May 30, 2017 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Lakins bounces back in third Portland start
5/30 Cup of Coffee: The Red Sox got solid starting pitching from all four teams in action on the afternoon of Memorial Day. Coming into the day with an unsightly 15.00 ERA in two Portland starts, Travis Lakins (pictured) turned things around for the Sea Dogs. The PawSox completed a four-game sweep, while Salem avoided one. Greenville took the only loss on the day in extra innings as it kicked off its homestand.
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The PawSox completed a four-game sweep of the Bulls to close out their homestand. Shawn Haviland allowed just one run on five hits in six innings, striking out six. Brandon Workman returned to Pawtucket with two hitless innings of relief, and Noe Ramirez pitched the ninth for the save. Ryan Court had a big afternoon to lead the offense. The veteran utilityman got the start at shortstop and went 2 for 4 with a seventh-inning solo homer that gave the PawSox a 2-1 lead. Court has been a consistent performer of late, reaching base in all 14 games he has played in May. Blake Swihart played in consecutive games for the first time since returning from his finger injury and had his first double of the year.
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Portland scored two in the bottom of the ninth and one the the tenth to walk off in a wild win on Monday afternoon. After two rough starts in his introduction to double-A, Travis Lakins turned in a solid outing. He gave up only one hit in his five innings, but struggled some with his control with four walks, leading to a pair of runs allowed. Lakins struck out six and has 51 in 49 innings across two levels. In his fourth game with the Sea Dogs, Jeremy Barfield delivered a key eighth-inning home run as part of a 2-for-5 effort. Rafael Devers doubled and walked on the day, and Danny Mars drove in three. Deiner Lopez drove in Cole Sturgeon with the game winner in the 10th for his second hit of the day.
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The Sox avoided the sweep and opened their lead in the Northern Division back up to two games. Jeremy Rivera was activated following his 50-game suspension for a violation of the minor league baseball drug program. He got the start at shortstop and went 1 for 3 with a double. Michel Chavis was also 1 for 3 on the day, adding a run scored and getting hit by a pitch. Mike Meyers has gotten hot after a slow start to the season. His OPS sat at .501 through May 18, but a 15-for-33 stretch over his last nine games has lifted that all the way to .655. Daniel McGrath picked up his first win of the year, allowing a run on two hits in five innings.
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The Drive managed only five hits off Rome pitching in this 11-inning contest, with two coming off the bat of Lorenzo Cedrola. Cedrola added a walk and a stolen base and is now 15 for 41 (.366) over his last 11 games. Nick Sciortino blasted a sixth-inning solo homer, the first of the year for the former Boston College Eagle. Starter Kyle Hart allowed one run in five frames, lowering his ERA to 2.12 in 17 innings. He struck out six and walked only two. Jake Drehoff kept the contest knotted with three scoreless frames, and Stephen Nogosek threw a scoreless ninth and tenth before surrendering a solo homer in the 11th. The three innings was the longest outing of Nogosek's pro career.
The two teams were scheduled to play a doubleheader on Monday, but inclement weather forced the postponement of the nightcap. They will try again on Tuesday at 4:30.
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Player of the Day: Ryan Court has delivered solid production at the plate for the PawSox while getting called on to move all over the field. A third baseman by trade, Court has not seen any time at the hot corner in 2017, instead getting starts at the other three infield positions as well as left field. He's been one of the PawSox most consistent hitters in 2017, posting a .287/.366/.452 line.
Photo Credit: Travis Lakins by Kelly O'Connor