June 28, 2019 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Benge walks it off for Salem
6/28 Cup of Coffee: Garrett Benge (pictured) walked off for Salem in the 10th as part of his big night. Cole Brannen also played well for Greenville and Yusniel Padron-Artiles turned in a tremendous outing for Lowell.
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The PawSox faced 15-year MLB veteran Ervin Santana and scored three times in five innings against him. Josh Tobias went 1 for 3 with a double and a run scored. A rehabbing Steve Pearce doubled, walked, and scored twice. Chris Owings also added a base knock. Kyle Hart went the first four innings and allowed just one run with three strikeouts and one walk. Domingo Tapia threw two scoreless innings and Trevor Kelley struck out three in his lone inning despite being charged with a blown save.
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Portland had 10 hits but only pushed across one run. Jarren Duran, Joey Curletta, and Luke Tendler each went 2 for 4 with two singles. Deiner Lopez also went 1 for 3 with a double and an RBI. Dedgar Jimenez took the loss but pitched well, allowing a pair of runs in six innings while striking out seven and walking two. Durbin Feltman threw a scoreless frame with one strikeout and one walk. Adam Lau also tossed a clean inning.
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Garrett Benge finished off a terrific night with a walk-off single in the 10th. He went 3 for 5 with a triple and two RBI. Victor Acosta also went 2 for 5 with his 13th double and an RBI. Pedro Castellanos and Tanner Nishioka also picked up two hits apiece. Bryan Mata had a solid outing but was hurt by his defense and still allowed eight hits. He gave up four runs (one earned) in six innings with seven strikeouts and three walks. Andrew Politi was great in 2 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out four with no walks. Joan Martinez got credit for the win, tossing 1 1/3 innings with two strikeouts.
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Cole Brannen had a huge night in the leadoff spot, reaching four times in five trips to the plate with a double, a single, two walks, and his 21st stolen base. Triston Casas and Dylan Hardy also roped doubles. Kevin Biondic gave up three runs in five innings with three strikeouts and two walks. Angel Padron was terrific in relief, surrendering just one unearned run in four innings with five strikeouts and no walks.
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Lowell scored six in the second and never looked back as Elih Marrero capped off the inning with a three-run double. Joe Davis also doubled and Alex Erro went 1 for 2 with a walk, a run, and an RBI. Yusniel Padron-Artiles was tremendous, allowing just one run on two hits, one walk, and eight strikeouts in six innings of work. Jeremy Bleich pitched a scoreless inning Jose Larez allowed two runs (one earned) in the final two innings.
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Gabriel Jackson started and took the loss, allowing four earned runs with four walks in three innings. Nixson Munoz had an interesting outing with six strikeouts and no walks in four innings, but he allowed five runs (three earned) on six hits. The Sox offense had 11 walks but just two hits, as Eduardo Vaughan and Eddinson Paulino picked up the only knocks.
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The game was suspended after the top of the fifth with the Sox down by three. Naysbel Marcano is 2 for 2 with a double, an RBI, and a run. Three Sox pitchers have combined for 10 walks so far, as Carlos Reyes and Felix Gomez combined to allow six runs.
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Player of the Night: Garrett Benge, a 2017 13th round pick out of Oklahoma State, is in his second year with Salem. Last year, he hit .327/.466/.452 in 31 games with Salem. This year, his OPS is just .715, but he is batting .367 over his last 10 games.
Photo Credit: Garrett Benge by Kelly O'Connor