Cup of Coffee: Bradley on base twice in last game before call-up

5/29 Cup of Coffee: Jackie Bradley Jr. reached base twice in his last game before being called up to Boston, Matt Barnes turned in a quality start for the Sea Dogs, and Salem won in dramatic fashion. In Greenville, the Drive's struggles continued, as they dropped their 37th game of the season.

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A four-run second inning propelled the Indianapolis Indians (PIT) to a 7-2 victory over the PawSox. The Indians belted a solo home run and a three-run home run off PawSox starter Terry Doyle in the second, and their pitching staff was able to make it hold up. Doyle allowed five runs in 6 1/3 innings, while Chris Martin saw his 29 1/3 scoreless inning streak get snapped on an eighth-inning home run from Boston College alumnus Tony Sanchez.

The PawSox went 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position and left nine men on base. Bryce Brentz went 2 for 3 with a walk, but the walk was only his third in the last 18 games. Jackie Bradley Jr. extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a ninth-inning double, and he also added a walk. As detailed yesterday in our Player of the Week post, Bradley has been on a tear in Triple-A, showing the Red Sox that he is ready for another taste of the majors. He was called up to join the team in Philadelphia late last night.

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It took 11 innings, but the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (TOR) were able to get the best of the Sea Dogs, winning 6-3. Portland jumped out to an early two-run lead on a Christian Vazquez ground out in the second and a Shannon Wilkerson single in the third. The Fisher Cats were able to battle back against Matt Barnes, scoring a run on a home run in the fourth, and then took the lead on a two-run triple in the fifth. Barnes went six innings allowing three runs on four hits, while walking one and striking out four. He also induced eight ground outs and only two fly outs.

With two outs in the home half of the seventh, Wilkerson hit a double and came around to score the tying run on a Xander Bogaerts single. Miguel Celestino was able to hold New Hampshire at bay, tossing two scoreless innings of relief and giving the Sea Dogs a chance for a walk-off victory. They were not able to capitalize, and the Fisher Cats eventually got to Keith Couch for three runs in the 11th to win it. Bogaerts and Wilkerson each went 2 for 5 with an RBI, while Michael Almanzar added a hit and a walk.

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Salem scored two runs in the ninth to come back and beat the Potomac Nationals (WAS), 5-4. Kyle Stroup had his longest outing of the season, lasting seven innings and giving up three runs, two of which were earned. A Jose Garcia (pictured) run-scoring single in the seventh got Stroup off the hook and tied the game for Salem. The Nationals were able to get the run right back off Matt Price in the eighth after a single, a sacrifice bunt, a stolen base and a wild pitch pushed the go-ahead run across.

In the ninth, Brandon Jacobs led off the frame with a hit-by-pitch, and Blake Swihart, who was 3 for 3 with a double at the time, attempted to bunt him over, but popped out to the third baseman. A Carson Blair walk and Matt Gedman ground out put runners on second and third with two outs, and Garcia came through with a two-run single to give Salem the lead. Price stayed on for the ninth and was able to lock down the Nationals to secure the victory. Henry Ramos went 1 for 4 with a home run, and Garcia had his first three-hit game of the season.

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Greenville fell to 14-37 on the season with an 8-3 loss to the Savannah Sand Gnats (NYM). Jacob Dahlstrand made his first start of the season, allowing three runs on seven hits in four innings. Cody Kukuk followed him out of the bullpen, matching his four innings, while allowing two runs with two walks and three strikeouts. It was a step in the right direction for Kukuk, who had walked 17 in his last 8 1/3 innings.

Greenville scored two in the second, with the first run coming home on a Tim Roberson RBI triple, and he scored on an Aneury Tavarez single. The Drive bats were quiet until the eighth when they pushed another run across on a David Chester double-play ball, but it was not enough, as the Sand Gnats extended their lead in the ninth to win comfortably. Tavarez went 2 for 3, while Mookie Betts, who is trying to start from scratch after his last hitting streak was snapped, went 1 for 4 with a double.

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Player of the Day: Jose Garcia was clutch on Tuesday, hitting a game-tying single in the seventh and then the go-ahead single in the ninth. The 22-year-old infielder has been rotating between first base and second base for Salem, but saw his first action at shortstop last night. He responded with his best offensive performance of the season, raising his batting average from .157 to .184 in the process.

Photo Credit: Jose Garcia by Kelly O'Connor

Jim Crowell is a Staff Writer for SoxProspects.com.

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