August 7, 2016 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Devers, Mars lead the charge in Salem slugfest
Cup of Coffee 8/7: The weather was a major factor across the affiliates on Saturday, postponing Pawtucket's game and suspending both DSL games until Sunday. Salem walked off, picking up a high-scoring win behind strong performances from Danny Mars (pictured) and Rafael Devers. The Greenville pitching staff had a strong day, holding Charleston to just one run in a doubleheader. In Lowell, fifth-round pick Michael Shawaryn impressed in his professional debut.
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Pawtucket Red Sox, Buffalo Bisons (NYM): Postponed
Saturday night's game against the Buffalo Bisons was postponed due to inclement weather. The PawSox will play a doubleheader tomorrow, with the first game starting at 11:30 EST.
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After a scoreless first inning, the Sea Dogs got on the board with a four-run second and never looked back. Portland scratched out a pair of runs on a Cole Sturgeon groundout and Rainel Rosario single before Aneury Tavarez capped the rally with a two-run triple. Mauricio Dubon, who was 1 for 5, delivered a three-run double in the fourth. Cody Decker hit a solo homer in the seventh as part of a 3-for-5 performance. Yoan Moncada sat out the game after suffering a mild ankle sprain on Friday night and will be out for about a week.
Jacob Dahlstrand gave Portland a boost on the mound, allowing just one run in five innings of work. Taylor Grover allowed three runs on three hits and a walk in 2 1/3 innings of relief. Ty Buttrey closed things out with 1 2/3 perfect innings, striking out three.
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It took them 13 innings, but Salem eventually came out on top in an exciting slugfest against Lynchburg. The final blow came on a walk-off single by Deiner Lopez, scoring Jose Sermo. Danny Mars had a huge night at the plate for the Red Sox, going 6 for 7 with three doubles, a triple, and five RBI. Rafael Devers had a strong game as well, going 3 for 6 with two doubles, two RBI, and four runs scored. Nick Longhi was 2 for 6 with two doubles, two runs, and an RBI.
Daniel McGrath coasted through two scoreless innings to start the game before Lynchburg exploded for eight runs in the third. Jake Cosart made his Salem debut in dominant fashion, tossing 3 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing just a hit and a walk while fanning six. Jamie Callahan followed him by allowing two runs in three innings, striking out four. Jeffry Fernandez allowed just an unearned run in three innings and Bobby Poyner closed out the win with a shutout inning.
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Logan Boyd was excellent in game one of Greenville's doubleheader on Saturday, tossing six innings of one-run ball. Victor Diaz collected his seventh save of the season with a scoreless ninth, striking out two while allowing two hits and a walk. Greenville did most of their damage with a three-run second inning, featuring an RBI double by Trent Kemp, an RBI triple by Jeremy Rivera, and an RBI single by Derek Miller.
The Drive bested Charleston in a low-scoring affair in the second game of the double header. Austin Glorius tossed 3 2/3 shutout frames to start the game, striking out four and allowing only one hit. Adam Lau was dominant in relief, striking out four and walking two in 2 1/3 innings, and Stephen Nogosek picked up the first save of his professional career with a scoreless inning. Mitchell Gunsolus and Trent Kemp recorded Greenville's only two hits of the game and they scored their only run in the third inning on a sacrifice fly by Jeremy Rivera.
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Fifth-round pick Michael Shawaryn made his professional debut for the Spinners on Saturday night, throwing two scoreless innings and striking out four. Daniel Zandona followed him with five strong innings, giving up just a run on four hits and a walk while striking out six. Jordan Weems closed it out with a pair of strong innings, striking out four while allowing two hits.
The Spinners bats broke out with a five-run fifth inning, highlighted by a two-run triple by second-rounder CJ Chatham, who was 3 for 5. Lowell scored two more in the sixth on RBI singles by Carlos Tovar and Victor Acosta. Tovar was 2 for 4 with two runs, two RBI, and a double.
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Deadlocked in a 1-1 tie since the third inning, the GCL Red Sox finally broke out in the ninth inning. Yomar Valentin and Alan Marrero reached base via a walk and a hit by pitch to start the inning before Juan Carlos Abreu came through with a two-run single. Starting pitcher Victor Garcia made a strong performance on Saturday, allowing one run in five innings of work. Ryan Oduber followed him with three shutout frames and Devon Fisher allowed one run in the ninth and recorded the save.
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DSL Red Sox1 1, DSL Phillies (PHI) 0 (Suspended in 2nd inning)
The DSL Red Sox1's contest on Saturday afternoon only lasted into the second inning before being suspended. Ritzi Mendoza started on the mound and threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings with one hit, one walk, and one strikeout. They scored their only run when Kervin Suarez came in to score on a double play ball hit by Ricardo Cubillan.
DSL Red Sox2 0, DSL Rangers2 0 (Suspended in 3rd inning)
The DSL Red Sox2 didn't make it much farther, with their game being suspended in the third inning. Bryan Mata tossed three shutout innings before the suspension, allowing two hits and a walk while punching out two. The team did not record any hits through their first two frames.
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Player of the Night: Danny Mars had a monster game for Salem on Saturday night, going 6 for 7 in the best night of his professional career. The 22-year-old also collected three doubles, a triple, a run, and five RBI en route to a win. Mars upped his average to .293 this season to go along with 17 doubles, 9 triples, two home runs, and 27 stolen bases. The Red Sox selected Mars in the 6th round of the 2014 draft.
Photo Credit: Kelly O'Connor