July 3, 2019 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Padron-Artiles and Mata continue to roll
7/3 Cup of Coffee: Bryan Mata edged out Yusniel Padron-Artiles for the June Pitcher of the Month award, but Padron-Artiles got off to a faster start in July as he struck out 10 batters for Lowell. Mata was still great in his Double-A debut, and his electric fastball is already turning heads in the Eastern League. Elsewhere on the farm both the Salem and Greenville offenses put up double-digit runs, Heath Hembree began his trip back to the Boston bullpen, and Aaron Perry looked good again after missing all of 2018.
-----
The Pawtucket bats went quiet as they were shutout by the RailRiders. Pawtucket managed only five hits, with Chris Owings going 2 for 4, while Sam Travis went 1 for 3 with a walk. Josh Ockimey struck out in all three of his plate appearances, and he is now 3 for his last 28 with 14 strikeouts.
Kyle Hart dropped to 3-3 with the PawSox as he gave up four runs over six innings. The first guy out of the bullpen was Heath Hembree, who was just placed on a rehab assignment with the PawSox as he works his way back from a right elbow injury. Hembree struck out two in a scoreless inning. Tyler Thornburg and Bobby Poyner did not allow a run in their respective innings, though Thornburg allowed a hit and a walk.
-----
Bryan Mata was excellent in his Double-A debut, and the Sea Dogs rocked one of the Yankees top pitching prospects in an easy victory. Mata's fastball clocked in at 98 mph on the stadium gun, and the 20-year-old struck out five over six innings. He allowed only one run on five hits, walking two while inducing eight groundouts. Adam Lau struck out two in a scoreless inning of relief.
The offense was led by C.J. Chatham, who went 2 for 3 with a double and two runs scored. Chatham was forced to leave the game after five innings due to a possible knee injury that occurred in the first inning. Jhon Nunez also had two hits with a double, while Bobby Dalbec went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts a day after blasting two home runs.
The Sea Dogs only had one hit in the second game of the doubleheader but they made it count as that was enough to support Daniel McGrath and Dedgar Jimenez. McGrath went the first five innings, allowing only two hits while walking three and striking out six. After coming back down to the Sea Dogs after making a spot start with the PawSox on June 16, McGrath has not allowed a run over 12 2/3 innings. Jimenez earned his first save, striking out three over two hitless innings.
A walk, a wild pitch, and a single from Charlie Madden pushed the only run of the game across in the second inning. Jarren Duran went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts as his average dipped to .217.
-----
Salem Red Sox 11, Fayetteville Woodpeckers (HOU) 1 (7 innings)
This one was called after seven innings due to rain, which allowed Dylan Thompson to throw a complete-game five-hitter. The Woodpeckers only got to him for one run, and he struck out four and walked one. Four of Salem's 14 hits belonged to Keith Curcio, who went 4 for 5 with two doubles. Jagger Rusconi and Nick Sciortino each hit their first home runs of the year, with Rusconi hitting a solo shot in the first inning and Sciortino crushing a three-run bomb in the seventh.
-----
Greenville Drive 10, Columbia Fireflies (NYM) 4
Kevin Biondic was able to work his way out of a few jams and the top of the Drive order was able to do their part in a win over the Fireflies. Biondic allowed 11 baserunners and a home run over five innings, but was able to limit the damage to only three runs as he walked away with the win. Yoan Aybar was flawless in two innings of relief for the second straight outing.
It's a bit surprising it did not come with a stolen base or two, but Cole Brannen went 2 for 4 with a walk and three runs scored. Devlin Granberg also had two hits and a walk, and he drove in two runs while scoring twice.
-----
Salem Red Sox 11, Fayetteville Woodpeckers (HOU) 1 (7 innings)
This one was called after seven innings due to rain, which allowed Dylan Thompson to throw a complete-game five-hitter. The Woodpeckers only got to him for one run, and he struck out four and walked one. Four of Salem's 14 hits belonged to Keith Curcio, who went 4 for 5 with two doubles. Jagger Rusconi and Nick Sciortino each hit their first home runs of the year, with Rusconi hitting a solo shot in the first inning and Sciortino crushing a three-run bomb in the seventh.
-----
Greenville Drive 10, Columbia Fireflies (NYM) 4
Kevin Biondic was able to work his way out of a few jams and the top of the Drive order was able to do their part in a win over the Fireflies. Biondic allowed 11 baserunners and a home run over five innings, but was able to limit the damage to only three runs as he walked away with the win. Yoan Aybar was flawless in two innings of relief for the second straight outing.
It's a bit surprising it did not come with a stolen base or two, but Cole Brannen went 2 for 4 with a walk and three runs scored. Devlin Granberg also had two hits and a walk, and he drove in two runs while scoring twice.
-----
A dominant performance from Yusniel Padron-Artiles highlighted Lowell's victory over Vermont. Padron-Artilles struck out 10, walked two, and allowed only one hit over six innings. He now has struck out 32 batters over his last 24 innings as he continues to dismantle the New York-Penn League. Brendan Nail notched his third save by striking out five over the final two innings.
Lowell's lone run scored on back-to-back doubles from Antoni Flores and Alex Erro, and Gilberto Jimenez stayed hot by going 2 for 4 with his fourth stolen base to raise his average to an even .400.
-----
The Orioles did some damage off of the Red Sox bullpen, but Aaron Perry put together another good start as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery. Now 14 months removed from surgery, Perry allowed only one hit and struck out three over 3 1/3 scoreless innings. He did walk three, and that has been his only issue over his first two rehab appearances. Devon Fisher struck out three and allowed two hits in a scoreless inning in his first rehab appearance since going on the injured list in mid-May.
2019 draftees Daniel Bakst and Matthew Lugo each had two hits, with Lugo adding a double. Austin Rei went 0 for 1 with three walks in his second rehab appearance, and Danny Diaz went 1 for 4 while appearing in his first game as a first baseman.
-----
The Dodgers jumped out to an early lead and never looked back to kick off a rough day in the Dominican for the Red Sox affiliates. Brainer Bonaci continued to star offensively for the first DSL squad, going 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored. Frank Astacio went 2 for 4 with a double and two runs scored, and Nelfy Abreu went 1 for 3 with a walk. The Dodgers hit Claudio Ochoa hard, as he surrendered six runs in his four innings of work.
Some shoddy defense did the Red Sox in as the Cubs pushed across three unearned runs on three errors. Noelberth Romero had the only offensive performance of note, going 2 for 2 with a walk while launching a solo home run, his second of the year. Railin Perez had his best outing of the season, giving up three hits and striking out three over 3 2/3 shutout innings.
The tough day continued in the DSL as the Cubs got to Luis Talavera for four runs in four innings, and then Gregori Segovia for two runs in three innings. Luis Mota was the only player to collect two hits, going 2 for 4 with a run scored.
-----
Player of the Night: Yusniel Padron-Artiles extended a dominant stretch that has seen him pitch to a 1.50 ERA and strike out 32 over 24 innings with the Spinners. He was pitching for the Drive in early-June before the Lowell season started, and it may not be long before he is back in Greenville. The 21-year-old from Cuba was a 22nd-round pick in the 2018 draft, and though he does not have great stuff, he is proving that he is too advanced for the short-season hitters.
Photo Credit: Yusniel Padron-Artiles by Kelly O'Connor