June 15, 2014 at 8:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Owens and Gunkel dominate; Buchholz rehabs
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The PawSox dropped game one of a doubleheader to the Charlotte Knights (CHW), 3-0. A rehabbing Clay Buchholz got the start for Pawtucket and allowed three runs across 4 2/3 innings of work. Buchholz allowed four hits, two of which were solo home runs, and struck out five. Buchholz, who took the loss, threw 42 of his 62 pitches for strikes. Rich Hill and John Ely combined for the final, scoreless, 2 1/3 innings of the seven-inning contest.
Pawtucket's bats were held in check as they managed only four hits in the game. Christian Vazquez went 2 for 2 with a walk. The rehabbing Will Middlebrooks picked up one hit in three at-bats while serving as the team's designated hitter, while Shane Victorino went 0 for 2 and played five innings in right field.
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Pawtucket was on the other side of a shutout in game two, downing the Knights, 3-0. Anthony Ranaudo collected the win in the make up of Friday night's scheduled contest. Ranaudo scattered four hits and a walk over 5 2/3 innings while striking out four. Tommy Layne notched the save, pitching a one-hit seventh inning to complete the shutout.
After going 0 for 2 in game one, Mookie Betts turned it around in game two, going 2 for 4 with a two-run home run, two RBI and two runs scored. Carlos Rivero and Justin Henry each had a 2-for-3 performance with a double. Travis Shaw collected Pawtucket's only other hit.
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Portland knocked off the Akron RubberDucks (CLE), 5-1. Henry Owens (pictured, above right) picked up his eighth win of the season, holding the RubberDucks to just one run over 6 2/3 innings pitched. Owens surrendered six hits and a walk while striking out seven. Noe Ramirez and Miguel Celestino allowed only one hit between them as they closed out the final 2 1/3 innings.
Keury De La Cruz led the charge, going 2 for 4 with a double and two runs scored. Blake Swihart added his own 2-for-4 performance, swatting a home run in the sixth. Derrik Gibson also went 2 for 4 with a double. Sean Coyle, Matt Spring, and Jonathan Roof all added hits of their own as well.
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Despite striking first, Salem fell to the Lynchburg Hillcats (ATL), 6-3. Corey Littrell allowed six hits and a walk over 5 2/3 innings, striking out three, but despite his strong start, he did not factor into the decision. Kyle Stroup and Madison Younginer struggled in relief of Littrell. Stroup took the loss, allowing three runs on four hits in just one inning of work. Younginer gave up two runs on two hits in 2 1/3 innings.
Not one of Salem's seven hits went for extra bases. Mike Miller and Aneury Tavarez each collected two hits. Miller added two walks and a run scored as well. Ryan Dent and Matthew Gedman each had hits and one RBI.
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Joe Gunkel (pictured, left) delivered the Drive to a 3-1 win over the Hagerstown Suns (WAS). Gunkel dominated the Suns, allowing only one hit and one walk over six innings of work. Gunkel faced only one batter above the minimum and struck out six en route to his third win of the season. Mario Alcantara allowed Hagerstown's only run, walking two and allowing a hit in 2/3 of an inning. Taylor Grover notched the 2 1/3-inning save, giving up just two hits.
Carlos Asuaje kicked off the scoring, hitting a home run in the second inning. Asuaje went 2 for 4 with the home run on the evening. Manuel Margot also added a 2-for-4 performance with a double and an RBI. Jantzen Witte, who was 0 for 3, collected the third Greenville RBI.
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The Lowell Spinners were beaten by the Vermont Lake Monsters (OAK), 6-3. Heri Quevedo took the loss, struggling through three innings pitched. In his first start of the year, Quevedo gave up six runs (four earned) on seven hits and walk. Oscar Perez and Rob Smorol combined to shut out the Lake Monsters over the final six innings, scattering four hits between them.
Down 6-0 in the third, Nick Moore hit is first home run of the year to put the Spinners on the board. Of the Spinners' six hits in the game, Moore had two and Mauricio Dubon added two of his own. Deiner Lopez and Raymel Flores added the other two base knocks.
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The DSL Red Sox' comeback bid fell short as they fell to the DSL Giants, 6-5. Emmanuel De Jesus took his second loss of the year, allowing four runs on six hits through 4 1/3 innings. Darwinzon Hernandez allowed a further two runs on two hits and two walks in 2 2/3 innings. Shair Lacrus pitched a perfect eighth to finish the game.
Rafael Toribio went 3 for 4 with and RBI while Gerardo Carrizalez went 2 for 4 with and RBI of his own. Despite having 11 hits in the ballgame, none went for extra bases. Rafael Devers went 1 for 3 with a run scored and he also managed to draw a walk. Of the starting nine, only leadoff man Luis Alexander Basabe was held hitless in the game.
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Player of the Night: Despite Henry Owens giving him a run for his money, Joe Gunkel is our Player of the Night. Gunkel out-dueled top prospect Lucas Giolito (WAS) to scoop up his third win of the year. The win marks Gunkel's second since his move to the rotation at the end of May. Over five starts spanning 27 1/3 innings Gunkel sports a nifty 2.96 ERA and has scattered 12 hits and six walks while striking out 29.
Photo Credit: Henry Owens and Joe Gunkel by Kelly O'Connor