Red Sox Daily Minor League Report: Enddy Azocar Knocks On the Door to Portland

Boston Red Sox Affiliate Recap (May 14)

Triple-A Worcester Red Sox

The WooSox offense could not get anything going and somehow came up just short, losing 4-3 to the Buffalo Bisons.

Nick Sogard, who’s slashing .310/.404/.548 so far in May, launched a lead-off home run in the first inning, putting Portland on top 1-0. 

That early lead didn't last as Jake Bennett ran into trouble in the bottom of the second. Buffalo strung together a single, a double, and a pair of RBI singles to score three runs. A fourth run scored on a fielding error by right fielder Allan Castro. Worcester was staring at a 4–1 deficit entering the third inning.

The ninth inning brought a late spark for the WooSox, with two outs and nobody on, Seigler ripped a single to center. Mikey Romero followed up and crushed a two-run homer to right, cutting the deficit to 4–3, bringing the tying run to the plate. Unfortunately, Castro grounded out to end the game.

Other than the rough start from Bennett, Worcester’s bullpen was outstanding the rest of the way. Seth Martinez tossed 1 ⅔  scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Noah Song had two scoreless frames of his own, and Tayron Guerrero worked a clean inning with two strikeouts. Over 4 ⅔  combined relief innings, they allowed zero runs, but the offense couldn't capitalize.

Double-A Portland Sea Dogs

The Portland Sea Dogs jumped on the Hartford Yard Goats early and never trailed in the game, taking a 5-3 victory.

The Sea Dogs put up a three-spot in the second inning, Marvin Alcantara launched a solo homer to left-center, then Nelly Taylor and Max Ferguson worked a walk, Taylor stole a base, then Ahbram Liendo ripped a two-run double to the left field gap, scoring Taylor and Ferguson. They tacked on another run in the third when Ronald Rosario singled home Will Turner, making it 4-0 entering the fourth.

Hartford got one back in the fourth with a solo shot, but Liendo answered back in the seventh with a solo homer of his own to push it to 5-1, giving Portland a comfortable lead. The Yard Goats chipped away with a run in the bottom half of the seventh and another run in the eighth, making it a 5-3 game. 

Blake Wehunt was the starter for Portland and dominated through 3 ⅓  innings, striking out seven while allowing just three hits and no runs. The bullpen held it together from there; each pitcher coming out of the bullpen gave up one run, but did not let anything crazy happen. Max Carlson earned the win working 1 ⅔  innings, Reidis Sena gave up a run over two innings, and Cooper Adams locked it down with a four-strikeout save over the final two innings. 

Key Performances:

• Ahbram Liendo: 3-for-4, R, 2B, 3 RBI
• Marvin Alcantara: HR, R, RBI
• Blake Wehunt: 3 ⅓ IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 7 K

High-A Greenville Drive

The Greenville Drive had a tough night, going scoreless up until the ninth inning in a 5-1 loss to the Bowling Green Hot Rods. 

Bowling Green did its damage in small doses: one run each coming in the third, fourth, and sixth off Greenville's pitching, then tacked on two more in the eighth to put it out of reach at 5-0.  Despite collecting eight hits and drawing five walks on the night, the Drive never managed to string hits together in big moments, going 1-for-8 with RISP.

Although he suffered a loss, Dylan Brown is still adjusting to Greenville since his promotion, but pitched well, striking out seven batters and giving up two runs in his five innings of work. Steven Brooks pitched two perfect innings and struck out three.

At the plate, Henry Godbout led the way, going 3-for-5 with a double, and Antonio Anderson went 2-for-4 with a double as well, including the only RBI in the ninth inning that scored Yophery Rodriguez to break up the shutout. 

Key Performances:

• Henry Godbout: 3-for-5, 2B
• Antonio Anderson: 2-for-4, RBI

Single-A Salem RidgeYaks

It was down to the wire, but Salem had a two-run ninth inning and came away with the 6-3 win over the Nationals.

Enddy Azocar was the catalyst for the RidgeYaks, earning his third multi-hit game in four games, including a solo homer in the third inning to break Salem off with a 1-0 lead. Azocar was not done, however, in the sixth, after Starlyn Nunez legged out a two-out triple to center, Azocar ripped a double to bring in Nunez and push it to 4-0. He finished 2-for-4 with a homer, a double, two RBIs, and a walk. 

Barrett Morgan was dominant on the mound, spinning five shutout innings on just 62 pitches while giving up three hits with three strikeouts. He earned the win and kept the Nationals in check.

Fredericksburg worked a comeback in the eighth, making it a one-run 4-3 game by hitting two RBI singles and an RBI triple. Salem's lineup responded exactly when they needed to. In the top of the ninth, Skylar King and Ty Hodge got on base (King went 2-for-4 with a stolen base; Hodge was 2-for-3 with two walks and a double). Avinson Pinto singled in King to make it 5-3, and D'Angelo Ortiz followed with another RBI single to push it to 6-3 to seal it for Salem.

Key Performances:

• Enddy Azocar: 2-for-4, HR, 2B, R, 2 RBI, BB
• Ty Hodge: 2-for-3, 2B, R, 2 BB
• Barrett Morgan: 5 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 K

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