July 12, 2019 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Weber, Bastardo shine in no-hit bids
7/12 Cup of Coffee: It was a day of impressive pitching performances, even in games where the affiliates did not prevail. Ryan Weber (pictured) carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning for the PawSox, as did the DSL Red Sox1 team highlighted by Angel Bastardo. Matt Kent matched up evenly with a first-round pick, while Chris Machamer and Hunter Haworth teamed up for an impressive outing for the Drive. Rain affected affiliates from Binghamton to Buena Vista. The second game of Portland's doubleheader was suspended, while Salem's doubleheader and the GCL Sox' contest were postponed.
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The PawSox opened their second half schedule with a brutal come-from-behind loss after a masterful effort by Ryan Weber. The right-hander fired 6 1/3 no-hit innings before giving up a single in the seventh, followed by a sacrifice fly to end the shutout. Through his first six frames he faced the minimum 18 batters, with both walks allowed ultimately erased on double plays. Weber departed after those seven frames with a 4-1 lead, the Bisons showed their immediate relief. Travis Lakins came on and surrendered a single and pair of walks without retiring a batter. Trevor Kelley followed, getting the shallow fly ball out that he needed, followed by a sacrifice fly that cut the lead to two, but the lead was then erased with a two-out three-run homer.
Rusney Castillo and Sam Travis led the way at the plate. Both hit solo homers as part of two-hit evenings. Mitch Moreland and Tzu-Wei Lin both were on rehab stints. Moreland was 0 for 4, while Lin doubled and drove in a run.
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Portland and Binghamton had an unbelievable seven head-to-head match-ups postponed or cancelled by rain in the first half. So it was only fitting that the second half began with an attempt at making up one of those games, only to be foiled by Mother Nature. The two squads managed to get the first game of the twinbill in, with an extra inning to spare. Matt Kent went toe-to-toe with 2017 first-round pick David Peterson, with Kent allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits in seven innings, striking out five and walking two. Adam Lau surrendered the go-ahead run in the eighth, as Gavin Cecchini (brother of old friend Garin) singled to plate the automatic runner. The Sea Dogs managed just four hits in the loss, with a Joey Curletta double the only one for extra bases.
The skies again opened on these two rain-weary adversaries, this time in the fourth inning with the Rumble Ponies leading 2-0. They will try, try again on Friday at 5:30, with the completion of this game followed by the regularly-scheduled contest.
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Salem Red Sox @ Wilmington Blue Rocks (KC)
Like their counterparts in the north, Salem's attempt at a doubleheader was thwarted. One of the games will be made up on Friday as part of a twinbill, the other when Salem returns in late August.
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The Drive avoided the sweep in the series finale in Asheville. Triston Casas delivered the key hit, a bases-clearing double in the sixth. Devlin Granberg doubled as part of 2-for-5 effort, while Cole Brannen scored two runs during his three-hit evening. Starter Chris Machamer allowed just one unearned run in four innings, walking two and striking out one. Hunter Haworth gave up a run in four innings of relief to get credit for the win. Logan Browning continued his outstanding work out of the Greenville bullpen, striking out two of the three batters he faced in the ninth.
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The Spinners fell in Batavia and in doing so went into their first three-game losing streak of the year. Gilberto Jimenez continues to be a catalyst, going 2 for 5 with a double and stolen base. Stephen Scott and and Marino Camapna also doubled, the first as a professional for the former. Ryan Zeferjahn struggled in his third start, allowing two runs on two hits while retiring just two batters. Kelvin Sanchez followed and was saddled with the loss despite giving up just one run in 3 1/3.
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GCL Red Sox @ GCL Braves, postponed
The GCL Red Sox got in the 2019 action with their first postponent of the season. They'll play the Braves in a doubleheader on July 24.
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The Sox cruised to victory after carrying a no-hitter into the seventh inning. Starter Angel Bastardo went the first five hitless frames, walking one, striking out three, and hitting two batters. The 17-year-old righty out of Venezuela lowered his ERA by over a run to 4.13. Adrian Hernandez followed, retiring the first five batters he faced before surrendering a single for the A's first hit. He finished with three scoreless innings. Aledandri Alvarez led the way at the plate, going 4 for 5 with a pair of RBI. Albert Feliz hit his seventh homer of the season, placing him second in the circuit.
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Juan Daniel Encarnacion couldn't quite match Bastardo's excellence, but he turned in a very strong start of his own. The 6-foot-2 righty allowed an unearned run on three hits in five innings, striking out six without issuing a walk. Luis Mota had a pair of hits, while Bryan Gonzalez singled and walked.
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Player of the Day: We usually try not to declare a tie in this space, but a pair of hurlers were unhittable on Thursday and deserve recognition. Pawtucket's Ryan Weber lost his no-hitter and shutout in the seventh but turned in his fourth straight start with two or fewer runs allowed. He has a 2.35 ERA in that stretch. Angel Bastardo, nearly 12 years Weber's junior, went five shutout innings for his first professional win. He signed for just $35,000 out of Venezuela a year ago.
Photo Credit: Ryan Weber by Kelly O'Connor