May 8, 2023 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Mayer caps off monster week with another four-hit game
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Chris Murphy made his sixth start of the season in Sunday's series finale. The 24-year-old lefty allowed one earned run on four hits, two walks, and one hit batsman to go along with three strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings of work. Of the 98 pitches he threw, 61 went for strikes. Out of the Worcester bullpen, Justin Garza and Joe Jacques each gave up a home run while Cam Booser and Chase Shugart combined for two scoreless frames of relief.
Greg Allen led the way for Worcester offensively by going 3 for 4 with two doubles, one walk, and one run scored out of the leadoff spot. The speedy centerfielder also stole his 17th base of the season. Nick Sogard doubled as part of a two-hit effort while Niko Goodrum and Daniel Palka each drove in a run.
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In a similar fashion to Allen, fellow outfielder Phillip Sikes went 3 for 4 with a double, two RBIs, and one run scored out of the leadoff spot for Portland on Sunday. He was also hit by a pitch. Nick Yorke, the Sea Dogs' No. 2 hitter, also registered a multi-hit game by going 2 for 4 with an RBI and a walk. Tyler McDonough drew two walks, scored one run, and stole his seventh base of the season out of the nine-hole. Despite going hitless at the plate, center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela put his arm strength on display by throwing out a runner at home in the second inning.
Sterling Sharp struggled in his fifth start of the season for Portland. The right-hander yielded four earned runs on seven hits (two home runs), four walks, and zero strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings. He has seen his ERA rise from 1.00 to 3.71 in his last two outings. Ryan Miller took the loss out of the Sea Dogs bullpen by surrendering a go-ahead RBI double in the bottom of the seventh.
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Marcelo Mayer closed out the weekend with another monster day at the plate. The stud shortstop went a perfect 4 for 4 with two RBIs and three runs scored out of the three-hole. He homered in the first inning, singled in the fourth inning, doubled in a run in the sixth inning, and doubled again in the eighth for his 10th two-base hit of the season. In addition to Mayer, Tyler Miller also homered as part of a 2 for 3 afternoon for Greenville. Brainer Bonaci doubled and drove in two runs as part of a multi-hit effort as well.
Hunter Dobbins made his season debut and first-ever start at the High-A level on Sunday. Over four innings of work, the Texas Tech product allowed two runs on two hits, two walks, and two hit batsmen with two strikeouts. He threw 78 pitches and exactly half of them went for strikes. In relief of Dobbins, Jordan DiValerio gave up a solo home run in the fifth inning. Nathan Landry, Christopher Troye, and Joey Stock then combined for 3 1/3 scoreless frames of relief to close it out.
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Two members of Boston's 2022 draft class stole the show for Salem on Sunday afternoon. Noah Dean, making his fifth start of the season, scattered four hits and three walks over five scoreless innings. The 22-year-old southpaw struck out five of the 19 batters he faced and earned the first win of his professional career. Jhonny Felix, Luis Talavera, and Felix Cepeda preserved the shutout bid with four scoreless frames of their own.
Roman Anthony, Boston's third pick in last year's draft, went 3 for 5 with two doubles, three RBIs, one run scored, and one stolen base out of the leadoff spot. Ronald Rosario and Yorberto Mejicano combined for five hits. Miguel Bleis, who went 1 for 3 with a walk, stole three bases to increase his season total to 11. He also threw out a runner at third base from right field. Luis Ravelo led the team with two walks.
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Player of the Day: Was there ever any doubt that it wasn't going to be Marcelo Mayer? Including Sunday's four-hit performance, the left-handed hitter went a ridiculous 16-for-31 (.516) with six doubles, three home runs, 12 RBIs, eight runs scored, and one stolen base in six games against Asheville. The 20-year-old Mayer is now batting .337 for Greenville and is showing why he is the top prospect in the organization.
Photo Credit: Marcelo Mayer by Kelly O'Connor