August 10, 2023 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Abreu shines for Worcester: Bonaci, Coffey debut with new affiliates
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A rehabbing Garrett Whitlock got the start for Worcester and did not allow a run over 2 1/3 innings. Working his way back from elbow inflammation, the right-hander allowed three of the nine batters he faced to reach base on two hits and one HBP. He recorded three strikeouts and finished with 46 pitches (33 strikes) while sitting between 92-94.5 mph with his sinker. Cam Booser finished things up in the top of the third before making way for Shane Drohan, who received the lion's share of work out of the bullpen. Drohan went five innings, yielding four earned runs on five hits, four walks, and two strikeouts. Justin Garza then picked up the save, retiring the side in order in the ninth.
Wilyer Abreu paced the WooSox lineup with three hits for the second Wednesday in a row. Batting third and serving as Worcester's designated hitter, Abreu went 3 for 4 with a double, his 15th home run of the season, three RBIs, and one scored. Nick Sogard also hit his sixth homer of the year while Stephen Scott crushed a 451-foot solo shot for his ninth big fly since being promoted from Portland in early June. Despite going hitless, David Hamilton stole a base to bring his season total up to 43. Ceddanne Rafaela and Bradley Zimmer each swiped one bag as well.
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For the second night in a row, the Sea Dogs fell to the Yard Goats in 10 innings at Hadlock Field. Sterling Sharp was solid in his 15th start of the season for Portland, allowing just two earned runs on five hits, zero walks, and one hit batter to go along with six strikeouts over six quality innings of work. Both of those runs came on a two-run homer in the top of the third. In relief of Sharp, fellow righty Wyatt Olds gave up one run on two hits in the eighth inning. Jacob Webb then took the loss, surrendering two additional runs (one earned) in the 10th.
Chase Meidroth led the way offensively for Portland, going 3 for 4 with an RBI and a walk out of the cleanup spot. Elih Marrero accounted for his side's only extra-base hit of the night, as he doubled in the then go-ahead run in the seventh inning. Brainer Bonaci, making his Double-A debut, served as the Sea Dogs' leadoff hitter and went 1 for 5 with a strikeout. Corey Rosier, who reached base twice by getting hit by a pitch in the third and 10th innings, scored one run and stole his 41st base of the year. Tyler McDonough also stole a base and scored a run after pinch-running for Tyler Dearden in the bottom of the seventh.
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Of the five pitchers Greenville used in Wednesday's blowout loss, Noah Song was the only one to not allow a single run. Song, making his first in-game appearance since returning to the Red Sox organization from the Phillies last week, worked two scoreless, no-hit innings of relief for the Drive. The 26-year-old righty walked one batter, hit another, and struck out three. Of the 28 pitches he threw, 15 went for strikes and six elicited a swing-and-miss.
On what was an otherwise quiet night for the Greenville lineup, Roman Anthony and Allan Castro each drew two walks. Castro, who went 1 for 2 with a single, scored two runs as well. Cutter Coffey, making his High-A debut, also drew a walk and scored a run as part of a 1 for 3 showing at the plate. Tyler Miller and Ronald Rosario each went 1 for 4, with the former plating one run on an RBI base hit and the latter driving in a pair with a two-run single. With his single, Miller extended his hitting streak to six games.
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Jose Ramirez took the loss in his 17th start of the season for Salem. The 22-year-old righty allowed five runs (all unearned) on three hits, four walks, and four strikeouts over four innings. The first two of those five runs were not charged to Ramirez as a result of an Enderso Lira throwing error. The other three were not charged to him because of a throwing error committed by Ramirez himself. Out of the Red Sox bullpen, Luis De La Rosa yielded just one unearned run across three innings of relief in which he struck out five of the 10 batters he faced. Caleb Bolden then fanned three of the six batters he faced over two scoreless frames.
Despite the costly throwing error, Lira enjoyed a fine night at the plate by going 3 for 4 with a run scored out of the six-hole. Mikey Romero put together a multi-hit game of his own, singling two times in five trips to the plate. Salem's lone extra-base hit belonged to Luis Ravelo, who connected on a solo shot in the eighth inning for his fourth homer of the season. Ravelo also added two walks while Gilberto Jimenez and Albertson Asigen each drove in a run by drawing a bases-loaded walk.
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This was the makeup of a game that was originally scheduled to be played on August 1 but was instead postponed due to lightning. Yosander Asencio, Nathanael German, and Jose Liriano each had two hits. German, Liriano, Franyer Noria, Anger Romero, and Nixson Cueche combined to drive in eight runs. Noria stole his fifth base of the season. Jean Carlos Reyes picked up the win in relief, tossing three innings of two-run ball. Cristofer Soriano notched his third save of the year with a 1-2-3 seventh inning.
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Player of the Day: Following Wednesday's three-hit performance in Worcester, Wilyer Abreu is now slashing a stout .385/.484/.654 with one double, two home runs, eight RBIs, six runs scored, one stolen base, five walks, and six strikeouts in seven games (31 plate appearances) this month. The left-handed hitting outfielder is currently ranked as the No. 23 prospect in the organization.
Photo Credit: Wilyer Abreu by Kelly O'Connor