Cup of Coffee: Comebacks abound, Campbell homers

9/6 Cup of Coffee: It was a big day for comebacks across the system, as Worcester and Salem each scored three in the eighth to take the lead, while Portland doubled up the two squads in the penultimate frame, adding six to take the lead. Greenville got it done a bit earlier, as its big inning came in the sixth, with a four-run inning. Kristian Campbell (pictured) had a huge day for Worcester, going 3 for 4 with a two-run homer in the eighth. He was joined in the three-hit club by Tyler McDonough and Ronny Hernandez, the latter of whom was perfect on the day. Barrett Morgan also threw four shutout innings.

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Worcester Red Sox 4, Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 2

Worcester had some theatrics on Saturday night, as the WooSox went from down 2-1 to up 4-2 in the top of the eighth with a three-run frame, including a two-run homer by Kristian Campbell, who was 3 for 4. He and Anthony Siegler accounted for five of their team’s eight hits. It was a strong start for Michael Sansone, who struggled with control, walking four over five innings, but got results, as he allowed just one run. Devin Sweet pitched a clean eighth, while Sam McWilliams recorded his first save for Worcester this season, working around a hit with two strikeouts in the ninth.

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Cup of Coffee: Capra, Arias power WooSox sweep; Salazar powers RidgeYaks

9/5 Cup of Coffee: It was a full day of action down on the farm, with all four full-season teams in action and Worcester getting some extra baseball. The WooSox got a de facto sweep, as Vinny Capra homered in the 10th inning of the restart of Thursday's suspended contest before Franklin Arias and John Holobetz slaughtered the Bisons in the regularly scheduled game. Salem was also victorious on Friday, led by another big night from Kleyver Salazar (pictured). Greenville saw its postseason hopes dashed in an extra-inning walk-off loss, while Portland fell in Eastern League action. 

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Worcester Red Sox 6, Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 4 (Game 1)

On Thursday night, Buffalo had just staged a comeback to send the contest to extra innings when the skies fully opened. Shortly after the restart on Friday, Vinny Capra blasted a three-run bomb in the 10th to give Worcester the win. It was the third hit of the game for Capra, who was also hit by a pitch and stole a base. Romy Gonzalez was 4 for 5 with an RBI, while Mikey Romero doubled and drove in a run as part of a 3-for-5 effort. Franklin Arias finished with a pair of hits. Blake Wehunt had gone six innings, allowing one run on seven hits, earning a no decision. The Capra homer made a winner of Hobie Harris, who had surrendered the tying run in the ninth on Thursday. Seth Martinez allowed the automatic runner to score on a base hit in the 10th but struck out a pair to secure the save. 

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Cup of Coffee: Godbout homers twice as Portland bests Eyanson, Chesapeake

9/4 Cup of Coffee: Excluding Worcester's suspended contest against Buffalo, Boston's affiliates went 1-2 in three tightly contested games on Thursday. Henry Godbout (pictured) homered twice in Portland's win over Chesapeake. Ronny Hernandez, Nazzan Zanetello, and Givian Sirvania all went deep as Greenville fell to Bowling Green. Cole Tolbert worked 5 1/3 scoreless innings as Salem was shut out by Hill City.

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Worcester Red Sox 3, Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 3 (Suspended in 10th inning)

This game was suspended in the top of the 10th inning due to rain. It will resume at 5:05 p.m. ET Friday evening and be followed by Friday's regularly scheduled nine-inning contest.

Before the skies opened, Blake Wehunt put together a solid start for Worcester, allowing only one earned run on seven hits, one walk, and six strikeouts over six quality innings. He threw 84 pitches (62 strikes) and generated eight whiffs. In relief of Wehunt, Angel Bastardo tossed a scoreless bottom of the seventh, while John Brebbia and Hobie Harris each gave up a run in their respective innings of work. 

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August Players of the Month: Franklin Primera and Dylan Brown

The fifth full month of the minor league season is complete. With that, it is time to present the SoxProspects.com Players of the Month awards for August to catcher Franklin Primera (pictured, left) and left-hander Dylan Brown (pictured, bottom right). Both prospects are currently ranked within the organization's top 25, having each climbed more than 30 spots since Opening Day.

