Cup of Coffee: Raudes deals as Salem battles Strasburg

8/15 Cup of Coffee: With Pawtucket, Portland, Greenville, and Lowell having the day off and the DSL Red Sox game being rained out, it was a light schedule on Monday night. In the two games that did take place, Roniel Raudes (pictured) outdueled Stephen Strasburg, and the GCL Red Sox rallied in the top of the ninth to come away victorious.

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Potomac Nationals (WAS) 3, Salem Red Sox 2
With Salem facing one of the best pitchers in baseball, it was Roniel Raudes who stole the show by turning in one of the best performances of his career. Raudes went seven innings, which tied a career-high, and allowed only one run on five hits. He walked one and struck out six as he lowered his ERA to 4.38. Pat Goetze could not hold the lead, allowing two runs in the eighth as he blew his first save with Salem.
The Red Sox could not get much offense going, collecting only six hits, with three of those coming off of Strasburg in his five innings. Conrad Gregor got to him for a double in the first inning, but that was the team's only extra-base hit on the night. Jose Sermo went 2 for 4 with an RBI and a stolen base, and Jeremy Rivera went 1 for 3 with a stolen base.

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GCL Red Sox 4, GCL Orioles (BAL) 3

Down by two entering the ninth, the Red Sox scored three runs on an error and a wild pitch as the Orioles collapsed down the stretch. After Everlouis Lozada walked and Ricardo Cubillan singled to start the ninth, a throwing error by pitcher allowed both runs to score and Ramfis Berroa to reach second base. Berroa then scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch. Second-round pick Cole Brannen went 1 for 3 with a double, his second extra-base hit in 104 at-bats, and Juan Carlos Abreu went 2 for 3 with a triple and a walk but was also picked off twice. 

Edilson Batista got the start and struggled through three innings, surrendering two runs on four hits and three walks. Batista now has 15 walks and only 13 strikeouts over 30 innings this season. Hunter Haworth picked up his first career win with three shutout innings of relief, and Marcos Lantigua earned the save with a scoreless ninth. 

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DSL Red Sox at DSL Astros Blue (HOU), PPD

Monday's game was postponed, and the two teams will play a doubleheader on Tuesday. 

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Player of the Night: Roniel Raudes entered the game in a slump, allowing 14 runs on 28 hits over his last 19 1/3 innings. He bounced back in a big way on Monday with seven innings of one-run ball. Raudes has not been able to replicate the success he had in Greenville last season, where he was a SoxProspects.com All-Star as an 18-year-old. Even with a step back in the results this year, Raudes is holding his own while facing competition that is four years older than him on average. He will always be a high-risk prospect due to his lack of overpowering stuff, but his strong track record and feel for pitching will keep him on the prospect radar. 

Photo Credit: Roniel Raudes by Kelly O'Connor

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