plate and Christian Vazquez thrown out a third to cut down their rally. Down 5-3 in the seventh, Bogaerts crushed a solo home run and Adalberto Ibarra laced an RBI double to tie the game. Myrtle Beach got to an ineffective Pete Ruiz in the ninth to claim the victory. Bogaerts was 3 for 4 with a home run and an RBI in the contest while third baseman Michael Almanzar went 4 for 4. Almanzar is now hitting .345/.433/.619 with five home runs and 14 RBI this month.

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Despite an early 3-0 lead, Greenville was trampled by the Asheville Tourists (COL), 16-3. Noe Ramirez dropped to 0-3 as he tossed 4.2 innings, allowing five runs on ten hits and a walk, striking out five. Justin Erasmus highlighted the ugly relief work by the Drive, allowing seven runs on seven hits in just an inning of work. Jose Garcia was 2 for 3 with two doubles to lead the Greenville offense.

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In game one of a doubleheader, Lowell beat back the Vermont Lake Monsters (OAK), 5-3. Mike Aguilera received the start and hurled 3.0 stellar innings, allowing an unearned run on two hits while striking out three. Kyle Kraus picked up his first professional save as he tossed a flawless seventh inning. Matthew Gedman was 1 for 3 with three RBI and Oscar Perez was 2 for 3 with a double and an RBI to lead the Spinners offense. Deven Marrero went 2 for 3 but also committed two throwing errors, bringing his total to nine so far this season.

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Game two was a much different story for the Spinners as their offense disappeared in a 5-1 defeat at the hands of the Lake Monsters. Pat Light tossed 2.0 innings in the start, allowing just a hit and a walk. Reliever Zachary Good was roughed up as he fell to 0-6, allowing five runs (three earned) on five hits and four walks. The Spinners had just three hits and struck out 12 times in seven innings. 

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An early two run hole was too much for the GCL Red Sox to overcome in their 2-1 loss to the GCL Rays (TB). Ricardo Betancourt picked up first loss of the year as he twirled 5.1 innings, allowing two unearned runs on seven hits and two walks. The Red Sox lone run of the game came in the fifth as Deiner Lopez laced an RBI double.

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The DSL Red Sox made an early lead stand up as they blanked the DSL Marlins (FLA), 1-0. Dioscar Romero was dazzling in his 6.0 inning start, allowing just two hits and a walk while striking out four. Yankory Pimentel picked up his first professional save for 3.0 innings of scoreless relief. The Red Sox lone run of the game came in the first inning, as Manuel Margot walked, stole second and stole third and came home on a throwing error. With the victory, the Red Sox find themselves just 1.5 games behind the first place DSL Rangers in the BC North division.
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Player of the Night: Accounting for all of the offense in his team's 5-2 victory, Reynaldo Rodriguez flexed his power with two home runs and five RBI. The 26-year-old Rodriguez is once again showing his impressive power this season as he has hit 16 home runs and 25 doubles in 84 games. Last season Rodriguez smacked 18 home runs and 39 doubles primarily splitting his season between High-A Salem and Double-A Portland.

Photo credit: Reynaldo Rodriguez by SoxProspects, LLC

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