Red Sox Minor League Report: Farm System Woes Pile Up As All Affiliates Lose

[Ben Lofy]

Let’s see how the Red Sox farm did in Sunday’s series finales (spoiler alert: not great).

Triple-A Worcester Red Sox

Series @ Syracuse Mets (New York Mets): 1-5
Season Record: 63-58

Worcester was scoreless for the second straight contest as their losing streak reached four.

Raymond Burgos, who found success with the big league club last week, turned in an excellent five-inning start on Sunday afternoon. Throughout his outing he allowed four hits and walked three but shutout the Mets. He struck out four before Seth Martinez took over in the sixth inning. Martinez turned in a solid two innings but earned the loss in the low-scoring affair. He allowed two runs (one unearned) on one hit, issued one walk, and struck out another. His afternoon ended when he was replaced by Sam McWilliams in the eighth inning. McWilliams took the final inning of the afternoon, turning in a shutout, one-hit appearance. He walked one and struck out another in the loss. 

Worcester’s bats were downright lifeless on Sunday, notching just two hits and drawing only two walks. Mikey Romero and Franklin Arias were the only WooSox to reach base, each with a single and a walk.

Double-A Portland Sea Dogs

Series vs. Reading Fighting Phils (Philadelphia Phillies): 2-4
Season Record: 60-59

Portland was blown out in a game that was abbreviated due to rain in the seventh inning. 

Morgan McSweeney took the mound to begin Sunday’s series finale, turning in a four-inning start. He was okay, allowing three hits on four runs and striking out six batters. Steven Brooks took over in the fifth, earning the loss as Reading got to him quickly. He allowed two runs on no hits, instead issuing five walks and striking out just one. Brooks’ night came to a quick close as Caleb Bolden entered to finish the inning. Bolden was just as unsuccessful, allowing five runs on five hits in just an inning and ⅔. He walked one and struck out a pair before Cooper Adams entered. Adams walked one and struck out another in ⅔ of an inning before the game was called due to rain. 

Roman Anthony was hitless in three tries, striking out once on Sunday as offensive struggles plagued the whole lineup. Two of the Sea Dogs' three runs came in the second inning as Henry Godbout and Miguel Bleis launched a pair of back-to-back solo home runs, giving Portland an early two-run lead. The Sea Dogs’ final run would come in the fourth inning, when Tyler McDonough hit a bases-loaded groundout to first base as Bleis crossed home. 

High-A Greenville Drive

Series vs. Winston-Salem Dash (Chicago White Sox): 2-4
Season Record: 52-65

Greenville lost for the third time in two days as Winston-Salem exploded for ten runs in the seventh. 

Alex Bouchard started the game for Greenville, turning in a respectable three and ⅔ innings of work. He allowed one run on three hits and issued one walk. He struck out six before Adam Bates took over to close out the fourth inning. Bates hurled two and ⅓ innings of shutout ball, allowing two hits, walking three and striking out one. Things fell apart when Aaron Nixon took the mound. In his third appearance with Greenville, Nixon allowed seven runs on five hits in just ⅓ of an inning. Nixon walked two and struck out one as the Dash jumped out to a large lead. Luis Cohen managed to finish the seventh inning and pitched through the eighth. He allowed three runs on three hits and issued a pair of walks. He struck out four before catcher Hudson White made his second appearance in as many days. He allowed one more run on three hits and struck out one as he closed out a night to forget for the Drive’s staff. 

The Drive was solid on the other side of the ball, going 3-for-7 with runners in scoring position and putting up a fight early in the game. Nazzan Zanetello led the way with three RBIs as Carlos Gutierrez was the only Greenville batter with a multi-hit game. Down one in the fifth, Antonio Anderson tied the game for Greenville with a single to center field, scoring Gutierrez. Later in the inning, Zanetello crushed a three-run homer to center field, scoring Anderson and Ronny Hernandez. The Drive’s final run came in the eighth as Owen Hull scored on a Gerardo Rodriguez groundout. 

Low-A Salem RidgeYaks

Series vs. Wilson Warbirds (Milwaukee Brewers): 3-3
Season Record: 52-66

After putting up 15 runs on Saturday, Salem was on the other side of the scoreboard on Sunday, losing 17-8. 

Jose Bello’s struggles continued on Sunday as he turned in a disastrous start. The only piece of the Rafael Devers return still in the Red Sox organization, the young starter had a 2.55 ERA through the end of July. However, the month of August brought around persistent struggles for Bello, who limped through a four and ⅓-inning start on Sunday. His ERA rose to 4.34 after he let up five runs on nine hits. Bello allowed two walks as he struck out five. Caden Vire took over in the fifth and promptly let up four more runs as he issued four walks. He struck out just one as he closed the inning. Nicolas Judice took the mound next, but the struggles didn’t end with him. He allowed five more runs on two hits and issued three more walks in just ⅔ of an inning. Harry Blum entered to finish the frame and turned in Salem’s strongest appearance of the day. He issued three walks and allowed three hits in a shutout two and ⅓-inning outing. He struck out five before Anderson Fermin closed the game for the second day in a row. Fermin allowed three runs on four hits and issued one walk as Wilson won with ease. 

The Yaks put up a fight on offense, but couldn’t contend with the 17-run onslaught by Wilson. Down by five in the fifth, Adonys Guzman got the Yaks on the board with a ground ball single as Louis Andujar scored. In the sixth, down a whopping 13 runs, Andujar drew a bases-loaded walk that scored Kleyver Salazar. Andrews Opata drew another walk later in the inning as Colton Coates scored. In the ninth, Andruw Musett scored Starlyn Nunez on a double to left field before Coates reached on a fielding error, scoring Musett and Wills Maginnis. Salem showed flashes of life in the ninth as Salazar and Coates both scored on wild pitches, cutting the deficit to nine. Unfortunately for Salem, they were unable to pull off the miraculous comeback, losing 17-8.

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