Red Sox Minor League Report: Starlyn Nunez’s three-run blast walks it off for Salem.

[Ben Lofy]

Triple-A Worcester Red Sox

Series vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (New York Yankees): 4-1
Season Record: 21-15

Worcester’s game was postponed due to rain. No make-up date has been provided yet. 

Double-A Portland Sea Dogs

Series vs. New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays): 0-4
Season Record: 13-18

Portland’s game was canceled due to rain and won’t be made up.

High-A Greenville Drive

Series @  Greensboro Grasshoppers (Pittsburgh Pirates): 1-5
Season Record: 14-18

The Drive fell for the second night in a row, 10-4, as they struggled on the mound.

The start of Marcus Phillips’ professional career has been less than ideal. The righty has struggled through 17 and ⅔ innings so far this season, posting a 7.64 ERA through six appearances. This negative trend continued through Phillips' start on Saturday as he gave up five runs on six hits through two and ⅓ innings. He let up two home runs as he hasn’t quite found his footing in Greenville. Shea Sprague was back in Greenville after a one-game stint in Portland, pitching three and ⅓ innings. He let up four runs (two unearned) on five hits and two homers. Calvin Bickerstaff took the final two and ⅓ innings as he continued to build on his solid season. Across his outing, he let up one more run on a solo homer, and K’d two. Despite Bickerstaff’s solid outing, the Greenville pitching staff didn’t do enough to keep the Drive in the game. 

It was a poor offensive showing by Greenville on Saturday. Only four hitters recorded a hit, and the offense started late, with Antonio Anderson hitting his first homer of the season in the sixth to get the Drive on the board. Later in the inning, Mason White drew a bases-loaded walk to drive in Justin Gonzales. The Drive’s other two runs came on a two-run homer from Henry Godbout with Justin Gonzales on first. Gonzales drew three walks but was hitless at the plate. Isaiah Jackson and Mason White drew two walks apiece. The Drive struck out 13 times and were hitless with runners in scoring position. 

Low-A Salem RidgeYaks

Series vs. Delmarva Shorebirds (Baltimore Orioles): 2-3
Season Record: 14-18

The RidgeYaks won 7-4 on a walk-off blast by Starlyn Nunez. 

Cole Tolbert made his first appearance of the season, and it was a strong one. The 23-year-old struck out four and didn’t allow a hit over one and ⅔ innings of work. It was Tolbert’s first appearance since 2024, as he missed the entirety of the 2025 season with injury. Jason Gilman took the next two and ⅓ innings. Of the 12 batters he faced, he sent seven back to the dugout on strikes. He allowed one run on four hits but put together an excellent outing. Wuilliams Rodriguez came in next, giving up two runs on four hits over three innings and getting the blown save. Harry Blum pitched the last two innings to close out the game, earning the win for his work. He allowed one run on one hit and a walk, punching out three as he gave the offense a chance to walk it off. 

And walk it off they did. After a back-and-forth contest, Starlyn Nunez crushed a three-run, walk-off homer to give the RidgeYaks the victory. Before the walk-off in the first inning, Luke Heyman drove a two-run homer to left field to give Salem an early lead. Then in the fourth inning, D’Angelo Ortiz drove in Avinson Pinto on a groundout to second base. With the game tied 3-3, Anderson Fermin stepped to the plate with Ortiz on third. He hit a short chop to the pitcher's mound as Ortiz raced home. The pitcher made an errant throw home, allowing Ortiz to score and letting Anderson advance to second. Then, tied 4-4 in the ninth, Nunez came up clutch, snagging the victory for Salem. 

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