August 14, 2015 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Haley hurls gem for Sea Dogs, Steen solid for Spinners
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The PawSox offense could not support an impressive start from Shawn Haviland in Thursday's loss. Haviland put together a quality start, lasting 7 1/3 innings. allowing three runs on six hits while striking out three and walking two. Noe Ramirez allowed an inherited runner to score in the eighth, which proved to be the difference. Carlos Rivero and Sandy Leon drove in the PawSox' two runs. Marco Hernandez went 2 for 4. Pawtucket left 10 men on base.
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Justin Haley picked up his fifth win of the year with what was likely his best performance of the season. Haley threw seven innings of one-hit ball - a second-inning single - without allowing a run. He struck out six and walked none. Williams Jerez allowed a solo home run, but picked up his first save for the Sea Dogs with two innings of relief. Sam Travis went 2 for 4 with one RBI. Keury De La Cruz drove in the other Sea Dogs run.
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It was an all-around sloppy game for Salem, as the pitching got roughed up and the Sox committed three errors. Daniel McGrath was touched for five runs (four earned) on five hits in five innings pitched. He struck out two and walked three. Three runs scored during Taylor Grover's one inning of relief, but they were all unearned. Salem actually outhit Myrtle Beach 14-8, but left 11 men on base. Only two of those 14 hits were of the extra-base variety, however. Forrestt Allday led the Red Sox with a 3 for 5 night. Deiner Lopez drove in a pair of runners. Yoilan Cerse went 2 for 4 with a double, a run scored and one RBI.
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Asheville Tourists (COL) 8, Greenville Drive 2
It was the second poor start in three tries for Luis Ramos since being called up from Lowell. Ramos was lit up for seven runs on nine hits in four innings of work. The big blow came on a three-run home run with two outs in the fifth. Ramos struck out four and walked two. Left fielder Mike Myers was the only Greenville batter to have success at the plate, going 3 for 5 with a double, a run scored and one RBI. Greenville's three through six hitters went a combined 0 for 13. Yoan Moncada was scratched for the third straight game with an unknown ailment.
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Lowell Spinners 7, Batavia Muckdogs (MIA) 5
The Spinners held off a late surge by the Muckdogs to take the second game of the series. Kevin Steen came up just shy of qualifying for his first win for Lowell after hitting 82 pitches through 4 2/3 innings. He did not allow a run, walked two, struck out two and scattered five hits in that span. However, Steen only threw 47 of his pitches for strikes, which likely contributed to his early exit. Victor Acosta had a big day, going 2 for 4 with a pair of doubles, a run scored and one RBI. Andrew Benintendi had another solid day at the plate, going 2 for 5 with a triple and a run scored. Shortstop Jeremy Rivera went 3 for 3 out of the nine-hole with a double, a run and one RBI.
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GCL Red Sox 8, GCL Orioles 0
The GCL Sox offense was all over the Orioles, pounding out 13 hits in a lopsided win. Andy Perez had a huge day at the plate, going 3 for 3 with a walk, a stolen base and three RBI. Luis Alejandro Basabe went 3 for 5 with two runs scored. Roldani Baldwin hit a solo shot for his third home run of the season. The Red Sox got excellent pitching as well, with Roniel Raudes picking up his second win in as many starts since coming stateside from the DSL. He scattered three hits in five innings and did not allow a run. He struck out three and walked one. Yankory Pimentel was equally impressive in relief, pitching four innings of scoreless relief to earn the save. He gave up three hits, struck out five and walked none.
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DSL Red Sox1 5, DSL Orioles2 1
The first DSL team used a five-run fifth inning to top the Orioles. Eduard Bazardo was excellent over six innings, allowing just one run on four hits while striking out six and walking none. Luis Colmenares picked up the save with three perfect innings of relief. Left fielder Hemerson Serven went 2 for 3 with a stolen base and one RBI.
