June 19, 2019 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Kent fires seven scoreless innings, Darwinzon's Pawtucket debut rained out
-----
Durham Bulls @ Pawtucket Red Sox, PPD (rain)
It was going to be an exciting night in Pawtucket, with Steve Pearce getting a rehab start and Darwinzon Hernandez making his Triple-A debut. The weather did not cooperate, and the game will be made up on Wednesday as single-admission doubleheader starting at 5:05 pm.
-----
Portland Sea Dogs 2, Erie SeaWolves (DET) 1
It was a pitcher's duel in Erie, with Matthew Kent outlasting top-100 prospect Alex Faedo. Kent fired seven scoreless innings, lowering his ERA to 2.91 with Portland. The SeaWolves managed only two hits and a walk off the left-hander. Durbin Feltman came on in relief and worked his way out of trouble, and Adam Lau gave up a home run and a walk, but it was enough to convert his fourth save.
Luke Tendler provided almost all of the offense, starting off the scoring with an RBI double in the seventh and then adding an RBI single in the eighth. Joey Curletta also had two hits and scored a run. Jarren Duran went 1 for 4 with a walk out of the leadoff spot, and Bobby Dalbec went 0 for 2 with two walks and a strikeout.
-----
CAR North All-Stars 8, CAR South All-Stars 7
Three Red Sox prospects saw action in the Carolina League All-Star Game, and they helped the North side come out on top. Ryan Fitzgerald went 1 for 2 with a walk and a run scored as the starting shortstop, and Pedro Castellanos also went 1 for 2 as the starting first baseman. Eduard Bazardo allowed a run in his only inning of relief and he struck out two.
-----
SAL North All-Stars 6, SAL South All-Stars 2
It was a rough day for the offensive trio representing Greenville in the South Atlantic League All-Star Game, as both Triston Casas and Devlin Granberg each went 0 for 4, while Jordan Wren went 0 for 1 in his only plate appearance.
-----
Brooklyn Cyclones (NYM) 2, Lowell Spinners 1
The offense could not do enough to support some strong pitching performances as the Spinners lost a tough one to the Cyclones. The bottom three hitters in the order all were making their professional debuts, with Luke Bandy (29th round) going 2 for 3 with a double, Jaxx Groshans (fifth round) going 0 for 3, and Alex Erro (17th round) going 1 for 3 with an RBI. Ricardo Cubillan had the only other offensive performance of note, going 2 for 4 though he also committed an error.
After struggling through 8 1/3 innings with Greenville to start the year, Brendan Nail has found his footing in Lowell. On Tuesday he struck out four over two shutout innings, and he now has eight strikeouts in only 3 2/3 innings with the Spinners. Joan Martinez added two hitless innings as he continues his rehab assignment, and Bryan Lucas was the tough-luck loser, allowing two runs (one earned) over five innings with four strikeouts and no walks. It was Lucas's stateside debut after playing last year in the Dominican Summer League.
-----
Portland Sea Dogs 2, Erie SeaWolves (DET) 1
It was a pitcher's duel in Erie, with Matthew Kent outlasting top-100 prospect Alex Faedo. Kent fired seven scoreless innings, lowering his ERA to 2.91 with Portland. The SeaWolves managed only two hits and a walk off the left-hander. Durbin Feltman came on in relief and worked his way out of trouble, and Adam Lau gave up a home run and a walk, but it was enough to convert his fourth save.
Luke Tendler provided almost all of the offense, starting off the scoring with an RBI double in the seventh and then adding an RBI single in the eighth. Joey Curletta also had two hits and scored a run. Jarren Duran went 1 for 4 with a walk out of the leadoff spot, and Bobby Dalbec went 0 for 2 with two walks and a strikeout.
-----
CAR North All-Stars 8, CAR South All-Stars 7
Three Red Sox prospects saw action in the Carolina League All-Star Game, and they helped the North side come out on top. Ryan Fitzgerald went 1 for 2 with a walk and a run scored as the starting shortstop, and Pedro Castellanos also went 1 for 2 as the starting first baseman. Eduard Bazardo allowed a run in his only inning of relief and he struck out two.
-----
SAL North All-Stars 6, SAL South All-Stars 2
It was a rough day for the offensive trio representing Greenville in the South Atlantic League All-Star Game, as both Triston Casas and Devlin Granberg each went 0 for 4, while Jordan Wren went 0 for 1 in his only plate appearance.
-----
Brooklyn Cyclones (NYM) 2, Lowell Spinners 1
The offense could not do enough to support some strong pitching performances as the Spinners lost a tough one to the Cyclones. The bottom three hitters in the order all were making their professional debuts, with Luke Bandy (29th round) going 2 for 3 with a double, Jaxx Groshans (fifth round) going 0 for 3, and Alex Erro (17th round) going 1 for 3 with an RBI. Ricardo Cubillan had the only other offensive performance of note, going 2 for 4 though he also committed an error.
After struggling through 8 1/3 innings with Greenville to start the year, Brendan Nail has found his footing in Lowell. On Tuesday he struck out four over two shutout innings, and he now has eight strikeouts in only 3 2/3 innings with the Spinners. Joan Martinez added two hitless innings as he continues his rehab assignment, and Bryan Lucas was the tough-luck loser, allowing two runs (one earned) over five innings with four strikeouts and no walks. It was Lucas's stateside debut after playing last year in the Dominican Summer League.
-----
It was the first multi-hit game of Eduardo Lopez's career, as he went 3 for 4 with a double in Tuesday's loss to the Marlins. Lopez received by far the biggest signing bonus of any player that Boston signed during the 2018-19 International Signing Period, but he entered the game hitting only .132 over his first 11 games. The double was his first of the year and he also added his second stolen base. Brainer Bonaci raised his average to .439 by going 2 for 3 with a double and a walk, and on the mound Richardson Jimenez and Adrian Hernandez each threw three innings without allowing an earned run.
The Red Sox put up three runs in the top of the ninth but they came up just short in their comeback attempt. Bryan Gonzalez was once again one of the stars offensively, going 2 for 4 with a double and a walk, but he also made the last out of the game at second base while trying to stretch a single into a double. Axel James went 2 for 3 with his first triple of the year, and Noelberth Romero also had two hits. Juan Daniel Encarnacion notched seven strikeouts in his four innings, but also allowed three runs on six hits.
-----
Player of the Night: Matthew Kent had a rude awakening upon being promoted to Pawtucket earlier in the season. The combination of the different baseball and the better competition led to an ERA of 10.50 over 24 innings. After being sent back down to Portland he has regained his early-season form, and the seven shutout innings he threw on Tuesday night marked his best start of the season. He should get another crack at Pawtucket later this year as the 26-year-old looks to prove that he belongs at the highest level of the minor leagues.
Photo Credit: Matthew Kent by Kelly O'Connor