May 31, 2024 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Campbell reaches five times in Greenville loss; Taylor powers Salem
5/31 Cup of Coffee: The Sox affiliates won only two of their five contests on a full Thursday slate that was marked by some strong individual performances. Greenville and Salem split 11-inning contests, with Nelly Taylor at the center of Salem's win while Kristian Campbell (pictured) continued to shine for the Drive. Zach Penrod impressed in his Triple-A debut as the WooSox came away victorious. Portland fell despite the efforts of Kyle Teel, while the FCL Sox were held to only two hits in their defeat.
-----
Zach Penrod had a strong Triple-A debut to lead the WooSox. The 26-year-old lefty worked around five hits (all singles) in four scoreless innings, striking out five against a pair of walks. The one negative for Penrod was his inefficiency, as he needed 74 pitches to work through those four frames. Isaiah Campbell worked a scoreless fifth as part of his rehab assignment before giving way to Grant Gambrell, who allowed one unearned run in four innings to get credit for the win. Tyler Heineman delivered the key hit, blasting a two-run second-inning homer that gave Worcester a lead it would not relinquish. Heineman added a single, walk, and a stolen base. Bobby Dalbec was 2 for 4 with a double, walk, and an RBI. Chase Meidroth and Niko Kavadas also doubled in the victory.
-----
An unbalanced lineup and a big fifth inning by Altoona doomed the Sea Dogs. The top of the order went 7 for 16 on the night, but the rest of the squad was 0 for 15. Kyle Teel was 3 for 4 with a stolen base, RBI, and two runs scored. Nick Yorke homered for the fourth time this season, a three-run shot in the top of the first inning. Marcelo Mayer picked up his 19th double of the season and his 12th of May. Only Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm has more in pro baseball.
Angel Bastardo cruised through four innings, giving up just one run, but he ran into trouble in the fifth. His final line saw him allow four runs in 4 2/3, striking out eight and walking four. Alex Hoppe was saddled with the loss, giving up two runs (one earned) in 1 1/3. Brendan Cellucci struck out five in two scoreless innings, surrendering only two hits without issuing a walk.
-----
Greenville and Rome went back and forth before the Drive eventually fell in the 11th inning. Kristian Campbell reached base five times as he continued his sack of the South Atlantic League. He extended his on-base streak to 33 games, going 3 for 4 with two doubles, two walks (one intentional), and a run scored. Karson Simas also picked up three hits, including a two-run homer in the seventh that gave Greenville a short-lived lead. Jhostynxon Garcia made his debut for the Drive, batting sixth and playing right field, going 0 for 5. Cooper Adams got the start, giving up one run on four hits in five innings, striking out five and walking four. Out of pitchers in the 11th, Greenville turned to Drew Ehrhard. The infielder surrendered a base hit that scored the automatic runner, giving him the loss.
-----
The two teams were tied at 2-2 in regulation, but Salem broke things open with a five-run 11th inning rally that included three hits and three walks. Two of the key knocks were a Nelly Taylor RBI double and a bases-loaded single by Daniel McElveny that plated two insurance runs. Taylor also blasted a solo home run in the seventh as part of a three-hit night in which he scored three runs. Nazzan Zanetello doubled as part of a two-hit night, and Marvin Alcantara also had two hits and a pair of RBI.
Starter Matt Duffy allowed two runs on three hits in 4 2/3 innings. Danny Kirwin came out of the bullpen, scattering four hits in 4 1/3 scoreless frames, striking out two and walking one. Nathanael Cruz got credit for the win in extra innings, allowing only the automatic runner to score in the 10th inning before shutting the Hillcats down in a scoreless 11th.
-----
Sox batters were limited to two hits in a well-pitched afternoon contest. Unsurprisingly, one of those hits belonged to Yoeilin Cespedes who also drew a walk. Brooks Brannon, continuing his rehab assignment, had the other single. Zach Bryant made his first appearance after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2023. Bryant allowed two hits in two shutout innings, with two walks and two strikeouts. Juan Valera shifted to a piggyback role in deference to the rehabbing Bryant and went 3 2/3 scoreless, giving up two hits. The Rays tagged Denis Reguillo with three runs, giving him the loss.
-----
Player of the Day: It was another incredible evening for Kristian Campbell, who seems primed to take home his first SoxProspects.com Player of the Month award. Campbell doubled twice and walked twice, extending his on-base streak to 33 games and raising his season slash line to .311/.423/.578. The line is even more impressive when considering that he was just 9 for 46 without a multi-hit effort in his first 13 games of the year. Primed by the series in Asheville, Campbell has hit .371/.472/.697 with eight doubles, seven home runs, and 17 walks in his last 24 contests going back to April 30.
Photo Credit: Kristian Campbell by Kelly O'Connor