Red Sox Minor League Report: Kristian Campbell, Luke Heyman Power Worcester, Greenville to Wins Behind Stellar Offensive Performances.

Let’s see how the Red Sox farm did as this week's series came to a close. 

Triple-A Worcester Red Sox

Series vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (New York Yankees): 3-3
Season Record: 66-61

The WooSox got back in the win column on Sunday afternoon, claiming a 13-10 victory to secure the series split. 

John Brebbia took the first inning of a bullpen game that featured seven different pitchers on Sunday. Brebbia allowed a hit, walked one, and struck out another, turning over a clean scoresheet to Max Carlson after the first inning. Carlson earned the win for his outing on Sunday, the longest of any Worcester pitcher. He let up a pair of runs on five hits and struck out another before Devin Sweet took over. Sweet struggled across one and ⅓ innings, letting up three earned runs on three hits. He issued a walk and struck out one as Osvaldo Berrios was called in to finish the sixth inning. Berrios struggled even more than Sweet, allowing four runs on four hits in just ⅔ of an inning. Berrios punched out a pair before Angel Bastardo took the seventh inning. Bastardo was excellent, allowing one hit and issuing one walk as he struck out another. Seth Martinez followed Bastardo in the eighth but didn’t fare as well. He let up one run on two hits, striking out one before Hobie Harris was called upon to close the game. Harris earned his third save of the year for his shutout inning of work. He let up one hit but sealed the much-needed win for Worcester.

As Red Sox fans anticipate the call-up of Franklin Arias and the reinstatement of Roman Anthony, many forget about Kristian Campbell. Campbell has quietly put together an excellent season and may have put together his best performance so far on Sunday. Campbell led the team with four RBIs on three hits as Romy Gonzales and Brett Harris chipped in three RBIs each. Campbell got started early, launching a solo homer in the second inning and grabbing a one-run lead for Worcester. In the third, Isiah Kiner-Falefa drove in Vinny Capra and Nate Baez on a bases-loaded single. Later in the inning, with two runners aboard, Gonzalez scored Kiner-Falefa and Arias on a double to center. The WooSox weren’t done scoring; Harris drove in Gonzalez and Campbell on a double to left, giving Worcester a 7-2 lead. In the fifth, Campbell struck once more. With Gonzalez and Nate Eaton in scoring position, he clobbered his second homer of the game beyond the center field fence, bringing the WooSox total to 10 runs. After a seven-run sixth inning brought the RailRiders within one, Allan Castro drew a bases-loaded walk in the seventh, scoring Eaton. With the bases loaded yet again, Harris drew a walk of his own, giving Worcester a three-run lead. With a two-run lead in the eighth, Gonzalez put an exclamation mark on the successful day for Worcester, crushing a homer to right field and sealing the win.

Double-A Portland Sea Dogs

Series @ Richmond Flying Squirrels (San Francisco Giants): 4-2
Season Record: 64-60

Portland lost on an extra-innings walk-off, narrowly missing out on their fifth straight win. 

Alex Bouchard struggled through the first three frames of Sunday’s game. He let up five runs on six hits and issued two walks. He struck out three as Richmond took advantage of his struggles. Caleb Bolden took the next three frames and saw much more success. He let up one hit and issued a walk, striking out a pair before Erik Rivera took over. Rivera matched Bolden’s scoreless appearance over two frames, allowing one hit and striking out three. Reidis Sena entered following Rivera and let up one run. Sena issued a walk and didn’t record an out as he was pulled quickly. Steven Brooks took over in Sena’s place and pitched a one-hit inning, walking one. With the bullpen depleted in the tenth, Portland turned to Hudson White to spin a miraculous win. White failed, however, allowing two runs (one unearned) on two hits as he issued two walks across ⅓ of an inning. 

Portland’s offense kept most of its momentum following Saturday's 14-run onslaught. The Sea Dogs tallied 16 baserunners as Tyler McDonough led the way with three RBIs. Johanfran Garcia posted his second three-hit game in a row, knocking in one RBI as well. In the second, Caden Rose put the Sea Dogs on the board as he drew a bases-loaded walk, scoring Yoeilin Cespedes. Down by four in the third inning, Garcia launched his third homer in two days to left field, cutting the lead to three. An inning later, Ahbram Liendo scored by way of a Nelly Taylor single. With the deficit at two in the top of the ninth, Tyler McDonough played hero. He crushed a fly ball to left field, scoring Rose and tying the game. Cespedes put Portland ahead with a double to left, scoring Garcia. After Richmond tied the game, McDonough gave the Sea Dogs another lead, scoring Liendo on a ground out. However, it wasn’t enough to claim victory as the Sea Dogs fell by one. 

