September 14, 2025 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Perales returns to the mound, Rosier drives in four
9/14 Cup of Coffee: While there were just a pair of games in the Boston affiliates as the Minor League season winds down, there were some highlights on Saturday. After making a recovery from Tommy John surgery, Luis Perales made his long-awaited return to the mound in Portland. Corey Rosier drove in four runs in Worcester's win over Syracuse.
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Worcester struck first with a four-run first thanks to an RBI single by Nathan Hickey and a single by Corey Rosier two batters later that cleared the bases after a fielding error. Two innings later, it was Rosier again who supplied the runs. This time, the left fielder doubled to plate Jhostynxon Garcia and Tyler McDonough to make it 6-0. Rosier led the way for Worcester with three hits and four runs driven in as eight of the nine hitters in the lineup reached base at least once.
Those runs would be all the support the WooSox pitching staff would need. Isaac Coffey started and pitched the first four frames. His scoreless outing featured three hits, three walks and three strikeouts in the no-decision. Noah Song followed and allowed a pair of runs across the fifth and sixth. While he allowed three hits, he struck out four and did not allow a walk. Isaiah Campbell eventually picked up the win in relief after a scoreless seventh and eighth with a pair of walks and a strikeout. Hobie Harris pitched the ninth, walking a pair and giving up two runs on a two-run home run.
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Despite out-hitting Binghamton 6-to-3, Portland failed to get a hit in 11 tries with runners in scoring position to give John Holobetz a tough loss on his line. Amid the loss, the top storyline was the return of Luis Perales. Pitching in a game for the first time since last June, the right-hander fired a scoreless first with no hits and a walk. Perales featured a fastball which registered between 97-100 mph along with a cutter, slider, and splitter over 16 pitches, eight of which finding the strike zone.
Holobetz followed Perales and allowed a single run over six frames on three hits with a walk and seven strikeouts. Since being promoted to Portland, the 23-year-old has pitched to a 2.39 ERA over 37 2/3 innings. Offensively, Portland got multi-hit outings from Franklin Arias and Ronald Rosario, with Caden Rose and Justin Riemer recording the other two knocks.
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Player of the Day: Corey Rosier continued his strong finish to the season with a 3-for-4 evening, which featured a double and four runs driven in. Through Saturday's game, Roser is slashing .357/.419/.429 across 30 plate appearances in September. Rosier is currently unranked in the SoxProspects' Top 60.
Photo Credit: Corey Rosier by Kelly O'Connor