Red Sox Minor League Report: Offensive Outpouring Helps Sea Dogs Snap Three-Game Skid

Triple-A Worcester Red Sox

Series vs. Buffalo Bisons (Toronto Blue Jays): 2-2
Season Record: 62-51
Worcester fell 6-2 amidst a rough night at the plate. 

On the other side of the ball, Gage Ziehl made his second Triple-A start. He turned in a five-inning, three-run effort as he let up six hits. Ziehl issued one walk and struck out five batters before being pulled as his ERA rose to 2.53. Angel Bastardo took the sixth inning, but was pulled after just two outs. Bastardo allowed one run on three hits, issued two walks, and struck out one before being replaced by John Brebbia. Brebbia struggled as well, but he was able to put together a multi-inning appearance. He allowed two runs on three hits, walked one, and struck out another across two and ⅓ innings. Finally, Raymond Burgos came in for a near-perfect ninth inning. He allowed one hit as he struck out two and closed out a loss for Worcester. 

The WooSox mustered six hits and drew four walks on offense, but fell short when it came time to drive runs home. A 1-for-6 mark with runners in scoring position was good for just two runs as the WooSox lost by four. The team's pair of runs came early. In the first, Romy Gonzales put the WooSox ahead with a sac fly, scoring Braiden Ward. The lead was short-lived as Buffalo led by two the next time Worcester scored. Nate Eaton drove in Tsung-Che Cheng by way of a sacrifice double play as Ward was thrown out at second after a leaping grab by the Buffalo second baseman. Ward stole two bags throughout Friday’s action, ending the day with 53. Ward is just shy of the Worcester record set by David Hamilton with 57 bags stolen in 2023. 

Double-A Portland Sea Dogs

Series vs. Binghamton Rumble Ponies (New York Mets): 1-3
Season Record: 58-53

Portland snapped a three-game skid with a resounding 10-3 win behind a solid start from Devin Futrell. 

Futrell made his second start at Double-A on Friday evening, turning in a five-inning outing with a solid final stat line. He allowed two runs on five hits, displaying excellent command as he didn’t issue a walk. In addition, Futrell sat down eight on strikes before Cooper Adams took over. Adams pitched through two smooth innings before running into trouble in the eighth. He was pulled after allowing one run on four hits and notching two strikeouts as he was replaced by Tyler Davis. Davis was excellent as he finished the eighth and closed the ninth, allowing one hit and striking out another as he sealed the convincing win. 

All but one of the Sea Dogs batters recorded a hit on Friday, but each batter reached base safely at least once. Jack Winnay led the way with three hits and two RBIs, and Nelly Taylor backed him up with a three-RBI performance. After Henry Godbout tallied his first Double-A hit in the first inning, Winnay drove him in with a two-run homer. Yoeilin Cespedes tacked on one more as he drove in Brooks Brannon on an RBI single later in the first. Nate Baez capped off the early onslaught with a sac fly to center, scoring Miguel Bleis. Owners of a two-run lead in the fourth, the Sea Dogs pulled way ahead with another four-run inning. Tyler McDonough got it going with a solo shot to lead off the inning before Bleis drove in Winnay on an RBI double. Leading 6-2, Cespedes drove home his second RBI of the night with another single, scoring Bleis. With the bases loaded, Taylor drove in his first run of the day as he drew a walk, scoring Cespedes. Taylor made his mark again in the seventh, crushing a two-run homer to right field as Max Ferguson rounded the bases, capping off the Sea Dogs’ best offensive showing of the series.

High-A Greenville Drive

Series @ Hub City Spartanburgers (Texas Rangers): 2-2
Season Record: 49-60

An eight-run offensive pop in the fifth inning carried the Drive to an 8-3 win. 

Jason Gilman turned in a four-inning appearance in his second start at High-A as he struck out seven for the second straight start. Gilman allowed two runs on three hits and issued two walks, but it was a slight improvement over his first start with Greenville. Luis Cohen entered in the fifth inning in search of his first win of the season. He went home happy after earning the win for his bulk relief appearance. It was a deserved win for Cohen, who allowed one unearned run on one hit as he struck out four in one of his most successful appearances of the season thus far. Calvin Bickerstaff took the final two frames of Friday’s contest. Bickerstaff was flawless through the eighth and ninth as his perfect appearance helped secure Greenville’s first win in two games. 

Stanley Tucker, Gerardo Rodriguez, and Isaiah Jackson all recorded two RBIs on Friday night as Greenville was especially effective with RISP, finishing with a 3-for-5 mark. Maximus Martin got the Drive on the board in the fifth inning, cutting into Hub City’s two-run lead as he drove in Jackson on a groundout to first. Tucker grabbed the lead for Greenville later in the inning, driving in Martin and Yophery Rodriguez on a line drive single to right field. Justin Gonzales kept the momentum going as he scored Tucker on a line drive single of his own. G. Rodriguez scored Gonzales and Carlos Gutierrez with a single to center. G. Rodriguez was then driven home as Jackson capped off the eight-run assault with his 18th homer of the season to right-center. The Drive’s offense stopped altogether after the fifth inning, but it was more than enough to hand them the easy win. 

Low-A Salem RidgeYaks

Series @ Delmarva Shorebirds (Baltimore Orioles): 2-2
Season Record: 49-61

Salem’s bats were hot throughout the evening as the Yaks claimed a 9-3 victory. 

Salem’s bats weren’t the only thing that went well for the RidgeYaks on Friday. The pitching staff was solid from start to finish as they conceded just three runs. Leighton Finley got the start and hurled four one-run frames, striking out three. Finley issued four walks and allowed five hits, but kept the scoring to a minimum before Nicolas De La Cruz took over. De La Cruz earned the win for his two and ⅔ inning relief job. He allowed two runs on four hits, issued three walks, and struck out a pair as he claimed his fifth win of the season. Wuilliams Rodriguez closed out Friday’s matchup for Salem, walking one and allowing a hit across two and ⅓ innings of outstanding work. 

The Yaks tallied nine hits and drew seven walks, going 6-for-12 with RISP as they cruised to a dominant win. Andruw Musett led the charge with three RBIs as Kleyver Salazar and Anderson Fermin followed up with two hits apiece. Musett’s RBIs came early as he gave Salem a three-run lead in the second inning. With Andrews Opata and Skylar King aboard, Musett cranked a three-run blast to center field, his third of the year. Salazar added onto the early lead with an RBI single later in the inning, scoring Wills Maginnis from second. In the fifth, Opata made his mark as he drove Salazar home on a standup triple to the gap in right-center. Opata scored as King reached on a fielder’s choice later in the inning. Fermin scored King on a line drive single to cap off the three-run spurt. Maginnis scored Fermin in the eighth inning on a groundball single to left field before Maginnis scored on a Franklin Primera double, rounding out a solid offensive showing. 

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