July 12, 2026 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Azocar, Cespedes power Greenville comeback on draft day
-----
A quartet of Rochester hurlers held the WooSox to just three hits. Braiden Ward led the way at the plate with a triple and a walk, scoring two of the three Worcester runs. Nick Sogard also tripled, spoiling a no-hit bid in the sixth inning. Michael Sansone took the loss, allowing seven runs on eight hits in five innings, with the biggest blow a grand slam in the fourth that gave the Red Wings a 7-0 advantage.
-----
No Franklin Arias? No problem. While the organizations top prospect was on his way to Philadelphia to participate in Sunday's Future's Game, the rest of the Sea Dogs offense stepped up with a 16-hit attack in the blowout win. Miguel Bleis slid into the leadoff spot and did his best Arias imitation, going 3 for 6 with a double and two runs scored. Ronald Rosario drove in three runs as part of his 3-for-5 effort, while Jack Winnay was 2 for 5 with a pair of runs driven in. Raudelis Martinez entered the game in the third inning at first base for Brooks Brannon and was 2 for 3 with a two-run homer in the eighth.
The eight runs of support were more than enough for the tandem of Blake Wehunt and Jedixson Paez. Wehunt allowed three runs on six hits through 5 2/3 innings, striking out six without issuing a walk. Paez cruised through 3 1/3 scoreless to seal the victory, allowing just one hit and striking out a pair. In five appearances since shifting to a piggyback role, Paez has allowed five runs in 16 1/3 innings, striking out 18 against just two walks.
-----
The Drive staged a wild comeback victory, with three-run game-tying rallies in both the eighth and ninth innings and a five-run surge in the 11th for the victory. Enddy Azocar blasted two homers, a solo shot in the third inning followed by a three-run blast as part of the 11th-inning rally. Azocar now has 12 home runs on the season, six since his promotion from Salem. Ronny Hernandez and Yoeilin Cespedes both went deep in the ninth. Hernandez led off the inning with a solo homer, and then Cespedes knotted the game at 7-7 with a two-run blast. Gerardo Rodriguez added on an insurance run with a solo homer in the 11th, his second hit of the evening.
On the mound, Devin Futrell surrendered four runs on six hits in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out five and walked two. Matt Duffy followed with his Greenville debut, going three innings, allowing three runs on four hits, and matching Futrell's five strikeouts against two walks. It is the first non-rehab outing for the 2023 fourth-round pick since undergoing Tommy John surgery in early 2025. Griffin Kilander was excellent to earn the relief win, firing 3 1/3 hitless innings. He struck out four, walked one, and retired the final nine batters he faced.
-----
One day after Salem posted a 9-8 victory Columbia turned the tables in a wild extra-inning contest that saw seven runs in the 10th inning. Louis Andujar led the way at the plate for the RidgeYaks, going 3 for 4 with a double, homer, hit batsman, two runs scored, and three RBI. Franklin Primera was 2 for 4 with a double, capturing his first extra-base hit and first multi-hit effort since his late-June promotion from the FCL. Kleyver Salazar and D'Angelo Ortiz had two hits apiece, with Ortiz driving in three. Ethan Walker scattered two hits across three hitless innings, striking out four without walking a batter. Columbia reached Jason Gilman for five runs (four earned) in five innings out of the bullpen. Harry Blum suffered the loss, giving up four runs (three earned) in 1 2/3.
-----
Hits were hard to come by in this one, but the Twins lineup took advantage of 11 walks in the seven-inning contest. Starter Jakson Gamboa went two innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits, striking out one and walking three. Carter Rasmussun took the loss as he faced six batters, striking out two of them and walking four. Three of those four walks came on to score. All of the scoring for the Sox came on the long ball, as the lineup managed just three hits. Edwin Darville blasted a two-run homer along with drawing a walk and getting hit by a pitch, reaching base in all three of his plate appearances. Jostin Ogando had a solo shot, his first homer of 2026.
The Twins, FCL Rays, and FCL Orioles all winning eliminates the Sox from playoff contention.
-----
The last-place Red squad clawed back from an early 2-0 deficit to knock off the first-place Padres Gold team. With two runs already in and runners on second third and nobody out in the first, Angel Roa emerged to stifle the rally and go three hitless innings for the win. Roa retired all nine batters he faced, striking out three. Anderber Urbina led the way at the plate out of the leadoff spot, going 2 for 3 with a double, walk, and a tie-breaking solo homer in the eighth. Jhonny Osta also went deep as part of his two-hit effort.
-----
Team Blue squandered an early lead to drop to their second straight loss. Isaac Velasquez reached base twice with a single and a walk, while Garielvin Silverio scored a run and drove in another as part of his 1-for-4 effort. Starter Juan Verdus went two innings, allowing four runs on two hits to take the loss.
-----
Player of the Day: It was a big day at the plate for Enddy Azocar, whose two homers included a three-run shot in the 11th inning of Greenville's victory. After suffering through a 3-for-43 slump in late June into early July, Azocar is 7 for 30 with four homers in his last six games. Between Salem and Greenville, Azocar is hitting .264/.322/.482, leading the organization in runs scored (58) and doubles (21). He is currently the sixth-ranked prospect in the system.
Photo Credit: Enddy Azocar by Kelly O'Connor