May 23, 2025 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Fitts rehabs in Portland; Arias, Yuten among top offensive performers
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Durham Bulls (TB) @ Worcester Red Sox (PPD)
Thursday morning's contest between Durham and Worcester at Polar Park was postponed due to inclement weather. It will be made up as part of a single-admission doubleheader beginning at 4:05 p.m. ET on Friday afternoon.
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With Worcester's game rained out, Richard Fitts made his rehab start in Portland on Thursday morning. Working his way back from a right pectoral strain, the right-hander scattered four hits and zero walks while striking out four over three scoreless innings. He threw 38 pitches (31 strikes) and generated four swings and misses. Dalton Rogers took over out of the bullpen and surrendered three earned runs on six hits, one walk, and six strikeouts across 3 2/3 innings. Christopher Troye secured the win by striking out two over 2 1/3 shutout frames.
Three members of Portland's lineup recorded multiple hits in Thursday's win. Blaze Jordan led the way by going 2 for 4 with a pair of RBI singles and a stolen base. Marvin Alcantara recorded his first two hits at the Double-A level, going 2 for 4 with one run scored. Caden Rose went 2 for 3 with one run scored and one walk. Mikey Romero doubled, drove in one run, scored two runs, and drew one walk. Ahbram Liendo and Allan Castro each drove in one run, with the latter scoring one run and stealing his first base of the season. Max Ferguson drew two walks, scored one run, and recorded an outfield assist.
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Noah Dean went the first five innings in his start for Greenville, allowing two earned runs on two hits (including a two-run homer), three walks, one hit by pitch, and four strikeouts. He threw 88 pitches (52 strikes) and generated 13 swings and misses. Fellow lefty Michael Sansone relieved Dean in the sixth and tossed three innings of one-run ball in his High-A debut. Isaac Stebens then struck out the side in a scoreless bottom of the ninth to notch his second save of the season.
Franklin Arias enjoyed a strong night at the plate, going 4 for 5 with one triple and one run scored. Antonio Anderson and Andy Lugo put together multi-hit games as well. Anderson went 3 for 4 with one double and one run scored, while Lugo went 2 for 3 with an RBI. Nelly Taylor (1 for 3), Brooks Brannon (1 for 4), and Justin Riemer (1 for 4) also drove in runs, with Taylor adding his 13th stolen base of the year.
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Freili Encarnacion and Natanael Yuten combined for six hits in Salem's blowout win. Encarnacion went 3 for 4 with an RBI double and one run scored. Yuten, too, went 3 for 4 with his second home run of the season, three RBIs, two runs scored, and one stolen base. Fraymi De Leon tripled in two runs, scored twice, stole two bases, and drew one walk. Starlyn Nunez and Frederik Jimenez each drove in one run, while Justin Gonzales, Andruw Musett, and Yosander Asencio scored one run apiece.
Austin Ehrlicher went three innings in his start for Salem, allowing one unearned run on five hits, one walk, and four strikeouts. He threw 49 pitches (33 strikes), inducing six swings and misses. Fellow righty Griffin Kilander took over for Ehrlicher in the fourth and impressed, yielding only one earned run on three hits, no walks, and six strikeouts over a season-high five innings of relief. He finished with 51 pitches (33 strikes) and generated nine whiffs.
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It was a high-scoring affair in North Port on Thursday. Yohander Linarez paced the Red Sox lineup by going 3 for 5 with one home run (a grand slam), six RBIs, and one run scored. Yan Cruz also homered for the first time in his professional career, as he went 1 for 4 with a two-run blast and two walks. Enddy Azocar, Johanfran Garcia, and Ilan Fernandez each had two hits. Azocar went 2 for 4 with an RBI double, two runs scored, and two walks. Garcia went 2 for 3 with an RBI double and one run scored. Fernandez went 2 for 4 with one RBI, two runs scored, and one walk. Anderson Fermin went hitless but drew three walks and scored two runs.
Dalvinson Reyes failed to record an out in his second start of the season. The young righty surrendered four earned runs on four hits, two walks, and no strikeouts. Denison Sanchez notched the win out of the bullpen after yielding one run on three hits, two walks, and one strikeout over 3 2/3 innings. Juan Henriquez and Tejahari Wilson contributed with 2 1/3 scoreless frames apiece. The former was credited with the hold, while the latter picked up the first save of his professional career.
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Player of the Day: Natanael Yuten came into play on Thursday riding an 0-for-12 slump, but he broke out of it in a big way by recording his first three-hit game since April 18. The 20-year-old outfielder is now batting .202/.288/.323 with six doubles, two home runs, 14 RBIs, 15 runs scored, one stolen base, nine walks, and 34 strikeouts in 31 games (111 plate appearances) for Salem this season. He is not currently ranked among the organization's top 60 prospects.
Photo Credit: Natanael Yuten by Kelly O'Connor