He’s now hit seven home runs this season and three in six games. Is it time?
I’m going to get right into the summaries, because I want to reserve space for you all to pontificate over bringing Marcelo Mayer up to Fenway, and because I want you all to panic about how rough the bullpen, also known as deep reserve options for the Red Sox, have looked the last few days. Let it commence – let’s get into it
Worcester, Game 1: L, 5-6 (BOX SCORE)
For those wondering where Austin Adams went following his minor-league contract signing: here’s your answer. The 33-year-old righty went two innings in what was clearly a bullpen effort in the first end of a double-header Sunday, giving up a home run to the Mets in his two innings. 23-year-old Gabriel Jackson made his first appearance in Triple-A and went three scoreless, but the damage was already done earlier in the contest. Even though the WooSox had ten hits in this one, including another double by Marcelo Mayer, they fell short in this one. But surely a lot of offense would be enough to win game two, right? … Right?
Worcester, Game 2: L, 12-20 (BOX SCORE)
4-for-5 by Nate Eaton. Marcelo Mayer’s third home run in less than a week. Three runs scored by Vaughn Grissom. All these things should result in a handy win by the WooSox, right? Wrong! Zack Kelly gave up 8 runs and two home runs while recording just one out to open this one, and I’m really running out of reasons to keep him on the 40-man roster.
Portland mainstay Jon Brand had a rough Triple-A outing himself, giving up four more runs; the score was 12-4 at the end of the first, and the Mets never looked back. 32 runs scored and 31 hits along 13 walks in SEVEN innings. The craziest stat of the day might be that this game of the double-header lasted just three hours flat.
Portland: Postponed (Rain), Make-Up Date 5/23
Greenville: W, 6-1 (BOX SCORE)
It seems the thing keeping Nazzan Zanetello down is his 40% strikeout rate; that did not improve on Sunday, as he whiffed three times despite taking a walk. Same could be said for Nelly Taylor, who took two Ks of his own. But fortunately, the Drive’s pitching staff — Payton Tolle and Dalton Rogers — sat down 16 Spartanburgers (Rangers High-A) on strikes. Dan Secatore wrote of Miguel Bleis starting to heat up; this was VERY much the case yesterday, as he hit two home runs, one to score that Zanetello walk, and the second longball in the seventh propelled Greenville to seal this victory away.
Salem: W, 19-1 (BOX SCORE)
Some offense culminates in a win… could not be Worcester yesterday, right? 2023 draft pick Trenner O’Donnell and Matt McShane had characteristic outings, as O’Donnell certainly got the job done with seven K’s in a scoreless five frames. Offensively, the Red Sox teed off against the Crawdads, tallying 9 walks and 13 hits for 19 runs including 14 between the 4th and 6th innings thanks to a home run from a white-hot Yosander Asencio and Antonio Anderson’s home run in the sixth, one of his three hits. This one was never close for Salem.
Have a fantastic Monday!