June 25, 2026 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Dylan Brown dominates in Greenville shutout
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The WooSox jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first, but it was nearly all Mud Hens from then on. Allan Castro ripped a two-run double as part of that first inning rally, Worcester's only extra-base hit of the evening. Braiden Ward was on base three times, going 2 for 3 with a walk and a pair of stolen bases. Matt Thaiss scored twice as part of his 1-for-3 effort. Lefty Raymond Burgos got the start, allowing four runs (three earned) on two hits in four frames, striking out five and walking two. The only blemish for Tyler Samaniego in two innings of relief was a solo home run, but that was enough to saddle him with the loss. Perhaps the most significant takeaway from the game was Tyler Uberstine, used for the first time in a traditional relief role. Uberstine entered in the seventh and pitched two innings scoreless innings. He surrendered one hit, struck out four, did not issue a walk, and threw 17 of his 27 pitches for strikes. Eduardo Rivera followed with a scoreless ninth inning.
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Every Sea Dogs starter reached base and five batters had multi-hit efforts down at Dunkin' Park. Matt Frazier led the way, going 3 for 4 with a double, a walk, two runs scored, and two RBI. Jack Winnay reached base four times in his second Double-A contest as he was 2 for 4 with two walks, three runs scored, and his first Sea Dogs double. Franklin Arias also doubled and walked during yet another multi-hit effort, his 26th of the year. Hayden Mullins had a solid-if-inefficient start, allowing only two runs but getting removed after 75 pitches through 4 2/3, one out short of qualifying for the win. Mullins struck out three and walked two on the evening. Michael Sansone got credit for the win out of the bullpen, surrendering two runs on three hits, striking out four against two walks.
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Dylan Brown was outstanding, combining with PJ Labriola on a three-hit shutout for the Drive. Brown cruised through seven innings, allowing two hits, both singles, one of which was immediately erased on a caught stealing. He struck out 11 of the 22 batters he faced, increasing his organizational-leading total to 81, and he did not issue a walk. He needed only 75 pitches to get through those seven innings, throwing 53 of them for strikes. PJ Labriola allowed one hit over two scoreless innings, striking out three without walking a batter.
Greenville took advantage of some shaky control by Asheville's pitching, drawing 12 walks. Luke Heyman provided support at the plate, blasting a two-run homer in his only official at-bat, the second straight contest in which he went deep. In his other three plate appearances, Heyman drew of those free passes and had a sacrifice fly. Antonio Anderson was 2 for 3 with a double and a walk. Enddy Azocar and Justin Gonzales were both held hitless in the top two spots in the lineup but drew three and two free passes, respectively, with Azocar coming on to score a pair of runs.
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The excellent pitching extended throughout Class A, as Leighton Finley also turned in a strong start. The 2025 sixth-round pick went five innings, allowing two runs on four hits. He struck out 10 and walked two, getting the winning decision. Myrtle Beach reached Griffin Kilander for two runs (one earned) in 1 2/3 to bring the score within one, but Wuilliams Rodriguez went a scoreless 2 1/3 to earn the save. Rodriguez allowed just one hit, striking out one, and did not walk a batter.
The RidgeYaks have three catchers on the current roster, and the three of them combined in Voltron-esque fashion to lead the offense on Wednesday. Adonys Guzman handled the catching duties and opened the scoring with a two-run homer in the first inning. He added a double, finishing 2 for 3 with a walk and two RBI. Andruw Musett, a catcher by trade, started at first base and had a home run of his own, his first of the year. Kleyver Salazar has gotten the most work behind the plate for Salem this season but was the designated hitter on Wednesday and went 2 for 3 with a double and a walk, driving in a pair of runs and scoring one. Non-catcher Skylar King also contributed out of the leadoff spot, as the center fielder was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
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The Red squad was in rare Wednesday action down in the Dominican, but it did not help reverse their fortunes, falling to 4-14 on the year. Lester Suarez led the way at the plate, going 2 for 3 with a two-run homer, his second of the season. Geomaikel Martinez and Eliezer Alfonso added two hits apiece for Team Red. After 20 relief appearances over the past two years, Ranci Castillo made his first career start, allowing a run on two hits in three innings, walking four and striking out four. Leonel Figuera took the loss out of the bullpen, surrendering two runs (one earned) in 1 2/3.
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Player of the Day: Dylan Brown, Boston's eighth-round pick in last July's draft, turned in the strongest start of his pro career on Wednesday. He needed only 75 pitches to get through seven innings, striking out 11. Brown started the season with Salem, posting a 2.31 ERA across five starts and forcing his way up to Greenville. High A has been a bit more of a challenge for the 21-year-old lefty, as he has a 4.05 ERA in seven outings. He has continued to rack up big strikeout numbers after the promotion, though. With Wednesday's effort, Brown has fanned 49 in 33 1/3 innings with Drive, and 81 in 56 2/3 across the two levels.
Photo Credit: Dylan Brown by Kelly O'Connor