Four hits and a walk as his rehab wraps up.
Happy Monday! Each of the Red Sox affiliates (besides the Drive) were on the road this week and met mixed results; I’m sure none of them will hate going home from Sunday’s games. Sunday was more of the same: rough luck combined with some rough play.
Worcester, Game 1: W, 8-5 (BOX SCORE)
In this finale in Toledo against the Mud Hens (Tigers Triple-A), the WooSox overcame having to resort to a bullpen game due to Naoyuki Uwasawa’s promotion and a rough start by Justin Hagenman to win a hit-filled game by capitalizing on their opportunities. The WooSox did waste one one-out, bases loaded opportunity when Jamie Westbrook grounded into a double play to end the inning. But let’s focus on the positives: Nick Kwiatkowski came in on a long relief situation for his Triple-A debut and had 2 2⁄3 scoreless innings, striking out three. Offensively, Vaughn Grissom, on what should be one of his final rehab games, went 4-for-4 with a walk. Corey Rosier used his nine-hole assignment effectively going 3-for-4 with a home run. And Niko Kavadas hit his fifth homer of the season to seal this one away in a game that saw his season OPS double. When you give guys a chance to break through like this lineup did with seven walks, they’re going to do so in numbers.
But how about Grissom’s performance! Earlier in the week, Alex Cora said we’ll see how the infielder is feeling after the weekend. I’d say that about caps it for that rehab assignment, on a good note.
Portland: L, 5-12 (BOX SCORE)
Wikelman Gonzalez has just not had it this season. As it would turn out, this may have been his best game of the year, as he struck eight Yard Goats (Rockies AA) out. But his bullpen didn’t have his back, as, by the bottom of the seventh, the team was down 9-4, and it didn’t get any better.
The Sea Dogs’ lineup looks fearsome as usual, including unlikely featured bat Matt Lugo continuing to rake with an RBI triple; this loss is mostly on the pitching. Myself and fellow OTM staffer Matt Gross each took separate trips down to Hartford this weekend, and were both wowed by how natural Marcelo Mayer looks at the plate (though he went hitless today) and how natural Kyle Teel looks behind the dish. Only a matter of time before a bigger audience experiences this as well!
Greenville: L, 1-4 (BOX SCORE)
The Drive continue to just look hapless behind the plate as the Grasshoppers (Pirates High-A) had them beat in every facet of this game. Greenville struck out ten times while drawing just two walks, putting just three runners in scoring position all night, one via a Miguel Ugueto RBI double.
On the mound, Schreiber returnee David Sandlin struggled yet again, as 2022 fourth overall pick Termarr Johnson got to him on a first-inning solo shot. He did hold the Grasshoppers to two runs, but he went just four frames. The Drive are now 7-14, and frankly, they’ve looked every bit of it.
Salem: L, 3-4 (BOX SCORE)
Another lackluster performance by Noah Dean and uninspired batting has the Red Sox falling to the Mudcats (Brewers A). Most of the team is batting below the Mendoza line. That the 1 and 2 hitters went a collective 0-for-9 doesn’t speak well to the rest of the lineup, even if they managed eight hits while every other batter recorded one. Marvin Alcantara hit a solo shot in the first inning but it was downhill from there. I wouldn’t say the cupboard is bare in the lower minors, but they need more development, which, luckily, is the point of the Minor Leagues!
Have a good start of the week, and, in the absence of Red Sox baseball today, go C’s!