April 15, 2018 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Shawaryn stands out in first Double-A victory
4/15 Cup of Coffee: Two of the Red Sox’ top-four pitching prospects were on the hill on Saturday as Mike Shawaryn was impressive in the Sea Dogs’ win while Tanner Houck flashed a fastball that hit 94 MPH for Salem. Three of the four clubs in action were blanked on the scoreboard as the Sea Dogs were the lone squad to put up runs. Cole Sturgeon, Esteban Quiroz, and Tate Matheny all continue to impress at the plate, with the trio collecting two hits apiece in the victory for the Sea Dogs.
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Toledo Mud Hens (DET) 4, Pawtucket Red Sox 0
Sam Travis collected two of the PawSox three hits while Jalen Beeks took his first loss of the season on the mound in a shutout defeat to the Mud Hens. Travis went 2 for 4 with a double and Beeks went four innings deep, allowing four hits, three runs (none earned) and striking out eight to lower his ERA to 1.13. It marked the second straight start of striking out eight batters for the left-hander, a 12th round draft pick out of the University of Arkansas in 2014.
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Portland Sea Dogs 3, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (NYM) 0
In his second start this season, Mike Shawaryn claimed his first ever Double-A victory in the Sea Dogs’ blanking of the Rumble Ponies. Shawaryn, the sixth-ranked prospect in our rankings, tossed six innings of three-hit ball while striking out five and issuing one walk. The 23-year-old was efficient, throwing 56 of his 88 pitches for strikes. Four separate Sea Dogs recorded two hits in Cole Sturgeon, Esteban Quiroz, Tate Matheny, and Jeremy Rivera. Each one of those players is now hitting over .300, with Rivera the lone batter below that mark with a .192 batting average. Adam Lau recorded his first save of the season.
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Buies Creek Astros (HOU) 5, Salem Red Sox 0
2017 first-round draft pick Tanner Houck went five innings, allowing three hits, three runs (all earned), five walks while striking out two in his first loss of the season. Houck, a 6-foot-5 right-hander out of the University of Missouri, saw his ERA climb to 5.00 after a no-decision in his first start of the year against the Blue Rocks on April 9. Houck didn’t receive much help from his offense, as Trenton Kemp recorded the lone hit for the Red Sox.
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Rome Braves (ATL) 4, Greenville Drive 0
Nick Duron was the tough-luck loser, getting his second loss of the season, as he allowed one run on six hits over five innings of work as the Drive were shut out by the Braves. Brendan Nail gave up three runs in relief while Frankie Rios was the lone player to garner multiple hits in defeat.
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Player of the Day: In earning his first Double-A win, Mike Shawaryn was effective in limiting the Rumble Ponies to just three hits over six innings of work. After splitting 134.2 innings last year between Salem and Greenville, the 6-foot-2 right-hander has been impressive in two starts so far this season, allowing eight hits over 10.2 innings and striking out eight. He lowered his ERA to 1.69 in the win.