Cup of Coffee: Grand night for Lind; Houck hurls beauty

7/29 Cup of Coffee: A night after delivering a big hit and driving in two runs, Adam Lind doubled that total in just the first inning in a win over the Knights, while Chad De La Guerra also went deep for Portland and former first-rounder Tanner Houck picked up a victory for Salem.

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Pawtucket Red Sox 6, Charlotte Knights (CWS) 5
A grand slam in the top of the first from Adam Lind provided the pop Pawtucket would need to hold on for a one-run win over the Knights at McCoy Stadium. Rusney Castillo added two hits and a run, while Mike Miller and Kyle Wren also had two hits apiece in a 10-hit performance from the PawSox. Wren also added a highlight-reel catch in left field when he jumped high over the bullpen fence to rob a potential game-tying home run in the top of the eighth inning.

Josh D. Smith (5 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K) got the win while Williams Jerez picked up the save.

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Trenton Thunder (NYY) 3, Portland Sea Dogs 2
Josh Taylor gave up an RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth as Trenton walked off with a victory. Chad De La Guerra homered and drove in two runs for the second straight day for a second consecutive 1-for-4 performance. Dedgar Jiminez's fine start of seven innings, two runs, and three strikeouts was a no-decision due in large part to just seven hits and one two-run inning (the fourth) thanks to De La Guerra's long ball. 

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Salem Red Sox 7, Winston-Salem Dash (CWS) 2
Three hits and two doubles from Brett Netzer provided three RBIs, and one run as a 13-hit barrage powered the Salem Red Sox past the Winston-Salem Dash. A night after Bobby Dalbec became the owner of the single-season record for home runs in Salem Red Sox history, the right-handed walked twice. Chris Madera added three singles from the nine-hole, and Tanner Houck picked up the win, firing six innings of three-hit ball, allowing one run and one walk while striking out four. It was the former first rounder's six win of the season, as the tall right-hander has been hit-or-miss all season with a 6-11 record.

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Greenville Drive 10, Charleston RiverDogs (NYY) 8
A three-run top of the ninth proved to be the difference, salvaging a shaky day from the Greenville pitching staff. The Drive's offense operated well, putting up 14 hits, with multi-hit performances coming from Kervin Suarez, Ryan Fitzgerald, Tanner Nishioka and Zach Sterry. Everyone except for Fitzgerald had a double as Nishioka's double in the top of ninth scored both Fitzgerald and Garrett Benge before Sterry's single plated Nishioka.  

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State College Spikes (STL) 5, Lowell Spinners 1

A productive outing from Eduard Bazardo was for naught as the Spinners' offense sputter with just five hits and Andrew Politi gave up three runs in the top of the ninth. Bazardo lasted five innings, giving up five runs and two runs while striking out five. It marked his first loss since June 20 and was the first time he surrendered two or more earned runs since that 8-4 loss to Staten Island in June. Jarren Duran's triple was the only extra-base hit for Lowell in the loss.    

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GCL Twins 5, GCL Red Sox 4

Ryan Fernandez got beat up in three innings of work, allowing seven hits and three runs but he didn't get the loss. That went to Jose Bens who gave up two hits and a run (unearned) in the eighth inning. Lane Milligan smacked his first home run in his 20 games with GCL after being selected in the 17th round out of Oklahoma City.

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DSL Red Sox1 4 DSL Rays1 2

After a single inning from Felix Cepeda, Emerson Ortiz came in for six innings of relief, allowing eight hits but just one earned run to pick up the victory, his fourth of the season. Carlos Sanchez picked up the lone, and rare, extra-base hit, going 2 for 4 with two RBIs.  

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DSL Indians 10, DSL Red Sox2 4

The Red Sox had more runs (four) than hits (three) as Luis Hernandez (single), Andres Gari (double) and Gabriel Perez (tripled) collected the only base knocks for the Red Sox. Left-hander and 17-year-old Jorge Rodriguez pitched pretty well, giving up five runs (two earned) across 5 1/3 innings and struck out four.

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Player of the Day: In the midst of a disappointing season, Adam Lind earns Saturday's honors thanks to his grand slam in the top half of the first. The home run is Lind's seventh in 44 games with the PawSox, and the veteran first baseman is slashing just .217/.275/.385 during that span. 2018 is something of a downturn for Lind, after performing well in the majors with the Washington Nationals in 2017.

Photo Credit: Adam Lind by Kelly O'Connor 

Tommy Cassell is a Contributing Editor for SoxProspects.com. Follow him on Twitter at @tommycassell44. 

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