July 25, 2019 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Duran goes 4 for 5; 6 strong innings for Mata
Cup of Coffee 7/25: Put simply, it was a tough Wednesday down on the farm. Portland notched 13 hits but could only score two runs, Salem blew a late lead and Greenville was shut out in each half of its doubleheader. However, there were bright individual performances, especially from the Sea Dogs. Jarren Duran (pictured) was 4 for 5, while Bryan Mata allowed just four hits in six innings. Thaddeus Ward also pitched well for Salem, giving up just one run on five hits in five frames. Tzu-Wei Lin had three hits, including a two-RBI double as well.
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Pawtucket Red Sox 5, Durham Bulls (TB) 4
Durham scored three runs in the first inning, but Pawtucket responded with a three-run frame of their own in the third and continued on for the win. Tzu-Wei Lin was 3 for 4 with a double and two RBI, while Chris Owings and Rusney Castillo each hit home runs. Josh Smith allowed three runs on four hits in the first, but buckled down and allowed just two more base knocks across the final four innings of his outing. Ryan Brasier allowed the final Durham run in the sixth, while Hector Velazquez handed the seventh and eighth without a run and Travis Lakins earned the save.
Durham scored three runs in the first inning, but Pawtucket responded with a three-run frame of their own in the third and continued on for the win. Tzu-Wei Lin was 3 for 4 with a double and two RBI, while Chris Owings and Rusney Castillo each hit home runs. Josh Smith allowed three runs on four hits in the first, but buckled down and allowed just two more base knocks across the final four innings of his outing. Ryan Brasier allowed the final Durham run in the sixth, while Hector Velazquez handed the seventh and eighth without a run and Travis Lakins earned the save.
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Jarren Duran was 4 for 5 from the leadoff spot and now has four consecutive multi-hit performances. However, Portland's 13 hits were not enough to bring more than two runs home in a close loss. CJ Chatham, Bobby Dalbec and Joey Curletta followed Duran in the lineup and each delivered two hits, including a two-RBI single from Curletta in the seventh. Bryan Mata took a tough-luck loss, allowing just two runs (one earned) on four hits in six quality innings of work.
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Salem owned a 6-2 lead after seven innings, but the wheels fell off for the bullpen. Andrew Politi allowed a pair of runs in the eighth and was replaced by Andrew Schwaab, who recorded the final two outs. However, he was only able to notch the first out and allowed four runs in the process to surrender the lead and the game with it. Garret Benge delivered a two-run home run from the leadoff spot, while Keith Curcio and Nick Sciortino each added two hits. Nick Lovullo had two RBI as well. Thaddeus Ward continued his strong year, allowing just one run on five hits in his five-inning start.
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In the first game of the twin bill, Kevin Biondic saved the bullpen and pitched all six innings, allowing four runs on eight hits. However, Greenville could muster just a pair of hits and was shut out. Devlin Granberg and Grant Williams each recorded base knocks.
Greenville got the go-ahead run to the plate in the seventh, but was unable to break the shutout. The offense did slightly better, as they notched three hits, but two of them came in the final frame. Angel Padron allowed one run on four hits in his three-inning start, while Hunter Haworth struck out the side in the fourth. Yoan Aybar surrendered the other Delmarva run on three hits across the final two frames. Triston Casas, Alan Marrero and Grant Williams each had singles.
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Aberdeen IronBirds (BAL) 4, Lowell Spinners 1
Lowell was held to only two hits, a single each from Gilberto Jimenez and Nicholas Northcut, in a loss that starved for base hits on both sides. Ryan Zeferjahn surrendered just two hits, but walked two batters and hit a batter on his way to allowing four runs in just 1 1/3 innings. Miguel Suero gave up another two hits in 3 2/3 shutout frames, while Jeremy Bleich and Anyelo Gomez added two and one innings, respectively, without allowing a run.
Lowell was held to only two hits, a single each from Gilberto Jimenez and Nicholas Northcut, in a loss that starved for base hits on both sides. Ryan Zeferjahn surrendered just two hits, but walked two batters and hit a batter on his way to allowing four runs in just 1 1/3 innings. Miguel Suero gave up another two hits in 3 2/3 shutout frames, while Jeremy Bleich and Anyelo Gomez added two and one innings, respectively, without allowing a run.
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GCL Red Sox vs. GCL Braves, Postponed (Rain)
The scheduled doubleheader was washed out due to rain. One game will be made up on Thursday, while the other will be played on August 7.
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Angel Bastardo, Adrian Hernandez and Isaias Ozoria combined to allow just four hits in a shutout of the Royals. Bastardo handled the first five innings, while Hernandez pitched the next three and Ozoria handled the ninth. Wilker Vargas delivered the lone RBI with a single in the fifth, while Erick Flores scored on a wild pitch in the ninth. Flores had two hits as well and Albert Feliz and Nelfy Abreu chipped in a pair of singles as well.
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The Red Sox were able to resist a comeback effort from the Dodgers, as they scored three in the eighth, to hold on for the win. Frank Astacio was 3 for 4 with a triple and drove in two runs. Jose Navas and Giancarlos Santana each had two hits as well. Juan Daniel Encarnacion earned the start and contributed four innings, allowing just one run on three hits. Emerson Ortiz recorded his third save of the season with a clean ninth inning.
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Player of the Day: When a player goes 4 for 5, it's tough to not give them the player of the day honor. When it extends a multi-hit streak to four games, as it did for Jarren Duran, it's almost a no-brainer. The Long Beach State product struggled after his promotion on June 3, but he is now 10 for his last 16 and raised his batting average from .208 to .246. However, he has struck out 45 times in 175 at-bats with Portland, compared to 44 times in 199 at-bats in Salem. Duran should continue to increase his hitting numbers as he adjusts to the level and this streak could be the start of that.
Photo Credit: Jarren Duran by Kelly O'Connor