August 5, 2016 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Johnson, Castillo carry PawSox
8/5 Cup of Coffee: Brian Johnson (pictured) and Rusney Castillo carried the day for the PawSox on the mound and at the plate, respectively, in a close victory. Lowell roared back for a win despite another tough start for 2016 draft pick Shaun Anderson. The Sea Dogs squandered several opportunities in a frustrating loss. The bullpens wasted solid efforts for Salem's Trey Ball and Greenville's Enmanuel De Jesus.
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For the second straight start, Brian Johnson spun six superb innings for the PawSox since returning from the disabled list. Johnson threw 93 pitches in six innings of work, giving up just one earned run on three hits, including a solo home run. He struck out six and walked three. Heath Hembree struck out the side in the ninth to earn the save. Rusney Castillo led the Pawtucket offense out of the leadoff spot, going 4 for 4 with a triple, an RBI, and a run scored. Ryan LaMarre drove in a pair with a two-run double in the third.
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The Sea Dogs went 0 for 7 as a team, with runners in scoring position in a frustrating loss. Portland collected nine hits, including a triple and two home runs, but could only muster three runs in the game. Cole Sturgeon led the Portland offense with a 3-for-4 day with a solo home run. Yoan Moncada went 1 for 5, while Mauricio Dubon was held hitless in five at-bats. Mitch Atkins took the loss, allowing five runs on six hits and four walks. He also struck out seven in five innings of work.
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The Salem bullpen allowed five runs in the final three innings of the game, wasting a solid effort from Trey Ball. The 22-year-old lefty authored a quality start, allowing two runs on five hits while walking two and striking out four. Both of the runs came on solo home runs. Mario Alcantara took the loss, allowing three runs in two innings of work. Salem did not have an extra-base hit in the game and could only muster five hits overall. Rafael Devers went 1 for 5 and drove in his 51st run of the year.
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The Drive fell on the wrong side of a pitchers duel against Charleston. Enmanuel De Jesus was excellent over six shutout innings, allowing just three hits. He walked two and struck out two. Marc Brakeman took the loss, giving up two runs (one earned) in the seventh. Kyri Washington briefly put the Drive on top with a solo home run in the top of the seventh in a 1-for-4 game. Nick Lovullo collected two of Greenville's four hits, going 2 for 3. Tate Matheny picked up a pair of outfield assists, gunning down a runner at third and another at second.
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The Spinners erased an early 6-0 deficit to come roaring back for the win. After 2016 third-round draft pick Shaun Anderson was roughed up for six runs in 1 1/3 innings of work, the bats came to life. Seventh-round draft pick Ryan Scott drove in three, including a pair on a two-run home run. Carlos Tovar went 3 for 5 with an RBI double and two runs scored. Tyler Hill went 2 for 4 with two doubles, an RBI, and a run scored. Brandon Workman was solid in a rehab appearance, giving up just one hit and striking out two in two shutout innings. Hunter Smith, a 2016 26th-round pick who was recently promoted from the GCL Red Sox, picked up the win in his first appearance for Lowell. He went four innings, giving up one run on three hits, while striking out five and walking none.
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The wheels fell off late for the GCL Sox as the Orioles scored four runs each in the fifth, sixth, and ninth innings. Starter Jhonathan Diaz was solid through his first four innings of work, before surrendering four runs in the fifth. He allowed seven hits, struck out seven and walked none. Raiwinson Lameda went 2 for 4 with two RBI.
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The first DSL squad did not allow an earned run but had to battle back late to win. Willis Figueroa tied the game at three in eighth and Eddy Reynoso put the Sox ahead for good with a sacrifice fly in the ninth. Ricardo Cubillan went 3 for 4 with a double, and RBI and a run scored, and added an insurance run in the ninth. Starting pitcher Edilson Batista threw five innings of no-hit ball, striking out seven and walking one.
The second DSL squad was blanked, with the offense managing just six singles in the game and no extra-base hits. Catcher Kleiber Rodriguez was the only Red Sox player to collect multiple hits with a 2-for-3 game. Rayniel Moreno took the loss, giving up six runs (five earned) in two innings of work. Luis Rivero was solid in relief, lasting four shutout innings giving up two hits while striking out five and walking three.
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Player of the Day: With his second straight solid start, left-hander Brian Johnson is starting to look like his old self again. After sitting out two months with anxiety issues, Johnson resumed baseball activities in early July - first with the GCL Red Sox and then the Lowell Spinners. After a bumpy first start back with Pawtucket, Johnson has put together two quality starts in a row. Johnson is 4-4 with a 4.13 ERA at the Triple-A level this season.
Photo Credit: Brian Johnson by Kelly O'Connor
Photo Credit: Brian Johnson by Kelly O'Connor