April 10, 2022 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Mayer stays hot, Jordan belts first homer
4/10 Cup of Coffee: Marcelo Mayer (pictured) and Blaze Jordan helped Salem to a pair of wins, including the completion of Friday's suspended game. Franchy Cordero and Johan Mieses lifted Worcester over Jacksonville to continue their great start to the campaign. Matthew Lugo and Ceddanne Rafaela also showed off their power for Greenville.
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Worcester Red Sox 5, Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (MIA) 1
Worcester picked up its fourth win in five games to start 2022. Franchy Cordero continued his hot start to the season with three hits in five at-bats, including a double and two runs scored. Johan Mieses had the big blow in the game, a three-run shot in the third inning off of old friend Matthew Kent. Brian Keller pitched well, allowing just one unearned run in 3 2/3 innings with five strikeouts and two hits allowed. John Schreiber picked up his second win on the young season, tossing 2 1/3 scoreless innings with two strikeouts and no free passes. Tyler Danish, Taylor Cole, and Durbin Feltman added clean innings of their own, with Danish and Cole punching out two.
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New Hampshire Fisher Cats (TOR) 3, Portland Sea Dogs 0 (6 innings)
The Sea Dogs weren't given much time to dig themselves out of their three-run first-inning deficit, as the game was called after the top of the sixth due to rain. They only had three hits, two of them coming off the bat of Brandon Howlett, including a two-bagger. Pedro Castellanos had the other hit, and David Hamilton walked and swiped his second base of the year. Victor Santos went five innings and allowed three runs, although only one of them was earned. After that three-run first, he tossed four straight scoreless innings. Brendan Nail also pitched an inning without allowing a run.
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Hudson Valley Renegades (NYY) 8, Greenville Drive 6 (10 innings)
The Drive dropped a tough hard-fought extra-inning game. Matthew Lugo led the offense by going 2 for 5 with a home run, a double, and three runs knocked in. Ceddanne Rafaela also had a big night with a 2-for-5 game, belting his second home run of the year. Alex Binelas had a nice night at the plate as well, going 1 for 3 with an RBI single and two walks.
On the mound, the highlight of the night was... Joe Davis. Yes, big Joe Davis was called on in the 10th inning and he was able to get a couple outs. Shane Drohan started and pitched a decent game, allowing one run over 3 1/3. He struck out five but also walked four. Jacinto Arredondo did not give up an earned run in 2 2/3 frames, while Michael Gettys tossed 1 2/3 clean innings.
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Salem Red Sox 11, Lynchburg Hillcats (CLE) 8
In a completion of Friday's suspended matchup, the Sox came out swinging in the bottom of the second when action resumed. Marcelo Mayer got the big hit, a two-run single that extended the lead to five. Blaze Jordan, ranked 10th at SoxProspects.com, belted his first home run of 2022 to go along with a walk in five trips to the plate. Niko Kavadas and Phillip Sikes, a pair of 2021 draft picks, each went 2 for 4 with a walk, two singles, and an RBI. Brainer Bonaci set the table nicely with four walks and three runs scored out of the leadoff spot.
Joey Stock picked up where Wilkelman Gonzalez left off Friday with a pair of scoreless innings of his own. Barbaro Pinero struggled, allowing seven runs (five earned) without recording an out. Osvaldo De La Rosa, who ended up with the win, tossed three shutout innings with three punchouts. Nate Tellier picked up save No. 1on the year with a pair of strikeouts in a scoreless ninth.
Salem Red Sox 4, Lynchburg Hillcats (CLE) 3 (7 innings)
Salem picked up its second win of the day in their regularly scheduled game behind another big game from Mayer. The 19-year old shortstop went 3 for 4 including his second double of the year, a run, and an RBI. Bonaci continued to get on with a pair of singles and another walk. Miguel Ugueto, who had a big year last year with the FCL Sox, went 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run. It has only been a couple games, but the top three in the Salem order are off to hot starts, as Bonaci, Mayer, and Jordan all boast an OPS north of 1.200.
Angel Bastardo breezed through three frames before hitting a bump in the fourth, when he allowed all three of his runs on a three-run blast. The 19-year old righty fanned five over 3 1/3 innings. Sox relievers did not allow a hit, as Miguel Suero threw 2 2/3 prefect innings before Jhonny Felix earned his first save of the year with a pair of strikeouts in the seventh.
