June 13, 2013 at 8:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: DSL Red Sox record system’s lone win
6/13 Cup of Coffee: It was an ugly night for the farm system, with only the DSL Red Sox adding to the win column. Salem and Greenville had plenty of hits, but pitching did them in, while Portland could hardly buy a run in support of its strong pitching. The Sea Dogs ended up on the wrong end of a doubleheader sweep.
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After a soggy Tuesday, the Sea Dogs played two and lost two to the Erie SeaWolves (DET) at home, collecting a combined three runs and eight hits during a 3-2, extra-inning loss in game one, followed by a 1-0 loss in game two.
Portland’s only two runs in the opener came courtesy of a Xander Bogaerts line-drive single to center in the sixth inning, scoring second baseman Heiker Meneses and center fielder Shannon Wilkerson.
Meneses (2 for 3) was the only Sea Dog to record multiple hits.
Right-hander Charlie Haeger yielded two runs on six hits and a pair of walks in his five innings of work. After more than an hour-long delay due to a lighting issue at Hadlock Field, right-hander Miguel Celestino pitched the final three innings and gave up one run — the eventual game-winner — while fanning four.
Righty Jeremy Kehrt was sharp for six innings in game two. He struck out six, walked none and gave up three hits, but Erie’s lone run — which was unearned — came in after left fielder Tony Thomas misplayed SeaWolf Eugenio Suarez’s hit on the first play of the game.
Right fielder Peter Hissey was 2 for 3 with a double, and designated hitter Bogaerts was 1 for 2 with a base on balls, but the Sea Dogs couldn’t do anything with it.
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Tough outings for right-handers Kyle Kraus and Nefi Ogando doomed the Salem Red Sox, who fell to the Wilmington Blue Rocks (KC), 9-5.
Kraus gave up five runs (four earned) on eight hits in just four innings. After right-hander Noe Ramirez provided three scoreless innings of relief, Ogando got hit around for four more runs and seven more hits in 1 1/3 frames.
Salem had a decent night at the plate, banging out 11 hits, including three for extra bases.
Designated hitter Keury De La Cruz (3 for 4) doubled home a run in the sixth and singled in another during a two-run eighth to lead the way. Felix Sanchez, Deven Marrero and Stefan Welch all had two hits apiece. Garin Cecchini was hitless, but drew a pair of walks.
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The Greenville Drive ran into similar pitching problems, and this time it led to a bigger blown lead. The Charleston RiverDogs (NYY) used back-to-back three-run innings to come from behind for a 10-5 win.
The Drive used a four-run second inning to jump ahead. Right fielder Aneury Tavarez tripled and first baseman Boss Moanaroa singled to both drive in a run, then catcher Jordan Weems (single) and shortstop Jose Vinicio (sacrifice bunt) collected an RBI each to continue the rally.
After that, though, the Greenville bats fell silent. The Drive scored once more in the fourth — Tavarez on a wild pitch after singling — to leave the door open for a Charleston rally.
Right-hander Frank Montas failed to escape the fifth for a third consecutive start. In four innings, he gave up three runs on seven hits and two walks before being relieved by Austin Maddox. The right-hander went the rest of the way, but while doing so spotted the RiverDogs seven runs on 10 hits, including three homers.
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Shortstop Javier Guerra had the best game of his young season, collecting three doubles in four at-bats to drive in two runs and score one of his own to power the DSL Red Sox to a 3-1 win over the DSL Indians.
Left-hander Luis Ramos tossed five innings of one-run, three-hit ball to notch his first win of the season. Fellow southpaw Jervis Torrealba (two strikeouts) and right-hander Victor Ramirez (no hits) each contributed two innings of scoreless relief.
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Player of the Night: Jeremy Kehrt, who was extremely efficient in his six innings for the Sea Dogs. He threw just 74 pitches, 54 of them for strikes, and while three hits and a lone unearned run were the only blemishes on his night, it was enough for a loss in the 1-0 decision. Wednesday was the right-hander’s first start since re-joining the Sea Dogs in mid-May and proved to be by far his best outing. In his last 13 1/3 innings, he has allowed zero earned runs, while maintaining a 5.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio. His ERA in eight Double-A games is 2.66.
Photo Credit: Jeremy Kehrt by Kelly O'Connor.
Tim Healey is a staff writer for SoxProspects.com. Follow him on Twitter @timbhealey.