Primera, the No. 3 prospect in the system behind only Franklin Arias and Justin Gonzales, is a SoxProspects.com Player of the Month honoree for the second time this season. The right-handed hitting 19-year-old batted a stout .382/.535/.592 with five doubles, one triple, three home runs, 15 RBI, 19 runs scored, two stolen bases, 16 walks, and eight strikeouts in 22 August games (101 plate appearances) for Salem. He was recognized as the Carolina League Player of the Week for August 10-16, then drove in a career-high seven runs on August 18.

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Cup of Coffee: Hull, Schaffner lead Greenville; Mullins dominates for Sea Dogs

9/3 Cup of Coffee: Affiliates won two out of three games on Wednesday evening as both Class A affiliates look to close out the season strong. Greenville kept its playoff hopes alive on the continued hot bats of Owen Hull and Jake Schaffner. A late rally made winners of the RidgeYaks, who have won two in a row after suffering a sweep in last week's series. Hayden Mullins (pictured), fanned 10 in six shutout innings for Portland, but a late comeback in Bowie dropped the Sea Dogs in extra innings. Wild weather in Western New York postponed Worcester's contest. 

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Worcester Red Sox @ Buffalo Bisons (TOR), postponed   

With heavy rains and a tornado warning rolling through Buffalo, Wednesday's contest was postponed. They'll try for a doubleheader on Friday. 

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Chesapeake Baysox (BAL) 5, Portland Sea Dogs 4

A late rally culminating in a 10th-inning walkoff spoiled an outstanding effort by Hayden Mullins. The left-hander dominated for six innings, allowing just one hit, walking one, and fanning 10 of the 20 batters he faced. Chesapeake shortstop and 2025 first-round pick Wehiwa Aloy blasted a pair of two-run homers in back-to-back innings off of Tyler Davis to knot the contest at 4-4. Erik Rivera suffered a tough-luck loss, as the only baserunner he allowed in 1 2/3 innings was a two-out ground ball single in the 10th that plated the automatic runner. Max Ferguson led the way at the plate with a 2-for-4 evening with three RBI that included a two-run homer in the sixth. Reigning Eastern League Player of the Week Johanfran Garcia also went deep for the Sea Dogs. Brooks Brannon and Ronald Rosario had two hits apiece, with Rosario ripping a double.

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Cup of Coffee: Schaffner hits first professional homer, Romero records four hits

Cup of Coffee: On the night that Jedixson Paez made his major league debut at Fenway Park, there was plenty of action for prospect watchers down on the farm as well. Mikey Romero and Romy Gonzalez had big games in a blowout win for the WooSox, while Henry Godbout homered in a Sea Dogs loss. The Drive and RidgeYaks both had exciting wins, as Yophery Rodriguez (pictured) blasted a go-ahead home run in the ninth for Greenville and Adonys Guzman sent the Salem fans home happy with a walkoff single in the tenth. 

 

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Worcester Red Sox 9, Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 1 

Mikey Romero led the charge in a huge night for the WooSox lineup, as he drove in a pair of runs with a double in the third inning as part of a 4-for-4 game. Romy Gonzalez homered in his second consecutive game, ripping a two-run homer to center field in the seventh inning. Franklin Arias went 2 for 4 with a walk and scored three runs. In his first game since being optioned to Worcester, Anthony Seigler drove in two runs with a double in the ninth and went 1 for 5 on the night. 

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Minor Notes: Monegro returns from Tommy John; Anthony and Story rejoin Red Sox

With less than a month remaining in the regular season, the Red Sox postseason roster is beginning to take shape. Three major league mainstays returned to the Red Sox after stints on the injured list, causing a ripple effect for Boston's depth in the upper minors. Down on the farm, the Red Sox affiliates remain on the outside looking in as they battle for postseason berths. 

 

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Rehabbing major leaguers rejoin Red Sox 

After missing more than three months of action, Roman Anthony and Trevor Story made their triumphant return to the Red Sox lineup in Sunday's loss to the Yankees. Both players had spent most of the last two weeks on rehab assignments following their lengthy absences, with Anthony hitting .280/.367/.600 with two home runs in eight games between Portland and Worcester while Story hit .171/.189/.200 with 11 strikeouts in 10 games with the WooSox. While he did not pitch on a rehab assignment, Garrett Whitlock also returned to the Red Sox bullpen on Saturday after missing a couple of weeks with elbow inflammation. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who has also played eight games on a rehab assignment with Worcester, is likely to follow once rosters expand in September.

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