Cup of Coffee: Intra-organizational battles in the DSL, blown leads in the FCL

7/25 Cup of Coffee: It was a lighter-than-normal Monday for the system, as the full-season affiliates enjoyed their typical Monday off, and the DSL squads had an intra-organizational battle, leading to just two games on the ledger. There weren't very many extra-base hits, as the FCL team had just one, courtesy of the rehabbing Gilberto Jimenez, and Eybersson Polanco (pictured) had a strong outing on the mound. Internationally, the scoring was complete in the top of the third, as the bullpens shut down any offensive potential. 

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FCL Rays 4, FCL Red Sox 3 (10 innings)

There were a combined 15 hits between the two teams, with six more free passes, creating a steady number of baserunners, but only seven runs came across. For the Red Sox, Eybersson Polanco pitched five scoreless innings, scattering a pair of hits and walks each. He struck out just one batter. Connor Butler followed with a pair of shutout frames, preserving a 2-0 lead through seven innings. The Rays got one off Simon Pacheco in the eighth, tied it in the ninth, and walked it off in the 10th, scoring two after the Red Sox regained the lead on a Johanfran Garcia single.

Garcia had two hits, as he made it 2-0 in the fifth on another base knock. He was the only hitter with multiple hits, though a rehabbing Gilberto Jimenez roped a double and Bryant Zayas recorded an RBI on a productive out.

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DSL Red Sox Blue 4, DSL Red Sox Red 2 (7 Innings)

Both squads got a hit this time, but Blue came out on top again, this time in a shortened contest. All the scoring was done on the starters, as Yeferson Vargas surrendered a pair of runs on five hits and a walk over four innings for Blue, while all four runs that Red allowed were on Wuilliams Rodriguez's tab. He contributed three innings, giving up six hits, including two home runs. Aaron Liranzo pitched a pair of scoreless innings for Blue, while Oscar Sanchez and Jean Carlos Reyes did the same for Red.

Yoeilin Cespedes drilled a solo shot to lead off the top of the third, proving to be the game-winning run, while Frederik Jimenez went yard with two outs and nobody on later that frame to complete the scoring. The only player with multiple hits was Moises Semerite, doing so for Blue. Red, which scored one each in the first and second, was unable to get a hit in the remainder of the game, and had just five hits as a team. 

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Player of the Day: Eybersson Polanco, who is in his first season stateside, did what he needed to do to help his team on Monday. He pitched five scoreless frames in by far his best outing of the season, scattering just a pair of hits. He didn't miss too many bats, with just one strikeout, but was able to get hitters out. Unranked by SoxProspects, his fastball is reportedly in the mid-90s and he signed for $50,000.

Photo Credit: Eybersson Polanco by Kelly O'Connor

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