April 22, 2019 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Scorching hot Duran delivers first homer
4/22 Cup of Coffee: It was a quiet day on the farm, with the two affiliates in action combining for just three runs. Jarren Duran (pictured) continued his excellent play, homering on an otherwise lackluster day for Salem. Pawtucket suffered a sweep in Syracuse, while Portland and Greenville were off.
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The PawSox squandered numerous opportunities, going 1 for 17 with runners in scoring position as the Mets completed the three-game series sweep. Gorkys Hernandez reached base three times, going 2 for 4 with a walk and two stolen bases. Josh Ockimey had a triple and a walk, while Jantzen Witte recorded a pair of doubles. Mike Shawaryn allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits in five innings. Travis Lakins and Jenrry Mejia were solid in relief, combining for three scoreless innings.
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The story for Salem continues to be the hot start for Jarren Duran. The center fielder blasted his first home run of 2019 in the third inning. Duran added a walk, bringing his season line to .383/.431/.550. Kutter Crawford worked hard to get through 4 1/3 innings, needing 82 pitches despite allowing only two runs and walking just one against three strikeouts. Through four starts, Crawford has a 2.00 ERA and has allowed opponents only a .215 average against him.
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Player of the Day: Veteran outfielder Gorkys Hernandez got off to a tough start to the 2019 season. Through his first ten games, he was just 4 for 34 with 15 strikeouts. Hernandez's two-hit effort on Sunday was another indication he has righted the ship. He has now hit safely in five straight games, and he was one of the lone bright spots of the Syracuse series, going 5 for 10 and scoring a pair of runs.
Photo Credit: Jarren Duran by Kelly O'Connor