Cup of Coffee: Greenville notches sole victory in rough night for affiliates

Cup of Coffee 8/2: It was a rough night for the affiliates, with only the Greenville Drive barely escaping with a victory. There is still hope, however, for the Salem Red Sox, whose tie-game was suspended in the bottom of the ninth inning. 

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Despite recovering from a two-run deficit, Pawtucket lost a close one to the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs (PHI) 3-2 in extra innings. Down two in the sixth, the PawSox tied the game on an RBI single from Mauro Gomez, which plated Jose Iglesias, followed by a sacrifice fly from Juan Carlos Linares, scoring Jason Repko. Alex Wilson came in for the bottom of the 10th, but gave up a walk-off home run to the first batter he faced. Tony Pena, Jr. started the game, giving up two runs on six hits over 4.2 innings. The PawSox bullpen kept the Iron Pigs at bay until the 10th, with Jose De La Torre, Mark Prior, and Will Inman combining for 4.1 innings of near-perfect relief, allowing just one baserunner on a Prior walk. Gomez paced the PawSox bats, going 2 for 5.

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After jumping out to an early lead, Portland had trouble responding to the Akron Aeros’ (CHC) formidable five-run fourth inning and ultimately lost, 5-3. Portland starter Mike MacDonald had held the Aeros hitless until they erupted for six consecutive singles to lead off the fourth, eventually plating five on those hits and two RBI groundouts. MacDonald ultimately lasted 5.0 innings, allowing five runs on seven hits and one walk, striking out four. Portland threatened in the bottom of the ninth when Peter Hissey led the inning off with a double and Ryan Dent singled him in, but it was not enough to extend the game into extras. Dent reached in all four of his plate appearances, going 3 for 3 and getting hit by a pitch, while Jeremy Hazelbaker (pictured) went 2 for 4 with a double. Chris Martin and Michael Olmsted pitched four innings of scoreless relief, the latter particularly impressive in striking out three of the seven batters he faced.

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The Salem Red Sox and Potomac Nationals (WAS) game was suspended due to rain in frustrating fashion: a tie game in the bottom of the ninth inning. Salem recovered from a three-run first inning from the Nationals, catalyzed by major-league rehabber Jayson Werth, who led off the inning with a double. Salem scored their first run in the third inning when Heiker Meneses grounded home Drew Hedman, who had led off with a double. They scored two more to tie the game in the seventh thanks to shrewd baserunning. Shannon Wilkerson scored the first run from second on a Felix Sanchez single after advancing on a passed ball. Sanchez then stole both second and third base, allowing him to come home on a Michael Almanzar sacrifice fly. Red Sox starter Brandon Workman found his control in the second inning and held Potomac scoreless for the remainder of his 6.0 innings, and Jeremiah Bayer kept the Nationals at bay for 2.0 more frames. The game will resume today at 5:05 pm. 

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Greenville’s three runs in the bottom of the second inning were all they needed to edge out the Charleston RiverDogs (NYY), 3-2. Boss Moanaroa scored on a wild pitch, and Bryan Johns hit an RBI double to score two more runs to give the Drive an early advantage. The RiverDogs cut the lead to one in the top of the sixth when Matty Ott gave up a home run to the first batter he faced, but he remained unfazed and struck out the next two batters. Henry Owens started the game and got the win, giving up one run on five hits and striking out seven over 5.0 innings. Owens is now 11-4 on the year with a 5.04 ERA and an astounding 117 strikeouts in 85.2 innings. 

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The Lowell Spinners lost a close one to the Jamestown Jammers (MIA), 3-2. that went down to the very last out. With two outs, the Spinners scored a run on consecutive singles by Zach Kapstein, Oscar Perez, and Mike Miller, and had two men on for 2012 first-round draft pick Deven Marrero, but he could not convert and the rally fell short. Justin Haley started the game and his streak of 11 scoreless innings ended when he surrendered a homer in the bottom of the first, the only run he gave up in his three innings of work, during which he allowed two hits and one walk. Raynel Valette piggybacked him, giving up two runs on five hits over 5.0 innings, but collected the loss. 

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A trio of players, two rehabbing and one making his pro debut, threw their first innings for the GCL Red Sox, but the lineup could not support a noble effort from their pitching staff and lost, 2-1. Andrew Bailey tossed his first inning of 2012, giving up a lead-off triple  and hitting a batter, but he managed to escape unscathed in his inning of work and struck out two. 2012 fourth-round pick Ty Buttrey followed Bailey, making his professional debut after signing a $1.3 million bonus. He hit the first batter he faced, but after catcher David Sopilka gunned him down trying to steal, Buttrey settled in, striking out the next two hitters looking. Miguel Pena, also on a rehab assignment, pitched the next 4.0 innings, allowing two runs on three hits while striking out four batters, but received the loss. The sole Red Sox run came in the bottom of the fourth inning when Jeremias Pineda led off the inning with a double and scored on a passed ball. Pineda went 1 for 4, dropping his GCL-leading batting average to .415, which is an astounding 74 points higher than the next-best average. He also leads the league in on-base percentage (.446) and slugging (.520), and is second in steals (13).

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The DSL Red Sox lost 5-3 to the DSL Mets (NYM). Edwar Garcia struggled with his command, allowing four walks in his 3.0 innings of work, during which he allowed three runs. Aneudis Peralta put the Red Sox within a run in the top of the eighth on an RBI groundout, but the Mets responded with an insurance run of their own and that proved to be enough.

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Player of the Night: Jeremy Hazelbaker went 2-4 with an RBI double for the Sea Dogs. It was his second consecutive multi-hit game (he has three in his last four games), and it extended his hitting streak to four games. 

(Photo credit: Jeremy Hazelbaker, courtesy of drivfan08)

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