August 6, 2023 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Teel shines in FCL; Rafaela delivers again
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The WooSox faced off against old friend Denyi Reyes, who had the game well in control before giving way to the bullpen. Down 2-1 headed into the ninth, Ceddanne Rafaela cracked a game-tying solo home run, the fifth straight day he has gone deep. A two-run shot by David Hamilton in the 10th inning provided a pair of important insurance runs. Caleb Hamilton also went deep with a sixth-inning blast that was the only blemish on Reyes' line.
Tanner Houck returned to the mound for the first time since taking a line drive to the face in mid-June. Houck understandably showed some rust, allowing two runs on three hits in 1 2/3, striking out three and issuing three walks. Brandon Walter scattered two hits in 3 1/3 scoreless out of the Worcester bullpen. AJ Politi got credit for the win, firing a hitless ninth that included two walks and two strikeouts.
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Portland dropped its third straight game and ninth of 11 as it ran into the Jackson Holliday buzzsaw on Saturday. Starter Chih-Jung Liu allowed three runs on five hits in four innings, including a home run to Holliday, who tortured the Sea Dogs staff with a 4-for-5 effort. At the plate, both of Boston's two top 2020 draftees went deep, with Nick Yorke homering to lead off the fourth and Blaze Jordan providing a three-run blast in the fifth. Corey Rosier and Tyler McDonough both had a pair of hits, with Rosier swiping his 39th base of the season.
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The Drive fell on Saturday despite a huge night from Tyler Miller. The third baseman had a two-run sixth-inning homer along with a pair of triples. He also drove in four runs and was hit by a pitch to supplement his 10 total-base performance. Brainer Bonaci also had three hits on the day, scoring two runs and notching a double. Jordan Valerio slid into a spot start role for the third time this year, giving up seven runs on eight hits in 3 1/3. Robert Kwiatkowski was a highlight in relief, giving up three hits in 3 2/3 scoreless frames.
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Most of the eyes at Virginia Credit Union Stadium were on Dylan Crews, as the 2023 second overall pick was making his Carolina League debut. But the eyes of SoxProspects.com Executive Editor Chris Hatfield were squarely on the Salem Red Sox. Jedixson Paez met little resistance from Crews or any other member of the Fredericksburg lineup, as the 19-year-old righty gave up just two hits across six scoreless innings. He walked one and struck out one, needing only 73 pitches to complete the six frames. Hatfield was impressed by his control and the way he mixed a good curveball and changeup, allowing his fastball to play above its velocity. Jhonny Felix followed with 1 2/3 scoreless, but Salem squandered a 7-0 lead as a home run against Cody Scroggins and two errors behind him led to a seven-run Nats rally.
Despite the collapse, a 10th-inning grand slam by a de facto rehabbing Gilberto Jimenez gave Salem the cushion it needed. Jimenez was 3 for 5 out of the leadoff spot. Johnfrank Salazar had previously delivered a grand slam in the fourth. Salazar drew a pair of walks and scored three times during his 1-for-3 night. Enderso Lira was 3 for 5, snapping an 0-for-14 stretch headed into the game.
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Kyle Teel made his professional debut on Thursday, but it was Saturday afternoon that he made his presence felt. Teel picked up his first hit with a first-inning single and went off from there, going 3 for 3 with a walk, two RBI, and two runs scored, capping his day with a home run in the seventh. Marvin Alcantara doubled and scored a pair during his two-hit game, while Natanael Yuten tripled for the second straight day. Luis Cohen turned in a solid start, allowing a run on three hits in five innings, striking out three without walking a batter. Cohen got credit for the win and lowered his ERA to 3.30 on the year.
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Yoeilin Cespedes helped Team Blue to the lead on Tuesday before this contest was suspended, and he continued to rake in the push over the finish line. Cespedes was 2 for 2 with a homer when the rain came in the fourth inning, forcing the suspension. He was 2 for 3 with a double following the restart, as he finished 4 for 5 with four RBI. Starlyn Nunez homered in the sixth to highlight his 3-for-5 line. Obed Balderas got the start, allowing one run on five hits in four innings. Alisson Del Orbe struck out five and walked one in two hitless innings of relief to get credit for the win and lower his ERA to 0.79.
The two teams combined for just five hits in the seven-inning nightcap. Frederik Jimenez gave the Blue squad the lead with a two-run double in the third. Richard Rodriguez walked three batters in the first and was removed with just two outs, but Emmanuel Polo stepped in to strand the bases loaded on the way to the victory.
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Team Red prevailed in a back-and-forth slugfest, with Yohander Linarez leading the way. The 18-year-old shortstop had two doubles and two triples on the day, finishing 4 for 5 with two runs and two RBI. Gerardo Rodriguez delivered a two-run homer and finished 3 for 4 with a walk, double, three runs, and three RBI. The offensive explosion helped overcome a rare off outing by starter Juan Henriquez. who allowed four runs on five hits in 1 2/3 innings. Geiser Figueroa picked up the win despite surrendering five runs in three frames.
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Player of the Day: In his second professional game, Kyle Teel showed off why he was the 14th pick in the draft and why several observers had him ranked even higher than that in his draft class. The former Virginia Cavalier was noted for his good approach and ability to balance his hit tool and power, all of which were on display as he had a walk, two singles, and a home run. As an advanced college bat, Teel seems unlikely to be long for the complexes.
Photo Credit: Ceddanne Rafaela by Kelly O'Connor