July 10, 2021 at 6:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Wilson and Mieses lead Worcester; Jimenez homers
Every player had at least one hit for Worcester, led by Marcus Wilson, who went 3 for 3 with a double, home run and a walk. His OPS rose to .933 as the 24-year-old continues to pick up where he left off in 2019. Josh Ockimey and Johan Mieses also homered, and Connor Wong doubled in his first game back with the WooSox. The win went to Daniel Gossett as he went the first five and allowed just one run on a solo home run. He struck out five, walked one and surrendered just two hits.
Jarren Duran was a late scratch from the lineup, which quickly started some rumors, but it was reported it was due to lower back tightness and the team wanted to be cautious with the wet field.
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Hartford Yard Goats (COL) @ Portland Sea Dogs, PPD (rain)
Friday's game was postponed due to rain, and it will be made up as part of a doubleheader on July 10.
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Two home runs from Dominic D'Alessandro (pictured, above) were not enough as the IronBirds were able to squeak by the Drive. The home runs were the second and third of the season for D'Alessandro and it was his first career multi-home run game. The Drive tweeted out that the two balls went 472 feet and 440 feet, respectively. Kole Cottam also had a multi-hit night, going 2 for 4 with two doubles and two RBI.
Grant Gambrell was cruising until the fifth, but he gave up three in the fifth and two more without recording an out in the sixth. In five innings he gave up three home runs to go along with two walks and five strikeouts. Jacob Wallace and Yorvin Pantoja combined to shut Aberdeen out over the last four innings.
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Salem jumped out to a 9-1 lead after two innings and cruised to victory in the first game of the night. Both Nick Decker and Jake MacKenzie had two-hit games that included a home run. Decker drove in four runs, while Joe Davis drove in three as he went 2 for 4 with two doubles. Jorge Rodriguez was the beneficiary of the run support as he earned the win with five innings of two-run ball. Yasel Santana followed and allowed just an unearned run over two frames.
The offensive explosion continued in the second game, with Salem getting home runs from Gilberto Jimenez, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Nicholas Northcut. Jimenez went 3 for 5 with three RBI and two steals, while Rafaela also added his 16th theft. The home run was the first for Jimenez since May 23, as he has seen his slugging percentage drop each month. Shane Drohan allowed two runs over three innings, and Jordan DiValerio blanked the Shorebirds in his two frames.
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The FCL Red Sox won for the second straight day, led by back-to-back home runs from Yorberto Mejicano and Miguel Ugueto in the eighth inning. It was the first career home run for both players, with Mejicano's being a three-run shot. Blaze Jordan went 2 for 4, and Freddy Valdez went 1 for 3 with a triple and a walk. Starter Felix Cepeda did not allow a run in 3 2/3 innings, and Bryan Lucas struck out five over two scoreless innings. Gabriel Jackson made his season debut and struck out two without allowing a hit or a walk in one inning.
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Player of the Day: Dominic D'Alessandro hit two home runs that traveled a combined 912 feet, an impressive feat from a player who entered the day with four career home runs. The 24-year-old was added from extended spring training in late May, so he has only played in 19 games this year, but he has a triple slash of .282/.338/.465. A strikeout rate over 31 percent is a red flag, but D'Alessandro has made his mark in a short time with the Drive.
Photo Credit: Dominic D'Alessandro by Kelly O'Connor