Cup of Coffee: Jackson, Gonzales highlight Drive comeback, plus another Arias blast

4/23 Cup of Coffee: Whatever offensive challenges are affecting the major league club at the moment do not appear to be afflicting the minor leaguers, as the four affiliates combined for 32 runs across a crazy slate of Wednesday action. Both Worcester and Greenville had stunning comeback wins. The WooSox rallied for a ninth-inning walkoff, while an Isaiah Jackson (pictured) grand slam sent the Drive to extra innings before Justin Gonzales put them ahead with a two-run double. Salem came all the way back from a 6-0 deficit to send its contest to extra innings only to fall in the 10th. The only game that did not come down to the last at-bat was in Portland, where yet another Franklin Arias longball was not enough to keep up with a 13-run Yard Goat attack.

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Worcester Red Sox 7, Syracuse Mets (NYM) 6

Kristian Campbell played the hero in a wild Worcester walkoff. Down 6-5 in the ninth, Jason Delay and Nick Sogard drew walks. A Nate Eaton double plated Delay to tie the game, but Sogard was thrown out at the plate for the inning's second out. Campbell then pulled a slider into left for the walk-off base hit. It was his second hit in four plate at bats to go with a walk, extending his hitting streak to eight games. Sogard was on base four times with two singles and two walks, scoring twice. Eaton and Mikey Romero also had two hits apiece as every Worcester starter reached base at least once.

Jake Bennett was solid once again on the mound, allowing a run on four hits in 4 2/3 innings He struck out four and walked one as his ERA rose to 0.68. Wyatt Olds earned the victory with his 1 1/3 scoreless to finish the contest to put the WooSox in position for the comeback.

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Hartford Yard Goats (COL) 13, Portland Sea Dogs 8

The giant "Days Since a Franklin Arias Home Run" sign remains set at zero. The 20-year-old shortstop wasted little time in delivering his fifth homer in his last six games, leading off the bottom of the first with a ball over the Maine Monster. Arias added a double and another RBI but saw his his OPS tumble 69 points from 1.500 to 1.431. 

Brooks Brannon was 1 for 3 with a double, two walks, RBI, and a run scored in his Double-A debut. He had missed the first three weeks of the regular season following spring training hamate surgery. Tyler McDonough also went deep for the Sea Dogs, and Ronald Rosario was 2 for 4 with a double and pair of runs scored. Blake Wehunt returned to the Portland mound for the first time since suffering a hamstring injury on opening day. The big right-hander went two innings, allowing a run on two hits, striking out three and walking one. It was a rough afternoon for the bullpen, as a trio of relievers combined to surrender 12 runs in seven innings. 

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Greenville Drive 11, Asheville Tourists (HOU) 10

The Drive scored five in the ninth and two in the 10th to complete their combeback victory. With Greenville down to its final out, Isaiah Jackson blasted a game-tying grand slam that would send the contest into extra frames. Jackson also added a single and an RBI on the day. Justin Gonzalez ripped a two-run double the put the Drive ahead in the top of the 10th. He finished 3 for 5 with a walk. Yeoilin Cespedes continued to enjoy his resurgent season, doubling two as part of his 3-for-5 effort. He scored three runs as he raised his season slash line to .290/.353/.532. Gerardo Rodriguez added a pair of hits while Freili Encarnacion hit his third homer of the season. 

On the mound, Luis Cohen fought some wobbly control as he allowed five runs in three innings. He walked five against two strikeouts. Joey Gartrell allowed two runs (one earned in 3 1/3 innings of long relief. Jay Allmer surrendered two runs in 2 1/3, while PJ Labriola went the final 1 1/3 to get the win. 

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Fredericksburg Nationals (WAS) 7, Salem RidgeYaks 6

Like Worcester and Greenville, Salem was able to overcome an early deficit, but the RidgeYaks ultimately fell in the 10th. Fredericksburg opened up an early 6-0 lead, as Myles Patton surrendered those six runs on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings. Jake Mayers was excellent in relief, going 4 1/3 scoreless frames, scattering four hits as he struck out three and walked one. Adam Bates was saddled with the tough-luck loss, allowing the automatic runner to score on a 10th-inning single, the only baserunner he allowed in his two innings. 

Salem had only five hits on the day but took advantage of seven walks. Luke Heyman was 2 for 3 with two walks, an RBI and a run scored. Kleyver Salazar blasted a two-run homer in the eighth inning, and Frederik Jimenez sent the contest to extra innings with his game-tying solo blast in the bottom of the ninth. 

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Player of the Day: There were several strong candidates on an action packed Wednesday slate, but Isaiah Jackson gets the nod on the strength of the game-tying grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the ninth that allowed his Greenville Drive to prevail in extra innings. The outfielder was selected in the eighth round of the 2025 by the Angels and came to Boston in exchange for Vaughn Grissom. After a slow 4-for-27 start, Jackson has gone 7 for 22 during a five-game hitting streak with home runs in his last two games. He is currently the 40th-ranked prospect in the system.

Photo Credit: Isaiah Jackson by Kelly O'Connor

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