September 8, 2021 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Hernandez starts rehab assignment; Dearden homers twice
9/8 Cup of Coffee: After watching the major league pitching staff struggle again, seeing Darwinzon Hernandez have a successful first rehab appearance with Worcester was a welcome sight. Brandon Howlett and Tyler Dearden (pictured) helped Greenville escape with an extra-innings victory, Tyler McDonough had another tremendous game for Salem, and José De León started a rehab appearance in the FCL.
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A four-hit night from Chad De La Guerra helped the WooSox inch past the IronPigs. De La Guerra went 4 for 5 with a game-tying home run in the seventh. Worcester took the lead later in the inning when Johan Mieses scored on a wild pitch. Connor Wong, Jeter Downs, and Tate Matheny all had two-hit nights, with Wong notching a double while Downs stole two bases.
It was not a crisp outing for Daniel Gossett as he walked five and allowed three runs in 4 2/3. Gossett walked three batters per nine innings over 115 2/3 innings at the major league level from 2017-2018, but his walk rate is up to 4.4 batters per nine innings this season. The win went to Colten Brewer, and Darwinzon Hernandez made his first rehab appearance after going down with a right oblique strain in late July. Hernandez walked one and struck out one without allowing a hit while pitching a scoreless eighth. Austin Brice locked down his first save since 2018.
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Binghamton Rumble Ponies (NYM) @ Portland Sea Dogs, Canceled (COVID-19)
The games on Tuesday and Wednesday have been canceled. Binghamton needs to perform additional testing and contact tracing. The two teams are set to resume the series on Thursday.
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A two-run home run in the top of the 10th from Brandon Howlett proved to be the game-winner. Howlett went 2 for 5, and Tyler Dearden went 3 for 4 with two home runs and a walk. It was another good game for Greenville's two hottest hitters, with Nick Yorke and Stephen Scott each going 2 for 5 with a double. Chase Shugart did not factor into the decision despite twirling five shutout innings. He struck out four and did not issue a free pass. Hickory got to Jacob Wallace for two runs in the eighth and Yorvin Pantoja for a run in the ninth, but Pantoja was able to hold on in the 10th inning to secure the win.
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Tyler McDonough finished a double short of a cycle in Salem's blowout win. He went 3 for 4 with a walk, and the home run was his second of the year. It moved his line to .338/.411/.538 in 65 at-bats with Salem. Both Alex Erro and Gilberto Jimenez also homered, while Ceddanne Rafaela went 2 for 4 with a walk. The pitching was equally impressive, with Shane Drohan's five shutout innings leading the way. He walked two and struck out five while limiting Lynchburg to five hits in his second straight great start. Miguel Suero struck out four and allowed a run in his two innings of relief, and Joey Stock allowed just an unearned run in his two frames.
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The Red Sox could not get any offense going in a game that ended early due to rain. A double from Miguel Ugueto and a single from Phillip Sikes were the team's only hits. Marcelo Mayer went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts and committed his 10th fielding error. The pitching was solid, with Reidis Sena tossing four shutout innings. José De León made his Red Sox debut and allowed one run on two hits. The hard-throwing right-hander was signed as a minor league free agent in August and had not pitched since July 1. In his second career appearance as a pitcher, Michael Gettys added another scoreless inning, though he did allow a hit and a walk.
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This was a game of missed opportunities as the Red Sox went 3 for 14 with runners in scoring position. Miguel Bleis and Ahbram Liendo each went 2 for 4, and Luis Ravelo went 1 for 4 with a double and a walk. Alvaro Mejias got the start and struck out three over two innings of one-hit ball. Starlin Santos had the longest appearance, allowing one run in three innings, and Efren Diaz struck out three and allowed an unearned run in two innings.
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In a classic DSL line, Jhostynxon Garcia went 0 for 0 with five walks, three runs, one RBI, and a stolen base. As a cherry on top, his steal was of home. Juan Chacon went 1 for 3 with two walks, and Diego Viloria went 2 for 4. The win went to Jean Carlos Reyes as he allowed one run on four hits over five innings. He struck out five without walking a batter.
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Player of the Day: A two-home run night for Tyler Dearden saw his OPS jump up to .898 over 86 games this season. He is now in the top-10 in the system in OPS for qualified hitters, and he is also the first Red Sox prospect to eclipse 20 home runs on the season. His 27 percent strikeout rate is on the high side, but most of his other numbers suggest the 23-year-old is ready for a jump to Portland. That bump is likely to happen next year, but with more games like last night, he may force the issue sooner.
Photo Credit: Tyler Dearden by Kelly O'Connor