August 11, 2023 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Teel continues hot start; Feliz powers Salem slugfest
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Worcester Red Sox vs. Buffalo Bisons (TOR), postponed
The WooSox contest was rained out, but the meet and greet with Hall of Famer Wade Boggs went on as scheduled. The teams were already scheduled to play a doubleheader on Friday, but the schedule was adjusted slightly -- the makeup during the twinbill will be of this contest. The June rainout in Buffalo that was going to be made up with the Bisons as the "home" team in Polar Park is the one that has been canceled.
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Nathan Hickey led the way on an otherwise tough night at Hadlock. Hickey blasted his 17th home run of the season and 13th since his promotion from Greenville, a sixth-inning solo shot. He also added an RBI double. Brainer Bonaci was 1 for 3 with a pair of walks out of the leadoff slot in his second game with the Sea Dogs. Hunter Dobbins surrendered five runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 to get saddled with the loss. Alex Hoppe and Christopher Troye impressed out of the bullpen: Hoppe struck out a pair in 1 1/3 hitless frames, while Troye also had two strikeouts while surrendering a single in a scoreless ninth.
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The Grasshoppers overcame another superhuman effort by Kyle Teel to hold off the Drive. Teel followed up Tuesday's 3-for-5 Class-A debut with another 3-for-5 effort. He registered his first extra-base hit with a one-out double in the first inning, and he went on to single twice, draw a walk, drive in three, and score twice. Behind the plate, he cut down the only attempted stolen base against him. Eduardo Lopez joined Teel in the three-hit club, while Nick Decker was 2 for 4 with a double and two runs scored. Juan Daniel Encarnacion allowed five runs, all coming on three long balls, in 3 1/3 innings. Brock Bell took the tough-luck loss in extra innings, allowing the automatic runner to score despite not surrendering a hit in the inning.
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Salem totaled 15 hits to knock off Augusta in a game in which the team came from behind three different times to emerge victorious. Albert Feliz had the biggest of the 15, a two-run homer in the eighth inning that put the Sox in front for the final time. Feliz added a doubled and walked, coming around to score all three times he was on base. Alexis Hernandez and Yorberto Mejicano both doubled as part of three-hit nights. Hernandez drove in three runs and Mejicano scored thrice. Albertson Asigen tripled twice, while Juan Montero was 2 for 3 with three runs driven in. Marvin Alcantara made his Carolina League debut, going 0 for 4.
Elvis Soto got the start, allowing three runs on four hits in three innings, striking out five and walking two. Luis Talavera gave up one unearned run on one hit in three innings of relief, striking out three without issuing a walk. Jonathan Brand went the final 1 2/3 to get credit for the win, allowing one run on a solo homer.
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FCL Red Sox vs. FCL Rays, canceled
Rain came through Fort Myers, making this one unplayable. With only two weeks left in the regular season, the teams do not meet again, so it will not be made up.
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Gilberto Batista had struck out four in two scoreless innings when lightning hit. They'll try to finish on Friday before the regularly scheduled contest.
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The mirror image DSL Sox-Cubs matchup got even less further along, with the lightning coming through after the first. Notably, Yoeilin Cespedes was back in Team Blue's lineup after missing three games. The two teams will get back together to finish on Saturday.
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Player of the Day: Fourteenth-overall pick Kyle Teel has appeared in five professional games, and he has now been Player of the Day in three of them. Teel's third three-hit game included his first professional double, two runs scored, and three RBI. He is 9 for 20 thus far, and 6 for 10 with the Drive after skipping Low A altogether. The former Virginia Cavalier is ranked fifth on his initial appearance in the SoxProspects.com board.
Photo Credit: Albert Feliz by Kelly O'Connor