Red Sox Minor League Report: Tsung-Che Cheng Leads Worcester to Victory Against a Future Hall of Famer

Boston Red Sox Affiliate Recap

Triple-A Worcester Red Sox

Series vs. Buffalo Bisons (Toronto Blue Jays): 3-1

Season Record: 30-28

Tsung-Che Cheng lifted the WooSox to a 6-3 victory as they grabbed the series win. 

Patrick Sandoval made a rehab appearance on Friday as he opened the game for Worcester. He pitched one and ⅓ innings of no-hit ball as he continues to build back from 2024 surgery. Raymond Burgos made a bulk relief appearance following Sandoval’s stint, turning in four and ⅔ frames of work. Burgos got the win as he allowed one run on three hits and three walks. Kyle Keller got the ball going into the seventh and was flawless across his inning-long appearance. Zack Kelly took the last two innings, allowing two runs but sealing the win for Worcester. 

The WooSox bats were hot, even against future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer. Tsung-Che Cheng got to Scherzer first, scoring Max Ferguson and Tyler McDonough on a line drive single to right field. Matt Lloyd struck next for the WooSox, crushing a solo homer in the fourth inning to extend the lead to two. In the fifth, Allan Castro scored two more, Jason Delay and Mikey Romero, on a single as Worcester took control of the game. Cheng added a third RBI in the eighth, scoring Ferguson on another single to right field. Worcester amassed 12 hits in Friday’s game as they took a commanding series lead. 

Double-A Portland Sea Dogs

Series vs. Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies): 2-2

Season Record: 28-26

Portland fell as the bullpen collapsed, allowing six runs in the ninth. 

Hayden Mullins took the first three innings for Portland, allowing two runs on two hits but sitting five batters down on strikes. He walked three and let up a homer but kept the opposing offense mostly in check. Dalton Rogers took the next four frames and was lights out. He didn’t allow a single hit as he walked three. He struck out three as well as he lowered his ERA to 1.17. Cooper Adams got the ball to start the eighth, getting off to a decent start. However, he fell apart in the ninth inning, allowing five runs before Patrick Halligan took over. Halligan got the loss as he allowed a bases-loaded double that gave Hartford the lead, and eventually, the win. 

Ahbram Liendo paved the way for Portland’s offense on Friday as he tallied four RBIs on one hit, a grand slam. Liendo crushed his third homer of the season in the sixth inning, scoring Miguel Bleis, Caden Rose, and Will Turner and giving the Sea Dogs a two-run lead. Later in the inning, Nate Baez added to the lead with a two-run single that scored Franklin Arias and Marvin Alcantara. Brooks Brannon capped off the seven-run inning with a double, driving in Baez. The pitching support was rough for Portland to say the least as they fell by one run. 

High-A Greenville Drive

Series @ Rome Emperors (Atlanta Braves): 1-3

Season Record: 21-32

Greenville lost in walk-off fashion after a fierce pitching duel. 

Only three pitchers took the mound for Greenville on Friday as the pitching staff allowed just five hits. Jojo Ingrassia took the first four innings and was dominant. He lowered his season ERA to 1.53 with a six-strikeout performance, allowing just two hits. Joe Vogatsky took the next two frames, allowing two more hits and a walk as he compiled three strikeouts. After a masterful seven combined innings, Steven Brooks looked to save the Drive from a walk-off fate. He failed to do so, however, giving up a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth as Rome took Friday’s contest. 

Despite six total hits, the Drive went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position as they failed to come up clutch. Mason White drew two walks, but went hitless in two other at-bats. No Greenville hitter had a multi-hit day as they failed to capitalize on prime opportunities to score. 

Low-A Salem RidgeYaks

Series @ Wilson War Birds (Milwaukee Brewers): 1-3

Season Record: 24-31

Despite holding a lead into the sixth, Salem fell on a walk-off grand slam. 

Brady Tygart made Friday’s start on a rehab assignment from High-A Greenville. He allowed two earned runs on two walks but no hits. He sent five batters packing via strikeout before turning the ball over to Leighton Finley in the third inning. Finley pitched into the seventh, racking up three strikeouts. He allowed two runs on five walks and four hits but minimized potential damage. Adam Bates took the next two and ⅔ innings, allowing one more run (unearned) and striking out four batters. In extras, Griffin Kilander looked to stave off the walk-off loss but failed to do so, allowing a walk-off grand slam as he walked two and earned the loss for Salem. 

The RidgeYaks managed to score seven runs on just four hits as Stanley Tucker crossed home twice. Tucker scored in the third as Salem opened the scoring. He crossed home on a Starlyn Nunez sacrifice fly to grab the lead. Kleyver Salazar and Skylar King each scored in the fourth on two separate passed balls. Later in the inning, Tucker doubled to left field, driving in Louis Andujar. Avinson Pinto then scored on a Givian Sirvania ground out before Tucker scored on yet another passed ball. After a hectic fourth, the RidgeYaks’ offense was quiet as Wilson tied the game. In the tenth, King put Salem in winning position with a single that scored Opata. However, the pitching staff let King down as the RidgeYaks fell in truly heartbreaking fashion.

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