Cup of Coffee: Scorching Arias reaches base four times in WooSox win

9/10 Cup of Coffee: It's been a sterling home stretch of the 2026 for shortstops Franklin Arias and Henry Godbout, who both again turned in multiple hit games on Wednesday night. Arias powered Worcester to the win to jump a pair of teams in the playoff hunt. Godbout supported another strong Hayden Mullins outing, but the Sea Dogs' loss officially knocked them from contention. 

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Worcester Red Sox 8, Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI) 3

The WooSox pounded out 14 hits as they make their push in the International League playoff race. Franklin Arias was once again the headline, reaching base four times as he went 2 for 3 with a double, two walks, and a run scored. In six September contests, Arias is 14 for 27. Vinny Capra was 3 for 5 with a pair of runs scored, including one on a solo homer in the ninth. Allan Castro also had a three-hit effort, swiping his 20th base of the year. Tyler McDonough and Mikey Romero had two hits apiece. 

On the mound, Jedixson Paez returned to the WooSox with 3 1/3 scoreless innings. He scattered four hits, struck out four, and walked one. Noah Song fired 2 2/3 hitless frames to get credit for the win, walking one against three strikeouts. Angel Bastardo closed out the win with a hitless ninth. 

Worcester's win moves them to fourth place in the second half standings, just two games back of first-place co-holders Rochester and Scranton.

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Binghamton Rumble Ponies (NYM) 5, Portland Sea Dogs 2

Hayden Mullins turned in a strong start, but a late Binghamton rally ended Portland's playoff hopes. Mullins went six innings, allowing a run on five hits, striking out five, and walking two. It was the sixth consecutive start in which Mullins allowed one earned run or fewer. The Rumble Ponies reached Aaron Nixon for four runs in the seventh, handing him the loss. Griffin Kilander had a strong showing in his Sea Dogs debut, striking out four and allowing one hit in two scoreless innings. Henry Godbout had his fifth consecutive multi-hit effort, going 2 for 4. Isaiah Jackson doubled, drove in a run, and stole a base in his first Portland start. 

The loss, combined with a win from the first-place Reading Fightin Phils, eliminated Portland from playoff contention. 

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Player of the Day: Franklin Arias opened the 2026 season on a tear, and its finish is arguably even more impressive. Were it not for a an out while pinch hitting two weeks ago, the 20-year-old would be riding a 14-game hitting streak. During that stretch he is slashing .411/460/.536 with seven doubles, 11 runs scored, and only three strikeouts across 63 plate appearances. His on-base percentage for the season has ticked back above .400, sitting at .403 between his time at Worcester and Portland. The stretch puts an exclamation point on a season in which Arias has established himself as a consensus top-five prospect in the game.

Photo Credit: Franklin Arias by Kelly O'Connor

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