July 15, 2015 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Moncada homers again, Beeks strikes out eight
7/15 Cup of Coffee: With half of the affiliates getting the day off, the teams that did play made the most of the opportunity. Behind an outstanding start from Jalen Beeks (pictured) and another home run from Yoan Moncada, the Drive squeaked by Augusta. The GCL Red Sox kept rolling, the DSL RedSox1 won on a walk-off single, and the DSL Red Sox2 put up 11 runs in another easy victory.
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While he did not get much help from his defense, Jalen Beeks was dominant, going a career-high eight innings in a win over Augusta. Beeks allowed four runs, although only one of them was earned as the Drive committed three errors behind him. He walked one and struck out eight while inducing 10 groundouts. Kuehl McEachern came on to record the final three outs, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk.
After struggling initially in Greenville, Yoan Moncada has really settled in, and he homered in his second straight game last night. He finished the night 2 for 5, and is now hitting .358 over his last 67 at-bats. Michael Chavis and Rafael Devers also had two hits, with Chavis adding a double. Chavis is now hitting .333 over his last eight games, though he is still striking out in over 30 percent of his at-bats across that span.
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The GCL Red Sox got some help from a pair of pitchers on a rehab stint, but Josh Pennington stole the show on Tuesday. After going down in the middle of June with right shoulder inflammation, Heath Hembree came back yesterday for his first appearance since June 14, tossing a scoreless inning while giving up two hits. Kyle Martin followed with his third rehab appearance in the GCL, throwing one more shutout inning as he looks to begin moving back towards Portland. Pennington came on to toss four innings of four-hit ball, walking two and striking out four without allowing a run. His ERA now sits at 0.82 over 11 innings.
Led by Jerry Downs, who had his first multi-hit game as a professional, the Red Sox scored eight times on 11 hits and five walks. Downs went 3 for 5 with a double, while Jagger Rusconi's two-run double was the biggest blow of the game. Rafael Oliveras went 2 for 3 with an RBI, but was pulled for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the sixth so he may have been injured. After snapping his 11-game hitting streak last time out, Yoan Aybar got back in the hit column with a single.
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DSL Red Sox1 5, DSL Rockies (COL) 4
A walk-off single from Willis Figueroa helped pick up the Red Sox bullpen and earn the victory. Eduard Bazardo got the start and he was nearly flawless, giving up only one hit over six innings without walking a batter and striking out six. Luis Colmenares came on to protect a two-run lead but he surrendered four runs in his 2 2/3 innings. Roberto Medina got the final out in the top of the ninth to earn his first win.
Down by one in the bottom of the seventh, Figueroa tied the game on an RBI groundout, and Eduard Conde gave them the lead back with an RBI single. After Colmenares allowed a run in the top of the ninth to tie it, Figueroa came back up in the bottom of the ninth with a runner on second and drove him in to win the game. Eddy Reynoso and Luis Yovera each had two hits, while Luis Benoit added a double and a walk.
DSL Red Sox2 11, DSL Cubs (CHC) 4
Every starter recorded at least one hit, as the second Red Sox squad blew past the Cubs. Lorenzo Cedrola led the way, going 4 for 6 with three runs scored as he bumped his average up to .341. Imeldo Diaz and Pablo Urena each had three hits including a triple, and Freiberg Marin hit a bases clearing triple to break the game open in the fifth.
The pitching was able to limit the damage despite surrendering eight walks, with five of those coming from starter Gary Calvo. Jose Gonzalez improved to 3-1 with 4 1/3 innings of relief that saw him strike out six and allow only an unearned run.
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DSL Red Sox1 5, DSL Rockies (COL) 4
A walk-off single from Willis Figueroa helped pick up the Red Sox bullpen and earn the victory. Eduard Bazardo got the start and he was nearly flawless, giving up only one hit over six innings without walking a batter and striking out six. Luis Colmenares came on to protect a two-run lead but he surrendered four runs in his 2 2/3 innings. Roberto Medina got the final out in the top of the ninth to earn his first win.
Down by one in the bottom of the seventh, Figueroa tied the game on an RBI groundout, and Eduard Conde gave them the lead back with an RBI single. After Colmenares allowed a run in the top of the ninth to tie it, Figueroa came back up in the bottom of the ninth with a runner on second and drove him in to win the game. Eddy Reynoso and Luis Yovera each had two hits, while Luis Benoit added a double and a walk.
DSL Red Sox2 11, DSL Cubs (CHC) 4
Every starter recorded at least one hit, as the second Red Sox squad blew past the Cubs. Lorenzo Cedrola led the way, going 4 for 6 with three runs scored as he bumped his average up to .341. Imeldo Diaz and Pablo Urena each had three hits including a triple, and Freiberg Marin hit a bases clearing triple to break the game open in the fifth.
The pitching was able to limit the damage despite surrendering eight walks, with five of those coming from starter Gary Calvo. Jose Gonzalez improved to 3-1 with 4 1/3 innings of relief that saw him strike out six and allow only an unearned run.
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Player of the Night: Jalen Beeks came into yesterday's game on a bit of a summer swoon, posting a 5.72 ERA over 39 1/3 innings since the calendar turned to June. He bounced back in a big way last night, allowing one earned run over eight innings while notching eight strikeouts. The inning and strikeout totals were both career highs. He has already surpassed his inning total from last season, as he has now thrown 99 innings this year after throwing 86 2/3 innings last year between college and the GCL. The 5-foot-11 left-hander has struggled to consistently miss bats this season, but last night was his third game this season with seven strikeouts or more.
Photo Credit: Jalen Beeks by SoxProspects, LLC