August 7, 2014 at 8:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Jerez impresses, Callahan wins for Greenville
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Portland Sea Dogs 7, Bowie Baysox (BAL) 4
Luis Diaz got the start for the Sea Dogs, allowing four runs on five hits and five walks in 5 1/3 innings. Aaron Kurcz picked up the victory for 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, allowing one hit and striking out three. Dayan Diaz hurled a scoreless inning of relief to collect his first save with Portland.
Luis Diaz got the start for the Sea Dogs, allowing four runs on five hits and five walks in 5 1/3 innings. Aaron Kurcz picked up the victory for 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, allowing one hit and striking out three. Dayan Diaz hurled a scoreless inning of relief to collect his first save with Portland.
The Sea Dogs took advantage of four wild pitches from Bowie starter Eddie Gamboa (BAL) as well as 11 walks issued by the Baysox entire staff. Shannon Wilkerson, Jonathan Roof, Michael Brenly, Sean Coyle, and Carson Blair, all had RBI singles in the victory.
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Despite 22 hits between the two squads, Salem and Lynchburg played deep into extra innings, with the Hillcats prevailing after a four hour contest. Cody Kukuk (pictured, above) pitched well in his five innings of work, allowing just two hits and four walks while striking out six. Matty Ott added three innings of scoreless relief, allowing two hits and a walk while punching out four. Red Sox first baseman Matt Gedman took the mound in the 13th and tossed two innings, allowing the game's winning run on a solo home run in the top of the 14th.
Matty Johnson, Jantzen Witte, Kendrick Perkins, and Gedman each had two hits in a losing effort.
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Jamie Callahan had one of his best outings of the season as he shut out the GreenJackets across six innings of work, allowing just three hits and four walks in the victory. Jason Garcia picked up his first save of 2014 by tossing three innings of relief, allowing three runs on five hits and a walk, striking out four.
Sam Travis got things started for the Drive in the third, bringing home two on an RBI double. In the fifth, Wendell Rijo's RBI single extended Greenville's lead to 3-0. Hector Lorenzana's RBI single and Manuel Margot's RBI ground out in the eighth gave the Drive a comfortable 5-0 advantage. The GreenJackets rallied off of Garcia in the ninth, but were quashed with the tying run at the plate.
Cole Sturgeon led the Drive's offense with three hits, while Travis, Margot, Rijo and Lorenzana all had two hits.
Sam Travis got things started for the Drive in the third, bringing home two on an RBI double. In the fifth, Wendell Rijo's RBI single extended Greenville's lead to 3-0. Hector Lorenzana's RBI single and Manuel Margot's RBI ground out in the eighth gave the Drive a comfortable 5-0 advantage. The GreenJackets rallied off of Garcia in the ninth, but were quashed with the tying run at the plate.
Cole Sturgeon led the Drive's offense with three hits, while Travis, Margot, Rijo and Lorenzana all had two hits.
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State College Spikes (STL) 7, Lowell Spinners 0
It was a tough night in Lowell as the Spinners scattered six hits and were shutout. Lowell also committed four errors, tossed two wild pitches and added a balk in a night riddled with mistakes. Aaron Wilkerson received the loss for his four innings of work, allowing six runs (five earned) on seven hits and a walk, striking out eight. Mario Alcantara hurled three innings of scoreless relief, allowing a hit and two walks while punching out four.
Danny Mars was 2 for 4 from the leadoff spot to pace the Spinners offense. Lowell was 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position and grounded into two double plays.
It was a tough night in Lowell as the Spinners scattered six hits and were shutout. Lowell also committed four errors, tossed two wild pitches and added a balk in a night riddled with mistakes. Aaron Wilkerson received the loss for his four innings of work, allowing six runs (five earned) on seven hits and a walk, striking out eight. Mario Alcantara hurled three innings of scoreless relief, allowing a hit and two walks while punching out four.
Danny Mars was 2 for 4 from the leadoff spot to pace the Spinners offense. Lowell was 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position and grounded into two double plays.
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Jose Almonte received the start for the Red Sox in game one, allowing one run on four hits and a walk in four innings. Williams Jerez (pictured, right) moved to 3-1 on the season after tossing three outstanding innings of relief, allowing just one hit and striking out seven.
Trenton Kemp and Javier Guerra did most of the damage at the plate for the Red Sox, each lacing an RBI double in the fifth inning.
GCL Red Sox 4, GCL Rays 2 (Game Two)
Michael Kopech started the game for the Red Sox but his outing was short-lived, leaving the game due to heat exhaustion after recording just one out. The 18-year-old allowed two runs on a hit and a walk before departing. Keivin Heras added 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, allowing just two hits. Heras has yet to allow an earned run this season, carrying a 0.00 ERA through 21 innings of relief. Javier Rodriguez improved to 6-0 thanks to five dazzling innings of relief, allowing four hits and punching out six.
Rafael Devers three run home run in the fifth was the big hit for the Red Sox. Kemp, who helped the Red Sox take game one, added a solo home run.
Trenton Kemp and Javier Guerra did most of the damage at the plate for the Red Sox, each lacing an RBI double in the fifth inning.
GCL Red Sox 4, GCL Rays 2 (Game Two)
Michael Kopech started the game for the Red Sox but his outing was short-lived, leaving the game due to heat exhaustion after recording just one out. The 18-year-old allowed two runs on a hit and a walk before departing. Keivin Heras added 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, allowing just two hits. Heras has yet to allow an earned run this season, carrying a 0.00 ERA through 21 innings of relief. Javier Rodriguez improved to 6-0 thanks to five dazzling innings of relief, allowing four hits and punching out six.
Rafael Devers three run home run in the fifth was the big hit for the Red Sox. Kemp, who helped the Red Sox take game one, added a solo home run.
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Jhonathan Diaz continued to impress, tossing five shutout innings, allowing just three hits while striking out eight in the victory.
The Red Sox offense exploded for 17 hits, seven of which were for extra bases. Pablo Urena had a huge day at the plate, going 4 for 6 with two doubles, a home run, and three RBI. Raiwinson Lameda was 3 for 5 with three runs scored.
The Red Sox offense exploded for 17 hits, seven of which were for extra bases. Pablo Urena had a huge day at the plate, going 4 for 6 with two doubles, a home run, and three RBI. Raiwinson Lameda was 3 for 5 with three runs scored.
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Players of the Day: Pablo Urena certainly merits this recognition as he was 4 for 6 with two doubles, a home run and three RBI in the DSL Red Sox 18-1 clobbering of the DSL Nationals. The soon to be 20-year old Urena has enjoyed the August heat, going 8 for 13 with three extra base hits and four RBI in three contests this month.
The day's award is shared because it is time to talk about Williams Jerez. The 2011 second round pick converted to pitching this season after three unsuccessful seasons as a positional player. The left-hander hurled three scoreless innings of relief on Wednesday, striking out seven. The 22-year-old is now 3-1 with a 2.22 ERA in nine games, striking out 27 in 24 1/3 innings pitched.
The day's award is shared because it is time to talk about Williams Jerez. The 2011 second round pick converted to pitching this season after three unsuccessful seasons as a positional player. The left-hander hurled three scoreless innings of relief on Wednesday, striking out seven. The 22-year-old is now 3-1 with a 2.22 ERA in nine games, striking out 27 in 24 1/3 innings pitched.
Photo Credit: Cody Kukuk and Williams Jerez by Kelly O'Connor