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Player of the Day: Marcelo Mayer is living up to the hype so far in his first full season of professional baseball. The 2021 fourth overall pick, and SoxProspects.com's second-ranked prospect, picked up four hits on the day. His sweet stroke led to an opposite field line drive double against a left-handed arm.
Photo Credit: Marcelo Mayer by Kelly O'Connor
Worcester picked up its fourth win in five games to start 2022. Franchy Cordero continued his hot start to the season with three hits in five at-bats, including a double and two runs scored. Johan Mieses had the big blow in the game, a three-run shot in the third inning off of old friend Matthew Kent. Brian Keller pitched well, allowing just one unearned run in 3 2/3 innings with five strikeouts and two hits allowed. John Schreiber picked up his second win on the young season, tossing 2 1/3 scoreless innings with two strikeouts and no free passes. Tyler Danish, Taylor Cole, and Durbin Feltman added clean innings of their own, with Danish and Cole punching out two.
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New Hampshire Fisher Cats (TOR) 3, Portland Sea Dogs 0 (6 innings)
The Sea Dogs weren't given much time to dig themselves out of their three-run first-inning deficit, as the game was called after the top of the sixth due to rain. They only had three hits, two of them coming off the bat of Brandon Howlett, including a two-bagger. Pedro Castellanos had the other hit, and David Hamilton walked and swiped his second base of the year. Victor Santos went five innings and allowed three runs, although only one of them was earned. After that three-run first, he tossed four straight scoreless innings. Brendan Nail also pitched an inning without allowing a run.
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Hudson Valley Renegades (NYY) 8, Greenville Drive 6 (10 innings)
The Drive dropped a tough hard-fought extra-inning game. Matthew Lugo led the offense by going 2 for 5 with a home run, a double, and three runs knocked in. Ceddanne Rafaela also had a big night with a 2-for-5 game, belting his second home run of the year. Alex Binelas had a nice night at the plate as well, going 1 for 3 with an RBI single and two walks.
On the mound, the highlight of the night was... Joe Davis. Yes, big Joe Davis was called on in the 10th inning and he was able to get a couple outs. Shane Drohan started and pitched a decent game, allowing one run over 3 1/3. He struck out five but also walked four. Jacinto Arredondo did not give up an earned run in 2 2/3 frames, while Michael Gettys tossed 1 2/3 clean innings.
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Salem Red Sox 11, Lynchburg Hillcats (CLE) 8
In a completion of Friday's suspended matchup, the Sox came out swinging in the bottom of the second when action resumed. Marcelo Mayer got the big hit, a two-run single that extended the lead to five. Blaze Jordan, ranked 10th at SoxProspects.com, belted his first home run of 2022 to go along with a walk in five trips to the plate. Niko Kavadas and Phillip Sikes, a pair of 2021 draft picks, each went 2 for 4 with a walk, two singles, and an RBI. Brainer Bonaci set the table nicely with four walks and three runs scored out of the leadoff spot.
Joey Stock picked up where Wilkelman Gonzalez left off Friday with a pair of scoreless innings of his own. Barbaro Pinero struggled, allowing seven runs (five earned) without recording an out. Osvaldo De La Rosa, who ended up with the win, tossed three shutout innings with three punchouts. Nate Tellier picked up save No. 1on the year with a pair of strikeouts in a scoreless ninth.
Salem Red Sox 4, Lynchburg Hillcats (CLE) 3 (7 innings)
Salem picked up its second win of the day in their regularly scheduled game behind another big game from Mayer. The 19-year old shortstop went 3 for 4 including his second double of the year, a run, and an RBI. Bonaci continued to get on with a pair of singles and another walk. Miguel Ugueto, who had a big year last year with the FCL Sox, went 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run. It has only been a couple games, but the top three in the Salem order are off to hot starts, as Bonaci, Mayer, and Jordan all boast an OPS north of 1.200.
Angel Bastardo breezed through three frames before hitting a bump in the fourth, when he allowed all three of his runs on a three-run blast. The 19-year old righty fanned five over 3 1/3 innings. Sox relievers did not allow a hit, as Miguel Suero threw 2 2/3 prefect innings before Jhonny Felix earned his first save of the year with a pair of strikeouts in the seventh.
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Player of the Day: Marcelo Mayer is living up to the hype so far in his first full season of professional baseball. The 2021 fourth overall pick, and SoxProspects.com's second-ranked prospect, picked up four hits on the day. His sweet stroke led to an opposite field line drive double against a left-handed arm.
Photo Credit: Marcelo Mayer by Kelly O'Connor