April 9, 2025 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Tolle makes pro debut; Anderson impresses for Salem
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Columbus Clippers (CLE) @ Worcester Red Sox, postponed
With unseasonable cold, wind, and potential snow in the forecast, Worcester decided early in the afternoon that it would be more comfortable to wait for another day. Its series with Columbus will kick off on Wednesday with a doubleheader.
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In Portland, however, they have a different threshold for what constitutes unseasonable cold, wind, and snow. Despite a game-time temperature of 35 degrees that dropped throughout the contest and intermittant snow flurries, the hearty rivals from northern New England were able to get this contest in, and Portland remains undefeated. As would be expected, the conditions favored the pitchers, with the two squads combining for three runs on nine hits in 10 innings. Starter Yordanny Monegro went 3 1/3, allowing a run on two hits, walking one against six strikeouts. Jack Anderson cruised through 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, striking out five and scattering two hits. Zach Bryant struck out four and walked one in three hitless frames, and Wyatt Olds struck out all three batters he faced in the 10th to get credit for the win.
A single by Max Ferguson plated automatic runner Corey Rosier in the bottom of the 10th for the walk-off win. Ahbram Liendo had the Sea Dogs' only multi-hit effort, going 2 for 3 with a walk. Mikey Romero was 1 for 4 out of the leadoff slot.
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Payton Tolle drew the tough assignment of making his professional debut in Asheville's notoriously hitter-friendly McCormick Field. Boston's 2024 second-round pick surrendered one run in the first and five in the second, lasting 1 2/3 innings. He walked three, struck out three, and hit a batter. Dalton Rogers kept Greenville in the game with five innings of scoreless relief, allowing three hits, striking out six, and walking two. Darvin Garcia, picked up in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft, finished up with 1 1/3 hitless frames. The Drive also had a notable debut at the plate, as Yophery Rodriguez led off and played center field the day after he was acquired in a deal for Quinn Priester. Rodriguez was 2 for 5 with a double, triple, and run scored. Nazzan Zanetello continued to roll at the plate, going 1 for 3 with a double and a pair of walks. He has reached base in 10 of 13 plate appearances through four games. Andy Lugo doubled as part of a two-hit evening, and Marvin Alcantara also had a pair of knocks, but a 2-for-14 effort with runners in scoring position doomed the Drive.
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Despite the the lineup piling up 13 hits, Salem fell for the first time in 2025 in a back-and-forth contest. Antonio Anderson led the way at the plate, going 3 for 5 with two doubles, a run scored, and an RBI. Fresh off his SoxProspects.com Player of the Week performance, Franklin Arias was 2 for 4 with a walk, run, and pair of stolen bases out of the leadoff spot. Freili Encarnacion tripled, scored twice, and swiped a base as part of his two-hit night, and Yoeilin Cespedes added a pair of hits of his own. Australian right-hander Adam Bates struggled with some shake control in his first start of the season, giving up walking five and hitting a batter as he gave up four runs in 1 2/3 despite only surrendering two hits. Joe Vogatsky and Michael Sansone had matching lines of one run on one hit in three innings out of the bullpen, but the score off of Sansone proved decisive, handing him the loss.
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Player of the Day: Antonio Anderson never quite got going in his first professional season, but has gotten off to a strong start in 2025. Boston's 2023 third-round pick had a pair of doubles on Tuesday in Salem's loss, his first game with multiple extra-base hits since May 25 of last year. Anderson never quite got going after a rough 8-for-74 April last year, finishing with a .186/.311/.270 line. His second look at the Carolina League is off to a more auspicious start: he has five hits through his first three games, a total he did not reach until his 12th contest last year.
Photo Credit: Antonio Anderson by Kelly O'Connor