Cup of Coffee: Garcia blasts three-run home run in support of a dominant Holobetz

6/15 Cup of Coffee: With Worcester's game canceled and the complex leagues off it was a lighter slate on Sunday. Portland provided plenty of highlights with a few home runs and a dominant performance form John Holobetz (pictured). Greenville and Salem had no such luck, as both teams finished off rough weeks. 

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Worcester Red Sox @ Rochester Red Wings (WSH), Canceled (rain)

The series finale got canceled and will not be rescheduled. After winning the first game of the series, the WooSox lost the next four. 

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Portland Sea Dogs 9, Reading Fightin Phils (PHI) 3

Portland used three long balls to triple up Reading. All three home runs came in the fifth inning, with Nelly Taylor getting things started with a solo shot. Stanley Tucker followed with a two-run blast, and Johanfran Garcia capped off the frame with a three-run dinger. Garcia finished the day going 3 for 4, and Taylor went 2 for 4 and added an RBI single. The power surge was more than enough for John Holobetz who twirled six scoreless innings with six strikeouts. Holobetz likes seeing the Fightin Phils, as this was the second start in about three weeks against them that he posted six shutout innings. 

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Winston-Salem Dash (CWS) 12, Greenville Drive 2

This game was close until Winston-Salem broke it open with eight runs in the eighth. Starter Marcus Phillips somehow allowed only an unearned run over his three innings despite walking seven. He did not allow a hit, struck out three, and two of the runners were caught stealing. While walks have been an issue for Phillips all season, his previous season high was only four, and he is now walking almost one batter per inning on the season. The most successful pitcher on the day was a position player as Hudson White did not allow a run while recording the final five outs. Mason White finished 1 for 3 with a triple and a walk, while Gerardo Rodriguez went 1 for 2 with two walks. 

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Fayetteville Woodpeckers (HOU) 9, Salem RidgeYaks 5

Fayetteville finished off the sweep as Salem dropped to 1-10 in June. Christian Foutch allowed two runs (one earned) over the first three innings, but the Woodpeckers got to Yermain Ruiz for seven runs over the next 3 1/3. The only extra-base hit for Salem belonged to Givian Sirvania. Sirvania's RBI double became a little league home run on an error by the left fielder. Andrews Opata was on base four times as he went 2 for 3 with two walks. 

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Player of the Day: Six shutout innings from John Holobetz led Portland to an easy victory. The system's 12th-ranked prospect has had an up-and-down season for Portland. After posting a 2.39 ERA with the Sea Dogs in 37 2/3 innings last season, his ERA is up to 4.70 this year. Excluding the 12 shutout innings he has thrown against Reading, his ERA would be over 6.00. His peripheral stats are still solid and some of the advanced metrics pointing towards him being a but unlucky so far. Starts like Sunday's are a good sign that the luck is turning around for the 23-year-old.

Photo Credit: John Holobetz by Kelly O'Connor

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