June 29, 2019 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Ward, Santana turn in solid outings
6/29 Cup of Coffee: Thaddeus Ward (pictured) bounced back from a rough first outing with Salem with six solid frames. The bats were hot for the PawSox, as several players chipped in with big nights. Jarren Duran and Tate Matheny played well in Portland's loss to Reading, while Yasel Santana pitched well for Lowell.
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Jantzen Witte came through in the clutch with a go-ahead RBI single in the ninth inning as part of his 2-for-5 night. Bryce Brentz also stayed hot with his fifth home run in his last 10 games. Tzu-Wei Lin and Cole Sturgeon had three hits apiece and Juan Centeno went 2 for 4 with a double. Teddy Stankiewicz struggled through five, allowing five runs on nine hits. Jenrry Mejia, Bobby Poyner, and Trevor Kelley combined for four shutout frames.
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After taking the lead in the 10th, Jake Cosart surrendered the lead by allowing two runs. Denyi Reyes pitched well over eight innings, allowing three runs on just four hits with no walks and three strikeouts. Tate Matheny went 2 for 4 with his sixth home run and Jarren Duran went 2 for 5 with an RBI, a run, and a stolen base.
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Thaddeus Ward pitched very well, tossing six innings of one-run ball with seven strikeouts and two walks. The bullpen let this one slip away, as Dylan Thompson and Zach Schellenger combined to allow five runs. Salem had just six hits, with Marcus Wilson leading the way with a 2-for-4 night. Edgar Corcino added a triple, a walk and a run scored.
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Alex Scherff started and allowed two runs in four innings with three strikeouts. The bullpen dazzled, as Yoan Aybar and Hunter Haworth both pitched very well despite Haworth taking the loss. Aybar struck out six in two innings and Haworth struck out four in three innings without a walk. Triston Casas smacked his fourth triple of the year, Cole Brannen hit his ninth double, and Everlouis Lozada went deep for the first time this year. Tyler Dearden also added two hits.
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The Spinners struck out 15 as a staff and were led by Yasel Santana, who went the first five and struck out seven without issuing a walk. He did allow nine hits, but managed to keep the damage to one run. Ryan Fernandez struck out six in four innings but allowed three earned runs. Gilberto Jimenez and Wil Dalton each went 2 for 5, with Dalton roping a triple. Jonathan Diaz also added a double.
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Dean Miller walked it off for the Sox in the 10th with an RBI single as part of his two-hit day. Danny Diaz went 3 for 5 with a double and Dominic D'Alessandro and Breiner Licona each had two htis. Dylan Spacke had the best day on the mound for the Sox, as he struck out five without a walk in 2 1/3 innings.
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Darel Belen went 2 for 4 and had the lone RBI. Wilker Vargas also had a good day, going 2 for 3 with a double and a walk. Carlos Velez struck out six, walked four, and allowed three runs in four innings of work. Robinson Montero and Isaac Pinales combined for five shutout innings with five strikeouts.
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The Sox were shutout and held to just five hits, as Naysbel Marcano went 1 for 4 with the only extra-base hit, a double. Reidis Sena started and allowed just one run in four innings with two strikeouts and no walks. Gregori Segovia also pitched well, tossing 3 2/3 scoreless innings with five strikeouts and one walk.
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Player of the Night: Thaddeus Ward, who recently had his player page updated at SoxProspects.com, struggled with his control with 11 walks in 8 1/3 innings leading into last night. He only walked two last night and struck out seven in six innings of work. The 22-year old now had a 1.74 ERA in 10 1/3 innings with Salem albeit with nine walks.
Photo Credit: Thaddeus Ward by Kelly O'Connor