June 20, 2013 at 8:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Kendrick Perkins keys Spinners win
6/20 Cup of Coffee: While the PawSox and Sea Dogs ended up on opposite ends of their respective extra-inning games, the Lowell Spinners left no doubt, scoring early and often to nab their second win of the week to start their season.
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The PawSox fell behind 4-0 early, but chipped away and eventually came away with a 6-5 win over the Columbus Clippers (CLE) after catcher Dan Butler’s game-winning homer in the top of the 10th.
Right-hander Terry Doyle was hit around in his four innings of work, giving up four runs on five hits and two walks. He also struck out five, while throwing 61 percent of his pitches for strikes.
The Pawtucket offense started to bail him out shortly after Doyle exited. Center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. and first baseman Drew Sutton, both of whom were 3 for 5 with a double and two RBI on the day, had back-to-back run-scoring singles in the fifth.
Sutton later doubled to plate Bradley and tie the game at four in the seventh, and Bradley’s bases-loaded walk in the eighth scored shortstop Xander Bogaerts to momentarily give Pawtucket the lead.
Outside of righty Anthony Carter’s blown save in the ninth, the PawSox received impressive relief pitching. A pair of right-handers, Brock Huntzinger and Chris Martin, struck out three and five batters, respectively, while tossing two innings each. Left-hander Ryan Rowland-Smith picked up the win, fanning a pair in 1 1/3 innings.
Right fielder Alex Hassan (2 for 4, walk, two doubles) continued his hot stretch since returning to Pawtucket, while Butler went 2 for 4.
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After a stellar start at the plate, the Portland Sea Dogs weren’t nearly as fortunate as their Triple-A counterparts when it came to relief pitching, ultimately falling to the Reading Fightin Phils (PHI), 9-8, in 10 innings.
The Sea Dogs scored a combined eight runs in the first three innings, highlighted by a two-RBI double from left fielder Peter Hissey to cap a five-run second and a solo home run courtesy of first baseman Travis Shaw to lead off the third.
After that, however, Portland’s bats fell silent. The visitors collected just three hits in the final seven innings.
Right-hander Anthony Ranaudo yielded the first four runs (three earned) in six innings. He struck out six, gave up six hits — including two long balls — and walked a pair.
After righty Pete Ruiz spotted Reading two more runs in two innings, Miguel Celestino went the rest of the way. The right-hander recorded just four outs, as he blew the save in the ninth and lost the game in the 10th, totaling three runs on five hits and two walks.
Right fielder Matty Johnson, designated hitter Tony Thomas and Shaw all collected two hits apiece.
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So far, so good for the Lowell Spinners, as they beat the Connecticut Tigers (DET), 5-1, for their second win in as many tries on the young season.
Left fielder Kendrick Perkins bounced back from a hitless season debut on Monday by going 4 for 4 with a double and three RBI in support of Mario Alcantara. The 20-year-old right-hander threw five shutout innings, fanning six and allowing two hits in his first appearance as a Spinner.
Perkins’ damage started in the first when his single scored center fielder Manuel Margot, who reached on an error and stole a base. Margot and Perkins each added RBI singles in the third before the latter doubled home shortstop Tzu-Wei Lin two innings later.
Margot finished 2 for 4 with two runs scored. Lin and designated hitter Forrestt Allday were both 0 for 2 but walked twice.
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The DSL Red Sox topped the DSL Rays, 4-3, behind a balanced offensive effort and the strong pitching of left-hander Dedgar Jimenez.
Jimenez allowed two runs — neither of them earned —in five innings, issuing one walk and striking out four.
Not a single Red Sox batter registered more than one hit or more than one RBI, though first baseman Darwin Pena and catcher Isaias Lucena both had one of each. Third baseman Victor Acosta posted a hit and three walks.
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Player of the Night: Kendrick Perkins, who may be out to prove something in his second season with the Spinners. The 21-year-old left fielder was a perfect 4 for 4 out of the cleanup spot, while driving in three runs, including Tzu-Wei Lin twice. Perkins, a sixth-round draft pick in 2010, slashed .223/.314/.358 in 42 games with Lowell last year. He also struck out 60 times and walked on just 17 occasions.
Photo Credit: Kendrick Perkins by Kelly O'Connor.
Tim Healey is a staff writer for SoxProspects.com. Follow him on Twitter @timbhealey.