Red Sox Minor League Report: No. 1 Prospect Franklin Arias Crushes Last Sea Dogs Homer Before Promotion to Triple-A Worcester

Boston Red Sox Affiliate Recap

Triple-A Worcester Red Sox

Season Record: 48-46

The WooSox scored double-digit runs for the second straight game, blowing out the Jumbo Shrimp (Miami Marlins) 15-1.

As a team, Worcester racked up 18 hits; six of their nine batters collected multi-hit days at the plate, four of them were three-hit games, while also drawing seven walks.

The scoring came sporadically throughout the nine frames; there were just two innings where the Sox did not score. Andrew Knizner gave the Jumbo Shrimp a tough time in his six plate appearances, starting out his day with a two-run line drive RBI double in the first inning, 2-0. The designated hitter brought in his third RBI of the game after an infield single, then earned his sixth RBI of the game after blasting a three-run bomb in the eighth inning to make it a laughable 15-1 lead. 

Allan Castro had a great day as well, going 2-for-5 and cracking a three-run homer of his own in the seventh inning. Nate Eaton recorded a three-hit game, bringing in two runs and coming around to score twice, including a stolen base. Nick Sogard and Braiden Ward scored as well while delivering three-hit games. 

Raymond Burgos had one of his best starts of the season with 5 ⅔ innings of one-run ball while striking out five batters. The bullpen was lights out from there on; Tyler Samaniego, Seth Martinez, and catcher Nathan Hickey combined for 3 ⅓ shutout innings.

Standout Performances: 

• Andrew Knizner: 3-for-3, HR, 2B, 2 R, 6 RBI, 3 BB
• Allan Castro: 2-for-5, HR, 2B, 2 R, 3 RBI
• Nate Eaton: 3-for-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, SB

Double-A Portland Sea Dogs

Season Record: 50-42

The Sea Dogs snuck away with a close 3-2 victory against the Rumble Ponies (New York Mets), winning four of their last five games. 

Taking a day off from shortstop, the Red Sox #1 prospect Franklin Arias started as a designated hitter and crushed a solo homer in the third inning to put Portland on top 1-0. That was Arias' 19th bomb of the season, more homers than his three seasons as a professional combined. After the game, the long-awaited promotion to Triple-A Worcester finally came for the 20-year-old Venezuelan phenom. 

Portland’s pitching staff locked down Binghamton almost the entire game, while the Sea Dogs tacked on a couple more runs; an RBI groundout from Will Turner in the fifth and a Raudelis Martinez sacrifice fly in the ninth made it a 3-0 game. With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Cooper Adams threw a mistake pitch as the Rumble Ponies pinch hitter put a good swing on the ball, hammering a two-run homer to make it a 3-2 ballgame. However, Adams locked back in and struck out the next batter to end it. 

John Holobetz was incredible in his five-inning shutout start, giving up just three hits and punching out 10 batters to earn the win. Reidis Sena was outstanding as well, striking out six through 2 ⅔ shutout innings.

Standout Performances:

• John Holobetz: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 10 K
• Reidis Sena: 2 ⅔ IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
• Franklin Arias: 1-for-4, HR, R, RBI, BB

High-A Greenville Drive

Season Record: 37-52

The game was postponed due to rain. Makeup on July 24.

Low-A Salem RidgeYaks

Season Record: 40-52

The RidgeYaks almost blew it in the ninth but just slipped by, taking an 8-7 victory over the Augusta GreenJackets (Atlanta Braves).

Catcher Kleyver Salazar has been on an incredible stretch during his six-game hitting streak. Not only did he extend it with a 3-for-3 day (two-run homer, RBI single), he’s hit three bombs and three hits in his last four games. Through the hitting streak, he has turned in a .565 batting average, three homers, four doubles, and 11 RBIs. 

Salem trailed 1-0 in the third before answering with two of their own (Franklin Primera RBI double, Salazar RBI single). Augusta retook the lead 3-2 on a homer in the fifth, but that just set up Salem's best inning: they hung three in the bottom half, led by D'Angelo Ortiz's go-ahead two-run single, to lead 5-3. Salazar then blew it open with a two-run homer in the sixth for a 7-3 cushion.

Augusta didn't quit; a two-run seventh trimmed it 7-5 before Salem’s second baseman Justin Barry restored a three-run margin with an RBI double, 8-5. The GreenJackets made it interesting in the ninth when they got two runs back on a two-run triple to make it 8-7, but Wuilliams Rodriguez slammed the door, ending the game on a strikeout with the tying run on third base to earn his fourth save of the season.

Standout Performances:

• Kleyver Salazar: 3-for-3, HR, 2B, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB
• Franklin Primera: 2-for-4, 2B, 3 R, RBI

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