Plus, Bryan Mata goes multiple innings to save a close one in Worcester.
Man, the Red Sox taking two of three from the Yankees really puts a smile on my face on a Monday morning. So, too, would a certain call to the Triple-A squad, which seems imminent. The farm split the day, but leadoff batters came up big in their own way. Password Garcia is also enigmatic on Worcester, as his hit did the talking on Sunday. Let’s get into it!
Worcester: W, 5-4 (BOX SCORE)
I was attendance for this one! Roman Anthony was looking like a player that is about to have his call-up moment: very much a big fish in a small pond. He didn’t have a 497-foot home run, or even a hit, but he and Password Garcia contributed in a major way defensively, running down some balls that looked like sure hits.
This was in the midst of Jose DeLeon absolutely dealing through four scoreless innings, striking out eight. DeLeon looked on his game but it’s noticeable that Worcester is using openers longer than they’re used to while Boston starters are not going as deep, resulting in the need for the big club to cycle through Worcester relief arms. To Chad Tracy’s credit, the only faulty substitute he navigated was Brendan Celluci, who got taken yard and allowed four innings without completing an inning, and Bryan Mata came in for two innings and who remained poised when Rochester (Nationals AAA) made the game interesting by stealing a base following a walk. Worcester managed just four hits, but that was enough on Sunday.
Portland: L, 2-6 (BOX SCORE)
Mark Koloszvary launched an early home run in this finale against Hartford (Rockies AA), but that was the last the team scored as they lost a fifth straight game. Corey Rosier had three of Portland’s six hits but only scored once via a Zach Ehrhard double, and Blake Wehunt got taken yard twice in his five innings of work. Also of note: Chris Murphy had two rehab innings, allowing one run following a shutout appearance earlier in the week. Noah Song also had a scoreless inning of work in his Portland debut, but by the ninth inning, or really the fifth, this game was too far gone.
Greenville: W, 7-2 (BOX SCORE)
Speaking of leadoff guys with multiple hits, the Franklin Arias show continues as his OPS is still holding over .900. The seven-run onslaught against Rome (Braves High-A) was opened up by a Nazzan Zanetello single that skipped past third base and scored two. Franklin Arias called game in the eighth with his third long ball since being called up to Greenville. Defensively, Greenville was more sound than the Emperors, being the beneficiary of three errors, and Eduardo Rivera, who turns 22 next Friday, struck ou5 eight while allowing just a solo shot on six hits and gutting out 77 pitches.
Salem: L, 5-6 (BOX SCORE)
It looked like Salem would outlast the Hillcats until a three-run inning by Lynchburg (Guardians A) stunned them to hand them their third consecutive loss to close out the homestand. Andruw Mussett is 11-for-18 in his last five games and now leads Salem in OPS among players who have not been called up to Greenville, and Kelvin Diaz had his fourth homer of the year. Salem also had a rough eight-out start by Ben Hansen to supplement that blown save by Manuel Medina.
Have a happy Monday!