May 3, 2018 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Tavarez, Sturgeon have four-hit games, Ball struggles
5/3 Cup of Coffee: Pawtucket was the only team to win as Portland and Greenville both blew late leads and Salem was shut out. Aneury Tavarez (pictured) and Cole Sturgeon each had four hits, while Josh Smith performed admirably in a spot start for Marcus Walden, who was called up to Boston to replace Eduardo Rodriguez, who was placed on the Family Medical Leave list.
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Anuery Tavarez led the way with a 4-for-4 night as Pawtucket snapped a three-game losing streak in their series finale with Rochester. The Red Wings had a three-run top of the fifth to take a 3-1 lead but the PawSox countered with four runs in their own in the bottom half to take the lead for good thanks to a three-run homer by Jordan Betts followed by a deep drive by Tavarez, who also drove in three. Josh Smith, who replaced call-up Marcus Walden as starting pitcher, allowed just two hits in four shutout innings to go along with a strikeout. Tyler Thornburg walked two and allowed an unearned run in his second rehab appearance. Kyle Martin pitched 1 1/3 perfect innings for his first save of 2018.
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Portland had a 6-0 lead after two innings and an 8-4 lead after six, but Trenton took the contest with three runs in the seventh and two more in the eighth. Cole Sturgeon increased his batting average to .390 with a 4-for-5 evening, adding his fifth home run of the season to lead off the fourth. The four hits tied a career high. Jhon Nunez had three hits as well as part of a 13-hit attack, but Trey Ball allowed five runs, three of which were earned, on five hits and three walks across the seventh and eighth. He added a pair of strikeouts as well. Kevin McAvoy started and saw his control fail him, as he walked six in just 2 2/3 innings, but he allowed just three runs to score.
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Tanner Houck was effective, allowing just two runs on seven hits with three walks and a strikeout across five innings, but his opposition got more support, as a two-run home run in the third inning proved to be the only offense the Keys needed. Frederick's bullpen dominated Salem's offense, giving up only one hit in 3 1/3 innings. Roldani Baldwin went 2 for 3 with a double in the Red Sox's only multi-hit performance as the squad could only muster seven hits.
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Greenville continues to struggle as the calendar turns to May, dropping the middle game with Delmarva. Six of the Drive's nine hits came from Lorenzo Cedrola, Kervin Suarez and Frankie Rio, each with a 2-for-4 performance. Rios had the squad's only RBI. The Drive led 3-1 headed into the bottom of the sixth, but three straight singles off starter Emmanuel De Jesus plated one run and left two men on. One more scored on a double play after a pitching change and the Shorebirds took the lead with a solo home run later in the frame. The Drive were no-hit over the final three innings by Delmarva's bullpen.
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Player of the Night: Aneury Tavarez earns the evening's honors witha 4-for-4 performance, including a solo home run and three RBI. The 26-year-old hit his first home run of the season and now has a .324 batting average in his last 10 games.
Photo Credit: Aneury Tavarez by Kelly O'Connor