June 10, 2019 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Granberg powers Drive; Wright on mound in Pawtucket
While this post was in process, the news emerged from the Dominican Republic that Red Sox legend David Ortiz had been shot during a robbery attempt. While we remain hopeful waiting for updates on Ortiz's condition, he and his family are in the thoughts of the SoxProspects.com team.
6/10 Cup of Coffee: The affiliates earned a split of their four games on Sunday, with the two Class A teams coming out victorious. Devlin Granberg (pictured) led an 11-hit attack as the Drive prevailed while the rain and Kutter Crawford preserved a win for Salem. Pawtucket fell despite a bevy of ringers while Portland endured a long, frustrating day at the plate.
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Despite the presence of four rehabbing major leaguers for the PawSox, Rochester completed the four-game sweep at McCoy Stadium. Starter Brian Johnson turned in his best outing since starting his assignment, giving up a run on four hits in four innings, striking out six and walking two. Steven Wright made his first rehab appearance as he comes back from an 80-game suspension, allowing a solo homer and striking out two in 1 2/3 innings. Tyler Thornburg was also in his first action since being placed on the Injured List, striking out one in a perfect seventh. Finally, Tzu-Wei Lin went 2 for 3 as the shortstop after going 0 for 2 on Saturday.
Among players on the regular roster, Gorkys Hernandez continued his hot streak. Hernandez blasted a solo homer and walked twice as he extended his streak of games with a run scored to 11. Bryce Brentz and Cole Sturgeon also delivered solo homers, accounting for the rest of the Pawtucket scoring. Kyle Hart, pushed into a bullpen role in deference to the parade of rehabbing hurlers, entered in the eighth inning and allowed three runs on four hits in two innings.
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It was a particularly long day at the plate for the Portland lineup, going 4 for 40 during the 12-inning, three hour and 40 minute marathon. Spot starter Daniel McGrath, making his first appearance in 12 days, fired five shutout innings, scattering two hits, walking two, and striking out five. Jarren Duran doubled in the 11th to halt an 0-for-14 skid. Bobby Dalbec reached base twice with a single and a walk.
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The weather was on Salem's side on Sunday afternoon as the game was called with the tying run on second base with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Kutter Crawford got credit for the complete game victory for allowing one run on six hits in 5 2/3. He struck out six and walked one, lowering his ERA on the year to 3.14. Edgar Corino and Marcus Wilson blasted solo homers in the second and sixth innings to account for all of the Red Sox scoring. Victor Acosta had the only multi-hit effort, going 2 for 3 with a stolen base.
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Devlin Granberg led the way as the Drive prevailed in a back-and-forth contest. The designated hitter blasted a three-run homer before the first out was recorded before adding a single, walk, and another run scored. Jordan Wren also went deep for Greenville, while Triston Casas was 1 for 4 with a walk. Cole Brannen notched his second consecutive three-hit game as he raised his average 20 points over the weekend. Before Saturday he had delivered three hits only once in 157 career games, the last time coming in 2017 as a member of the Lowell Spinners. Brayan Bello earned the win, giving up four runs (three earned) in five innings, striking out six, walking just one, and recording eight ground-ball outs. Kevin Biondic followed with four shutout innings to get credit for his first save of the year.
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Player of the Day: Devlin Granberg has been one of the most consistent performers in the system this year. He delivered his fifth homer of the season to lead the Drive to victory while raising his on-base percentage to .398, good for second in the organization. He leads Greenville in several offensive categories, including batting average, hits, walks, and, perhaps most improbably, triples. Granberg was a sixth-round pick in the 2018 draft as a Senior at Dallas Baptist University.
Photo Credit: Devlin Granberg by Kelly O'Connor