High-A Greenville Drive

Series vs. Rome Emperors (Atlanta Braves): 3-2
Season Record: 55-67

Greenville secured the series win in walk-off fashion, completing a four-run comeback in the ninth. 

Jose Bello got the call up to Greenville on Friday and turned in a solid start on Sunday. Across four and ⅓ innings, Bello let up three runs on six hits, issuing one walk and striking out three. Bello was followed by Griffin Kilander who struggled through one and ⅔ innings. Kilander allowed five runs (one unearned) on just two hits as he issued three walks. He struck out a pair before Trennor O’Donnell took the final three frames of Sunday’s contest. Across the seventh, eighth, and ninth, O’Donnell allowed three earned runs on three hits. He issued a walk and struck out three as he did just enough to help Greenville to the win. 

After losing 12-2 on Saturday, Greenville won with the same number of runs. Luke Heyman had a career night, knocking in five RBIs on three hits as the Drive went an impressive 5-for-14 with runners in scoring position. Down by four in the fifth, Heyman stepped to the plate with the bases loaded. Heyman drove in all three baserunners, crushing a moonshot grand slam to left-center and tying the game. Givian Sirvania, Jake Schaffner, and Owen Hull all crossed home plate. After Rome responded with six runs, the Drive had their work cut out for them if they wanted to get back into the game. Greenville dug in in the eighth inning. Antonio Anderson got it started, turning on a ball and sending a single to center field, scoring Isaiah Jackson. With the bases loaded, Stanley Tucker drew a walk to close the gap to four. Another walk from Sirvania put the Drive within striking distance as Schaffner stepped to the plate with the bases loaded. A groundout to first scored Nazzan Zanetello. The Drive entered the ninth inning down by three runs, and would need some magic to cap off the comeback. Schaffner stepped up with the bases loaded again, and this time he capitalized. He scored Ronny Hernandez on a single to left before Hull reached on a throwing error as Anderson and Tucker scored, tying the game. Who else would step to the plate but Luke Heyman? After a game-tying grand slam earlier in the game, he played hero once again. With two runners in scoring position and two outs, he smoked a groundball through the gap and into the outfield, scoring Schaffner and winning the game for Greenville. 

Single-A Salem RidgeYaks

Series @ Fayetteville Woodpeckers (Houston Astros): 0-6
Season Record: 52-71

Salem’s losing streak reached eight as the Yaks lost both games of Sunday’s doubleheader. 

Williams Montero started the first game of the day for Salem, turning in a so-so appearance over one and ⅔ innings. He let up two runs, one hit, issuing two walks and striking out four before Nicolas Judice took over. Judice ended his one and ⅔ inning appearance with a near-identical line. He allowed two runs on one hit, walking three and striking out three. Wuilliams Rodriguez entered last and pitched a similar line. Across two and ⅔ innings, Rodriguez gave up two runs on three hits. He issued one walk and struck out a pair as he earned the loss in the first loss of the day for Salem. 

The Yaks notched nine baserunners through seven innings as Avinson Pinto and Martin Shelar pitched in two RBIs each. Pinto tied the game in the fourth inning on a line drive double to right field, scoring Kleyver Salazar and Starlyn Nunez. Later in the inning, Shelar gave the Yaks the lead with his first double of the season, scoring Pinto and D’Angelo Ortiz. The Drive’s lead was short-lived as Fayetteville took the lead on a grand slam in the bottom of the inning. 

The second game of the day was a low-scoring affair as Salem fell 2-1. 

Berny Ortiz took the first three frames in the second matchup of the day, giving up two runs on three hits and tallying five strikeouts. His efforts weren’t enough, however, as he earned the loss in the close game. Nicolas De La Cruz took the next two and ⅓ innings of the game, letting up three hits and walking two as he kept the Woodpeckers scoreless. He struck out three before Yander Bonaci took the final ⅔ of an inning. Bonaci walked one and let up a hit, but kept the Woodpeckers’ score at two in his first scoreless appearance with Salem. 

Despite 12 batters reaching base, the Yaks went 1-for-11 with RISP and couldn’t capitalize on the strong bullpen performance. Shelar knocked in his third RBI of the day on his second double of the day, scoring Anderson Fermin. The rest of the lineup was quiet as the Yaks fell for the eighth straight contest.

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