Cup of Coffee: De Leon hits first pro homer; five grads shine in LA

7/20 Cup of Coffee: With almost all stateside baseball on hold in deference to the All-Star game and related festivities, the only minor league game action came in the Dominican Republic. Boston's two DSL affiliates played against each other, with the first-place Blue squad coming out victorious. Several other players familiar to SoxProspects.com readers were also in action on Tuesday night, with five players who came though the system getting into the Midsummer Classic.

DSL Red Sox Blue 5, DSL Red Sox Red 1

In intrasquad action, Team Blue got the victory to move to 26-6 on the season. Fraymi De Leon, Boston's top international free agent in the most recent signing period, blasted a two-run homer in the fifth inning. It was the first professional home run for the 17-year-old product of Santiago. Kelvin Diaz had a pair of hits out of the leadoff spot, submitting a double and a pair of runs scored. Cristian Nunez allowed one run on two hits in 3 1/3 innings in his start. Wandy Abreu went 1 2/3 scoreless frames to get credit for the win.

Yosander Asencio had two of the Red team's five hits, including a double. Alvaro Mejias allowed three runs on two hits in four innings, getting charged with the loss.

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American League 3, National League 2

The AL won for the ninth consecutive time, getting input from four graduates of the Sox system. Rafael Devers had a quick night, drawing a walk in the first inning in his only plate appearance. Xander Bogaerts (pictured) entered in the fifth inning and struck out in his only at-bat. Andrew Benintendi and Santiago Espinal joined Bogaerts in the wave of fifth-inning replacements. Benintendi, the lone representative of the Royals, went 0 for 2 with a strikeout and groundout, while Espinal drew a walk and grounded out. Devotees of the site may remember 2011 fifth-round pick Mookie Betts. Betts started in center for the national league and drove in the game's first run with an RBI single. 

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Player of the Day: Boston inked shortstop Fraymi De Leon to a $1.2 million bonus in January, but he had been slumping of late, entering Tuesday's action just 6 for 41 without an extra-base hit in July. A home run, walk and pair of RBI raised his OPS for the month by 100 points.

Photo Credit: Xander Bogaerts from Spring Training 2012 by Kelly O'Connor

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