April 30, 2026 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Cespedes homers twice in Drive walk-off
Worcester Red Sox @ Rochester Red Wings (MIN), postponed
The WooSox were scheduled to face off with old friend Luis Perales, but the weather had other ideas. The two squads will play a doubleheader on Thursday instead.
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A Nelly Turner solo home run brought the opener of Wednesday's doubleheader within two before a barrage of 10 consecutive Somerset runs. Franklin Arias singled.
Johanfran Garcia and Max Ferguson connected for homers off of a rehabbing Gerrit Cole, and a three-run seventh-inning rally earned a split for the Sea Dogs. It was the first home run of the season for Garcia, who returned to the Portland lineup after an extended spring training tuneup. Ferguson also added a double, scoring twice and driving in a pair. Blake Wehunt went three innings, with a solo homer accounting for the only run he allowed. He struck out four and walked one. Caleb Bolden contributed three innings and allowed two runs to get credit for the win.
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It was a wild comeback win in the 10th inning by the Drive, led by red-hot Yoeilin Cespedes. After bringing a 5-3 lead into the ninth, Greenville surrendered two runs in the ninth and two more in the 10th. Leading off the bottom of the 10th, Cespedes delivered a two-run game-tying homer on the very first pitch that he saw. The 20-year-old had already blasted a solo homer in the third, singled twice, and reached on an error.
Greenville won when Freili Encarnacion came up with first and third and one out. He bounced a grounder back to the pitcher, who got the lead runner at second base, but an errant relay through that looked like Encarnacion might have beaten anyway allowed Gerardo Rodriguez to score the winner. Encarnacion got credit for his second RBI of the night, having previously homered. Adonys Guzman also went deep for the drive, while Justin Gonzales nudged his batting average over the .300 mark with a 3-for-5 effort.
On the mound, starter Ben Hansen went two innings, allowing two runs on two hits, striking out three, and walking one. Alex Bouchard was excellent in relief, giving up just one run on five hits across 5 1/3 frames. He struck out four against one walk and has a 1.65 ERA through four outings. Hub City reached Danny Kirwan for a pair of runs in his 1 2/3 innings of work, while Matt McShane picked up the win after giving up two runs (one earned) in the 10th.
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Salem was held to just three hits in its morning contest in Wilson. One of those was a game-tying solo homer in the eighth inning by Ty Hodge, the first of his professional career. Enddy Azocar doubled, walked, and stole a base, and D'Angelo Ortiz singled for the other Salem hit. Dylan Brown turned in a strong start, giving up one unearned run on three hits across five innings. He struck out seven while walking three, and has fanned 32 batters in 23 1/3 innings. Wuilliams Rodriguez surrendered a pair of runs in the eight and was saddled with the losing decision.
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Player of the Day: Yoeilin Cespedes picks up his second straight Player of the Day as he continues his outstanding start to 2026. His 4-for-5 effort on Wednesday included two home runs, giving him four in his last four games and six on the season. His slash line for the season is up to .314/.394/.640, and he is 12 for 29 with 27 total bases in his last seven contests.
Photo Credit: Yoeilin Cespedes by Kelly O'Connor