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DSL Mets2 6, DSL Red Sox2 4
The top three Red Sox hitters in the lineup had a big day, going a combined 7 for 12, but the team still fell. Red Sox DH Stanley Espinal had a big day at the plate in the second DSL team's loss. Espinal went 3 for 4 with three RBI. Lorenzo Cedrola had a 2-for-4 night with two runs scored and a stolen base. Gary Calvo suffered the loss, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits with four strikeouts and two walks.
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Player of the Night: Justin Haley has had a rough season, as his 13 losses can attest to, but his outing on Thursday was definitely a high point for him in 2015. The one-hit effort snapped an abysmal six-start span during which he went 1-4, and allowed 20 runs and 36 hits in 30 innings pitched (6.00 ERA). The 2012 sixth-round pick has a 5.08 ERA on the season.
Photo credit: Justin Haley by Kelly O'Connor
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Asheville Tourists (COL) 8, Greenville Drive 2
It was the second poor start in three tries for Luis Ramos since being called up from Lowell. Ramos was lit up for seven runs on nine hits in four innings of work. The big blow came on a three-run home run with two outs in the fifth. Ramos struck out four and walked two. Left fielder Mike Myers was the only Greenville batter to have success at the plate, going 3 for 5 with a double, a run scored and one RBI. Greenville's three through six hitters went a combined 0 for 13. Yoan Moncada was scratched for the third straight game with an unknown ailment.
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Lowell Spinners 7, Batavia Muckdogs (MIA) 5
The Spinners held off a late surge by the Muckdogs to take the second game of the series. Kevin Steen came up just shy of qualifying for his first win for Lowell after hitting 82 pitches through 4 2/3 innings. He did not allow a run, walked two, struck out two and scattered five hits in that span. However, Steen only threw 47 of his pitches for strikes, which likely contributed to his early exit. Victor Acosta had a big day, going 2 for 4 with a pair of doubles, a run scored and one RBI. Andrew Benintendi had another solid day at the plate, going 2 for 5 with a triple and a run scored. Shortstop Jeremy Rivera went 3 for 3 out of the nine-hole with a double, a run and one RBI.
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GCL Red Sox 8, GCL Orioles 0
The GCL Sox offense was all over the Orioles, pounding out 13 hits in a lopsided win. Andy Perez had a huge day at the plate, going 3 for 3 with a walk, a stolen base and three RBI. Luis Alejandro Basabe went 3 for 5 with two runs scored. Roldani Baldwin hit a solo shot for his third home run of the season. The Red Sox got excellent pitching as well, with Roniel Raudes picking up his second win in as many starts since coming stateside from the DSL. He scattered three hits in five innings and did not allow a run. He struck out three and walked one. Yankory Pimentel was equally impressive in relief, pitching four innings of scoreless relief to earn the save. He gave up three hits, struck out five and walked none.
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DSL Red Sox1 5, DSL Orioles2 1
The first DSL team used a five-run fifth inning to top the Orioles. Eduard Bazardo was excellent over six innings, allowing just one run on four hits while striking out six and walking none. Luis Colmenares picked up the save with three perfect innings of relief. Left fielder Hemerson Serven went 2 for 3 with a stolen base and one RBI.
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DSL Mets2 6, DSL Red Sox2 4
The top three Red Sox hitters in the lineup had a big day, going a combined 7 for 12, but the team still fell. Red Sox DH Stanley Espinal had a big day at the plate in the second DSL team's loss. Espinal went 3 for 4 with three RBI. Lorenzo Cedrola had a 2-for-4 night with two runs scored and a stolen base. Gary Calvo suffered the loss, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits with four strikeouts and two walks.
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Player of the Night: Justin Haley has had a rough season, as his 13 losses can attest to, but his outing on Thursday was definitely a high point for him in 2015. The one-hit effort snapped an abysmal six-start span during which he went 1-4, and allowed 20 runs and 36 hits in 30 innings pitched (6.00 ERA). The 2012 sixth-round pick has a 5.08 ERA on the season.
Photo credit: Justin Haley by Kelly O'Connor