July 24, 2023 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Gonzalez, Cellucci, and Guerrero combine for no-hitter in Portland
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It was a rough afternoon on the mound for Brian Van Belle. Making his third start for Worcester, the 26-year-old righty surrendered six earned runs on eight hits, one walk, and six strikeouts over just 4 2/3 innings of work. Of the eight hits he gave up, three were home runs -- including a go-ahead three-run shot off the bat of Everson Pereira in the bottom of the fifth. Out of the WooSox bullpen, Brendan Nail, Ryan Fernandez, and Cam Booser combined for 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.
Ronaldo Hernandez paced the Worcester lineup on Sunday by going 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored out of the six-hole. Ryan Fitzgerald and Daniel Palka each went 1 for 4, with the former driving in one run and the latter pushing across two on a pair of fourth-inning base hits. Bobby Dalbec also singled in a run as part of a 1 for 4 day at the plate while Nick Sogard scored a team-high two runs. Despite going hitless, leadoff man David Hamilton stole his 34th base of the season after drawing a six-pitch walk in the ninth inning.
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A memorable day at Hadlock Field began with Wikelman Gonzalez making his second start of the season for Portland, which ended with a combined no-hitter. The 21-year-old righty yielded one earned run without giving up a single hit over six strong innings. He issued four walks and struck out 10 on 91 pitches (52 strikes). The one run he surrendered came by way of an RBI groundout in the top of the sixth. Brendan Cellucci took over for Gonzalez in the seventh and walked one of the seven batters he faced across two scoreless frames. Luis Guerrero then allowed a second run to score on two walks, a wild pitch, and a sacrifice fly before finishing out the no-hit bid. Our own Ian Cundall was in attendance and had his camera rolling for the final out.
Interestingly enough, the Sea Dogs found themselves trailing at one point on Sunday after the Fisher Cats opened the scoring in the top of the sixth. All six of Portland's runs came in the latter half of the frame. With two outs and the bases loaded, Tyler McDonough, Matt Donlan, and Elih Marrero combined to drive in five runs on back-to-back-to-back hits. Chase Meidroth then capped off the six-run rally by plating Marrero on a run-scoring single of his own. All told, McDonough led the way offensively by going 3 for 4 with a double, two RBIs, and one run scored. Donlan also drove in two runs and scored another as part of a 2 for 3 day at the plate. Alex Binelas went 2 for 3 with a walk and run scored out of the cleanup spot. The rehabbing duo of Pablo Reyes and Trevor Story combined to go 1 for 6 with two walks and two strikeouts.
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Three members of Greenville's starting lineup recorded multiple hits at Fluor Field on Sunday. Brainer Bonaci accounted for his side's lone extra-base hit, going 2 for 5 with a double and a run scored out of the cleanup spot. Batting in front of him, Allan Castro went 2 for 4 with a pair of singles and a walk. Max Ferguson also went 2 for 4, though he added a stolen base (25) and a run scored to his line. Kier Meredith swiped his 11th bag of the year while going 1 for 4 with an RBI single out of the nine-hole. Eduardo Lopez followed Meredith's base hit by singling in two runs to tie the game in the ninth inning. Eddinson Paulino then delivered with the walk-off sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 10th.
Dalton Rogers was solid in his 10th start of the season for Greenville. The 22-year-old southpaw allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits, three walks, and one hit batsman to go along with eight strikeouts over five innings of work. He finished with 86 pitches (54 strikes) and induced 21 swings and misses, the most of any pitcher at the Low-A level on Sunday. In relief of Rogers, Jordan DiValerio, Maceo Campbell, Aaron Perry, and Brock Bell (who was credited with the winning decision) combined for five scoreless frames of relief out of the Drive bullpen.
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Albertson Asigen put together his first three-hit day of the season for Salem. The Red Sox's No. 8 hitter went 3 for 4 with a double, an RBI, a run scored, and a stolen base to extend his hitting streak to four games. Luis Ravelo went 2 for 4 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored. Albert Feliz also doubled in a run while Jhostynxon Garcia made his only hit of the afternoon count by plating three on a bases-clearing double in the third inning.
Noah Dean went four innings in his 15th start of the season for Salem. The Old Dominion product surrendered four earned runs on five hits and three walks to go along with nine strikeouts over four innings of work. All four of those runs crossed the plate in the bottom of the second. Dean then retired six of the final eight batters he faced and finished with 91 pitches (51 strikes). Out of the Red Sox bullpen, Jhonny Felix, Railin Perez, and Jonathan Brand spun five scoreless frames to preserve the win. Brand, who made quick work of Down East in the ninth, picked up his sixth save of the year.
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Player of the Day: Wikelman Gonzalez started Portland's second no-hitter of the season and seventh in franchise history. In his first two starts with the Sea Dogs since being promoted from Greenville earlier this month, the young right-hander has allowed just one earned run on four hits, five walks, and 19 strikeouts over 12 innings in which he has held opposing hitters to a .105 batting average against. Originally signed out of Venezuela for $250,000 a little more than four years ago, Gonzalez is currently ranked as the No. 9 prospect in the organization.
Photo Credit: Wikelman Gonzalez by Kelly O'Connor