Cup of Coffee: Blake Swihart hits walk-off shot for Greenville

8/23 Cup of Coffee: Bryce Brentz hit two home runs, Blake Swihart hit a walk-off home run, and Keith Couch and William Cuevas pitched spectacularly in a positive night for nearly all of the affiliates, save the GCL Red Sox.
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Bryce Brentz hit two home runs and the Sea Dogs defeated the New Britain Rock Cats (MIN), 7-2. The Sea Dogs jumped out to an early three-run lead when Brentz hit a RBI double and Xander Bogaerts hit a two-run single in the first. The Rock Cats chipped away and were within a run by the fourth inning, but Brentz extended their lead with a solo shot in the fifth. The Sea Dogs scored three insurance runs in the seventh inning on a RBI double from Jeremy Hazelbaker and another two-run home run from Brentz. Stolmy Pimentel pitched well in his second consecutive start, allowing two runs (one earned) over 6.0 innings and striking out four. Chris Martin and Michael Olmsted combined for 3.0 scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Olmsted has not allowed a run since his promotion to Portland.
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Keith Couch pitched 7.0 spectacular innings to lead the Salem Red Sox to a 5-3 victory over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (TEX). The only run Couch allowed over his 7.0 innings came in the first inning. Otherwise, he pitched six consecutive scoreless innings, allowing only two base runners to reach. He yielded three hits (two of which came in the first inning), struck out two and walked one. Andrew Jones allowed two runs in the eighth inning to trim the Red Sox lead to two runs, but he pitched a scoreless ninth inning to maintain the victory. The Red Sox scored two runs in the top of the first when Michael Almanzar grounded out to score Heiker Meneses, who had reached third on a throwing error, and Brandon Jacobs hit a sacrifice fly. The Pelicans responded with a run, but the Red Sox scored another run in the top of the second on a sacrifice fly from David Renfroe to maintain a two-run cushion. Drew Hedman drew a bases-loaded walk, and Sean Coyle hit a sacrifice fly to add two more insurance runs in the eighth inning.
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The Greenville Drive split their doubleheader with the Augusta GreenJackets (SF). In the first game, the Drive managed only one run and fell, 6-1. Drive starter Jason Garcia ran into trouble in the third inning, where he allowed all five earned runs. In total, he threw 5.0 innings, allowed seven hits, struck out two and walked four. Kevin Brahney also allowed a run in his 2.0 innings of work. The Drive scored their only run in the bottom of the first when Keury De La Cruz hit a RBI double.

Blake Swihart hit a three-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth to defeat the GreenJackets, 5-2. Luis Diaz started the game, allowing two runs on five hits over 5.2 innings. Nathan Striz followed with 1.1 scoreless innings for the win. Once again, De La Cruz drew first blood when he hit a solo shot in the second inning. The GreenJackets tied the game in the third and briefly had the lead in the top of the sixth before the Drive tied it up in the bottom frame when Boss Moanaroa drew a bases-loaded walk. The game was tied going into the bottom of the seventh. Cody Koback doubled and Garin Cecchini was intentionally walked to pave the way for Swihart’s game-winning shot.
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The Lowell Spinners and the Aberdeen IronBirds (BAL) engaged in a 11 inning stalemate, but the Spinners came out victorious, defeating the IronBirds, 3-2. Jake Davies hit a RBI double to put the Spinners on the board, but the IronBirds quickly responded with their only two runs of the game in the bottom of the first. David Chester hit a solo home run, his ninth of the season, to tie the game, and it remained tied until the 11th inning. Matthew Marquis walked and Aneury Tavarez hit a RBI double to center field to score him. Madison Younginer started the game, allowing two runs on three hits over 4.1 innings. William Cuevas followed, and hurled 6.2 spectacular scoreless innings to keep the Spinners in the game, yielding only one hit and striking out five.
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The GCL Red Sox weren’t able to scrape together much offense, and fell to the GCL Rays, 3-2. David Sopilka hit a RBI single for the first Red Sox run in the second, and Jose Colorado hit a sacrifice fly to score Cleuluis Rondon, who had tripled, in the third for the second and final Red Sox run. 2012 fourth-round pick Ty Buttrey started the game and allowed his first professional run on four hits over his 2.0 innings. Sergio Gomez piggybacked him and allowed two runs on three hits over 5.0 innings of work and struck out six. Robby Scott threw a scoreless inning to lower his ERA to 0.44. The GCL Red Sox now lead their division by only a game.
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The DSL Red Sox defeated the DSL Yankees, 6-1 and nearly shut them out had the Yankees not scored their only run of the game in the bottom of the ninth. It was a scoreless game until the fourth inning when Manuel Margot led off the inning with a solo home run. The Red Sox scored a run in both the sixth and seventh innings, but it was their three-run eighth inning that really put them over the edge. Junior Estrella drew a bases-loaded walk, Aneudis Peralta hit a RBI single, and Ricardo Andujar hit a sacrifice fly. Dioscar Romero started the game tossing 5.0 scoreless innings, allowing four hits and striking out five. Yankory Pimentel and Edinxon Pacheo combined for 3.0 scoreless innings, and Javier Rodriguez allowed the only run of the game. The DSL Red Sox are two games back in their division with their season ending on Saturday.
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Player of the Night: Bryce Brentz was 4 for 5 on the day with 4 RBI and scored three runs himself. Over his last 10 games, he is batting .366 and is hitting .400 during the month of August after batting a dismal .200 in July. On the season, he is batting .290 with 17 home runs and 69 RBI and a .352 OBP.

Photo Credit: Bryce Brentz, David Letizi 

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