Cup of Coffee: Greenville buoyed by late-inning grand slam

5/8 Cup of Coffee: Greenville snatched a victory with late inning heroics. Salem edged out a one-run victory on the strength of the pitching staff and Pawtucket and Portland lost by sizeable margins due to a combination of lack of offense and lackluster pitching.

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The Pawtucket Red Sox were shut out Wednesday evening in a 4-0 loss to the Toledo Mud Hens (DET). PawSox starter Brandon Workman (pictured) yielded four runs on four solo homers in seven innings of work. The four home runs were the only four hits Workman allowed. He gave up one walk while striking out five.

The PawSox offense was stagnant all game collecting only six hits and one walk while piling up 12 strikeouts. Infielder Ryan Roberts and outfielder Alex Hassan picked up a pair of hits each. 

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The Portland Sea Dogs were also in the loss column Wednesday dropping their contest to the Reading Fightin Phils (PHI) by a score of 8-3. The Sea Dogs jumped out to an early lead after second baseman Mookie Betts homered to lead off the game, his fifth of the season. The 1-0 lead was carried into the bottom of the fourth inning when the Phils tied the score at 1-1. 

Sea Dogs starter Mike Augliera was good through five innings, but ran into trouble in the bottom of the sixth. After starting off the inning with three consecutive hits, which yielded two runs, Augliera was able to get two outs. The third out would prove elusive as the right-hander could not retire the next two batters he faced. The Phils would score a total of six runs in the inning and Augliera would be charged five of the six runs. 

At the dish, the Sea Dogs collected nine total hits; three coming off the bat of outfielder Henry Ramos, who was 3 for 3 with two home runs and a walk. 

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The Salem Red Sox edged out a 2-1 victory over the Wilmington Blue Rocks (KC) on Wednesday. Salem started the scoring in the bottom of the third inning on a Jonathan Roof double that plated Matty Johnson, who scored from second. Ryan Dent was thrown out at home on the play for the second out in the inning. Salem would tally and insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning on a Tim Roberson doubled that scored Roof. Roof was Salem's most outstanding hitter going  2 for 2 with two doubles and two walks. 

The Blue Rocks would get one back in the top of the eighth, an unearned run, and Kyle Martin then came in and pitched a flawless ninth inning. Salem starter William Cuevas was outstanding yielding only one hit and no walks during six innings pitched. He struck out three batters in the game.

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The Greenville Drive charged back from a three-run deficit in the bottom of the eight inning to take a see saw game against the Greensboro Grasshoppers (MIA) 12-8. The Drive squandered an early 5-1 lead and found themselves down 8-5 entering the bottom of the eighth. They would go on to score seven runs in the inning, capturing back the lead and taking the victory. 

The comeback began on a single by Jantzen Witte (who went 3 for 5 and homered earlier in the game) that scored one and loaded the bases. The inning was punctuated by a Carlos Asuaje grand slam, which vaulted the Drive ahead of the Grasshoppers 10-8. It was Asuaje's only hit of the game. Two more insurance runs brought the score to 12-8, which was the final. 

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Player of the Day: Sea Dogs outfielder Henry Ramos (pictured) put together a near perfect day at the plate Wednesday going 3 for 3 with two home runs, both solo shots, and a walk. Ramos, 22, has gotten off to a fabulous start in Double-A. In 29 games he is hitting .329 and produced an OPS of .822. In his last 10 games, he has hit .405 with an OPS of 1.139. 

Photo Credit: Brandon Workman and Henry Ramos by Kelly O'Connor. 

Luke Lavoie is a Staff Writer for SoxProspects.com.

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