Cup of Coffee: Houck, Contreras shine in rehab efforts; Godbout keeps rolling

9/12 Cup of Coffee: White the major league team was losing its third straight, there was encouraging news out of Maine about some coming reinforcements. Willson Contreras had a good night as he kicked off his rehab assignment while Tanner Houck cruised through three innings in his second appearance back with the Sea Dogs. They teamed with Henry Godbout (pictured) to lead Portland's victory. John Holobetz turned in another solid Triple-A start, but the WooSox fell in Lehigh Valley.

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Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI) 4, Worcester Red Sox 1

A strong effort by John Holobetz went for naught as the WooSox missed a chance to move up in the International League playoff chase. All four Lehigh Valley runs came via solo homer. Holobetz cruised for five scoreless frames before the IronPigs reached him for a leadoff shot in the sixth. He finished with one run allowed on four hits in 5 1/3, striking out seven against one walk. Seth Martinez surrendered three blasts, one in the sixth and two in the seventh, suffering the loss. Devin Sweet threw a scoreless eighth inning, striking out one. The lone Worcester run came in the fifth, when Nate Baez plated Max Ferguson with a double. It was the first start for Franklin Arias since August 18 that he did not record a hit. 

The loss keeps Worcester two games out of first place in the second half standings. Scranton defeated first-place Rochester to move into a tie for first place, while victories by Indianapolis and Syracuse moved those teams one and 1 1/2 games out, respectively. 

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Portland Sea Dogs 8, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (NYM) 4

All eyes were on Portland on Friday night, with two notable rehabbers and a returning top prospect. Yordanny Monegro was officially activated from the injured list after two rehab appearances with Greenville. In his first Sea Dogs appearance since last summer's Tommy John Surgery, Monegro went three innings, allowing three hits and one run coming on a solo homer. He walked two, struck out one, and threw 41 pitches, 21 for strikes. He turned the ball over to a rehabbing Tanner Houck in the fourth. Houck, who walked two of the four batters he faced in Tuesday's outing, was much more effective his second time out. The 2024 American League All-Star allowed one run on just one hit in three innings, fanning four against one walk. Max Carlson followed with two innings, surrendering one run on a homer by old friend Eddinson Paulino. He struck out four without issuing a walk. Cooper Adams closed out the win, allowing one run in the ninth. 

Willson Contreras joined Houck on a rehab stint, batting third and getting the start as the designated hitter. Contreras was 2 for 4 with a pair of RBI and a run scored. Henry Godbout had his sixth consecutive multi-hit game with a 2-for-5 effort that included a double and a stolen base. Brooks Brannon and Will Turner both had two-run homers as part of Portland's seven-run second inning. Ronald Rosario also went deep, adding an insurance run with a solo shot in the fifth. 

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Player of the Day: Henry Godbout is on a tear to close the Eastern League season. In his last six games, the 22-year-old is 15 for 26 with three doubles, three homers, six runs scored, and six RBI. A 2025 second-round pick out of the University of Virginia, Godbout is hitting .291/.402/.530 in his first full professional season and .311/.351/.622 in 22 games since his promotion to Portland. He is currently ranked fifth in the system.

Photo Credit: Henry Godbout by Kelly O'Connor

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