August 6, 2016 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Moncada hurts ankle, Dalbec keeps hitting
8/5 Cup of Coffee: Portland was the only affiliate to take a loss on a strong Friday for the organization. Marco Hernandez and Bobby Dalbec (pictured) led big offensive efforts while pitching reigned supreme in the GCL and DSL. The organization received a scare when top prospect Yoan Moncada left Portland’s game with a left ankle injury.
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The PawSox’ seven-run third inning was the story of the game in their blowout victory Friday. Marco Hernandez powered the offense, blasting his third Triple-A home run of the season in the decisive third inning. Hernandez added a triple to his 2-for-4, three-RBI night. Jantzen Witte enjoyed a 4-for-4 performance, and Christian Vazquez chipped in a walk and two hits of his own. After surrendering an early run, starter Roenis Elias was dominant. He retired 15 in a row at one point on his way to a seven inning gem, allowing just three hits and striking out eight. Joe Kelly allowed his first run as Triple-A reliever in the eighth, and Kyle Martin pitched a scoreless ninth.
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The Sea Dogs took an ugly defeat Friday, but may have lost something much more valuable when top prospect Yoan Moncada left the game in the eighth with a left ankle injury. Moncada did walk off under his own power, but there is no word on how much time, if any, he will have to miss. It was a rough night all around for Moncada, who also had three fielding errors at second base. Aneury Tavarez did much of the Portland damage, going 3 for 4 with a double. Nate Freiman went 2 for 3, and Jake Romanski added a double. Kevin McAvoy suffered from the poor defense behind him, allowing just two earned runs but four unearned tallies. Williams Jerez threw a 1-2-3 inning out of the bullpen.
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An early 4-1 deficit did not faze the Red Sox, as Salem exploded for 19 hits and scored in every inning after the third. Every batter in the Salem lineup notched a hit, led by four-hit performances from Joseph Monge and Bryan Hudson. Jordan Procyshen and Deiner Lopez each went 3 for 5, with Procyshen blasting his third home run of the season. Salem starter Anyelo Leclerc battled through 3 2/3 innings of four-run ball before giving way to Yankory Pimentel, who also coughed up two runs. Simon Mercedes had the best day on the mound for Salem, going two innings of scoreless ball to finish the game.
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Greenville also overcame an early deficit with a three-run fifth inning and held on for a narrow victory. Starter Dedgar Jimenez picked up the victory allowing nine hits in 5 1/3 innings but limited the damage to three runs. Gerson Bautista allowed a run in 2 1/3 innings out of the bullpen, but Trevor Kelley slammed the door with a crucial scoreless 1 1/3 innings. Charleston actually outhit the Drive 13-6, but Greenville picked up the knocks when they needed them. Mitchell Gunsolus’ two-run single in the fifth gave the Drive the lead for good. Nick Lovullo posted the team’s only multi-hit night, going 2 for 3, while Luis Alexander Basabe and Kyri Washington each went 1 for 5 with an RBI.
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Lowell scored in each of the first four innings and added five in the sixth to build a 13-2 lead before a late Vermont comeback attempt made it a closer game. Bobby Dalbec put on a show, mashing his fourth double and second home run in his young professional career. He finished 3 for 5 with four RBI and two runs scored. Robby Scott and Victor Acosta posted identical impressive lines: 3 for 5, three RBI and two runs scored. Andy Perez went 2 for 4 with a double. Dakota Smith earned the win with a strong 5 2/3 innings, allowing just one earned run on four hits. Out of the bullpen, Dioscar Romero, Brad Stone and Matthew Gorst struggled before finally closing out the victory.
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The GCL Red Sox managed just five hits — all singles — but pulled out a low-scoring victory thanks to the performance from starting pitcher Hildemaro Requena. The young righty twirled seven innings of two-hit, one-run ball. He lowered his ERA to 2.54 despite struggling against this same Twins lineup last time out. The bullpen was just as stingy, with Max Wood and Angel Padron each tossing hitless innings and striking out two. Rafael Oliveras scored a run and reached base three times on two hits and walk, upping his average to .327.
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Similar to their GCL counterparts, the DSL Red Sox1 overcame weak offense with dominant pitching to win a low-scoring affair. The Red Sox picked up just four hits in the game but scored tallies in the fourth and seventh to claim the lead. Carlos Pulido accounted for half the team’s hits with a 2 for 4 night, and Luis Hernandez doubled, walked and scored a run. Rayniel Adames lowered his ERA to 2.45 with 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball. Manuel Ramirez retired five batters without allowing a hit, and Juan Florentino picked up his 13th save with a scoreless ninth.
The Red Sox were off to a rocky start before rain washed out the game in the top of the fifth. Ronaldo Pulgar and Fabian Andrade picked up the Sox’ two hits. Gary Calvo allowed two runs in his 2 1/3-inning start, and Victor Familia coughed up the other.
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Player of the Day: Bobby Dalbec put his raw power on display Friday, hitting his second home run and amassing a career-high seven bases. While Dalbec’s career consists of just nine games to this point, he has hit safely in seven of them and ripped six extra-base hits. Dalbec was the starting pitcher for Arizona in the College World Series finale just a couple months ago, but his bat is what enticed the Red Sox to pick him in the fourth round. He is proving them right with a .353/.421/.647 line in the early going.
Photo Credit: Bobby Dalbec by Kelly O'Connor