August 26, 2024 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Grissom, Sogard power WooSox; Ingrassia returns for Salem
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Vaughn Grissom and Nick Sogard led the way for Worcester in Sunday's series finale. Grissom went 4 for 5 with a grand slam and three runs scored. Sogard went 3 for 4 with one double, one home run, three RBIs, three runs scored, and one walk. Chase Meidroth, Bobby Dalbec, and Eddy Alvarez each recorded two hits as well. Meidroth went 2 for 5 with one double, one run scored, and one walk. Dalbec went 2 for 4 with one double, three runs scored, and one walk. Alvarez went 2 for 4 with one double and two RBIs. Roman Anthony and Jamie Westbrook combined to drive in three additional runs.
Justin Hagenman earned the winning decision in his longest outing of the season so far. The righty scattered three hits and did not issue a walk over six scoreless innings in which he struck out six of the 19 batters he faced. He threw 64 pitches (46 strikes) and induced eight swings-and-misses. Out of the WooSox bullpen, Alex Speas, Zach Penrod, and Luis Guerrero combined for six more strikeouts across three shutout frames of relief.
With the win, the WooSox improved to 28-22 in the second half. They remain five games back of the Columbus Clippers (33-17) for first place in the International League.
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Portland's lone run on Sunday came by way of a third-inning RBI single off the bat of Ahbram Liendo. Tyler McDonough, who scored on Liendo's single, and Corey Rosier both doubled for the Sea Dogs' only extra-base hits. Jhostynxon Garcia went 2 for 4 with a pair of singles. On the mound, Connelly Early took the loss after allowing three earned runs on four hits, two walks, and nine strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings. Jonathan Brand recorded the final out of the fifth while the rehabbing Liam Hendriks surrendered one unearned run on one hit and two strikeouts in the sixth. Jacob Webb and Zach Bryant then combined for 3 1/3 scoreless frames.
With the loss, their second straight, the Sea Dogs dropped to 33-17 in the second half. They still lead the Somerset Patriots (29-20) by four games for first place in the Eastern League Northeast.
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A three-run fourth inning lifted Greenville to its fourth straight win. Hudson White, who went 1 for 3, got his side on the board with an RBI groundout that scored fellow 2024 draftee Zach Ehrhard. Juan Chacon, who went 1 for 3, followed by driving in Miguel Bleis on a single to knot things up at 2-2. Andy Lugo, who also went 1 for 3, then plated Bryan Gonzalez on an infield single to give the Drive a 3-2 lead. In addition to scoring the winning run, Gonzalez went 2 for 4 with a stolen base. Bleis went 1 for 3 with a walk while Mikey Romero, who has reportedly been promoted to Portland, went 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Elmer Rodriguez picked up the win after allowing two earned runs on four hits (including two solo homers), one walk, and four strikeouts over five solid innings. He threw 60 pitches (39 strikes) and elicited seven swings-and-misses. In relief of Rodriguez, Jeremy Wu-Yelland, Adam Smith, and Gabriel Jackson combined for four scoreless frames out of the Drive bullpen. Jackson was particularly impressive en route to notching his third save of the year, per our own Ian Cundall.
With Sunday's victory, the Drive improved to 33-21 in the second half. They now sit just 1 1/2 games back of the Bowling Green Hot Rods (33-18) for first place in the South Atlantic League South.
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Jojo Ingrassia made his return to the mound for Salem on Sunday after missing the last six weeks with elbow inflammation. The lefty struck out two of the five batters he faced in a scoreless first inning. Danny Kirwin followed out of the bullpen and yielded five runs (four earned) on five hits, one walk, and three strikeouts over five innings in a losing effort. Conor Steinbaugh then fanned three more across three scoreless frames. At the plate, leadoff man Franklin Arias went 1 for 3 with an RBI and two walks. Nelly Taylor went 1 for 3 with one RBI, one run scored, and one walk. The rehabbing Caden Rose doubled in two runs for his only hit of the day while Marvin Alcantara went 2 for 4 with one run scored and one stolen base.
With the loss, the Red Sox dropped to 30-24 in the second half. They trail the Fredericksburg Nationals (33-21) by three games for first place in the Carolina League North.
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The Red Squad is now just one win away from reaching the DSL Finals. Jeison Payano put together a strong start on the mound, allowing only one hit and no walks with four strikeouts over five scoreless innings. Juan Henriquez was credited with the winning decision out of the bullpen despite surrendering two earned runs on three hits, one walk, and two strikeouts over two innings. Offensively, Anderson Fermin, Edwin Brito, and Christopher Alvarado all had multiple hits. Fermin went 2 for 5 with one run scored, Brito went 2 for 3 with one RBI, one run scored, and two walks and Alvarado went 2 for 4 with one RBI and one run scored. Justin Gonzales drove in Fermin on a game-tying sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth before Alvarado followed with a walk-off sac fly to bring in Avinson Pinto.
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Player of the Day: Vaughn Grissom came into play Sunday amid a 4-for-49 (.082) slump over his last 14 games dating back to August 6. The 23-year-old infielder matched that hit total by putting together his best game of the season in terms of both RBIs (4) and total bases (7). He is now batting .228/.340/.325 with three home runs and 16 RBIs in 34 games (144 plate appearances) for the WooSox.
Photo Credit: Nick Sogard by Kelly O'Connor