Red Sox Minor League Report: WooSox Pull Off Clutch Comeback En Route To Walk-Off Win

The MLB Draft has concluded and it's time for the All-Star Break! Before we enjoy the festivities, let's recap all that happened down on the farm on Sunday.

Triple-A Worcester Red Sox

Series vs. Rochester Red Wings (Washington Nationals): 4-2

Season Record: 45-44

Playing as the Los Wepas de Worcester, the WooSox walked off Rochester after a clutch ninth inning. 

Seven pitchers took the mound for Worcester across Sunday’s game, with Seth Martinez starting the game. Martinez was pulled after two near-perfect innings, allowing one hit before Osvaldo Berrios took over. Berrios turned in a perfect inning as he lowered his ERA to 2.11. Alec Gamboa, who could be a candidate to rejoin the big league club following the All-Star Break, took the fourth inning. Gamboa was perfect aside from a walk as he earned a hold. Tyler Uberstine also earned a hold for his perfect fifth inning. Devin Sweet took the sixth and pitched into the seventh, allowing the first run of the game for Rochester. He allowed one run on two hits before Tyler Samaniego took over. Samaniego was hit with a blown save as he allowed two runs on four hits, striking out three. With the game on the line in extras, Sam McWilliams was thrust into a high-stakes situation. McWilliams earned the win for his two-frame performance. He allowed two runs but gave the offense enough leeway to pull off the late win. 

The WooSox went 4-for-12 with runners in scoring position as a late offensive surge lifted them to their first win in three games. Mickey Gasper and Mikey Romero led the offense with two hits apiece as Vinny Capra drove in two runs. With runners on the corners in the bottom of the first, Gasper hit a line drive single to center. He drove in Nick Sogard and put the WooSox on top early. Capra built on the lead in the fifth, driving in Kristian Campbell and Max Ferguson on a line drive double. After Rochester took a late two-run lead, Campbell stepped to the plate with runners on the corners. He hit a soft ground ball to the pitching mound as Gasper scored and Campbell reached safely on a throwing error. With the game close, Ferguson tied the ballgame with a sac fly, scoring Allan Castro as the WooSox forced extra innings. With Tyler McDonough on third and two gone in the tenth, Mikey Romero played hero for Worcester. He hit a sharp line drive to left field as McDonough easily crossed home, lifting Los Wepas de Worcester to victory. 

Double-A Portland Sea Dogs

Series @ New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays): 3-3

Season Record: 46-40

Portland lost 10-3 amid a rough day from the pitching staff. 

Hayden Mullins' start on Sunday was abbreviated as he was pulled following just an inning of work. Within the outing, Mullins allowed a two-run shot, giving New Hampshire an early lead. Max Carlson took over in the second, turning in two innings of work. He allowed one more run on a solo homer, issuing one walk and striking out two. Tyler Davis took the next two frames, allowing three runs on two hits as New Hampshire pulled away. The Sea Dogs pitching staff really fell apart when Cooper Adams took the mound. Across 1⅔ innings, Adams allowed four runs on four hits before Erik Rivera took over late in the seventh. Rivera took the eighth as well, turning in an inning and ⅓ of perfect pitching as he struck out two. 

The Sea Dogs offense saw more success than the pitching staff, but were unable to compete with the Fisher Cats’ ten-run onslaught. Nelly Taylor led Portland in hits and RBIs with three and two, respectively. Taylor put the Sea Dogs on the board in the fourth inning, hitting a soft line drive to right field as Matt Frazier scored. Taylor scored the second run of the day for Portland as well, hitting his fifth homer of the season to right field and adding another run. With the game out of reach in the ninth, Ronald Rosario brought the Sea Dogs one run closer with a solo shot. It was a sluggish day for the offense as New Hampshire outshined them easily. 

High-A Greenville Drive

Series @ Greensboro Grasshoppers: 4-2

Season Record: 35-48

Greenville’s three-game win streak was snapped on Sunday afternoon as they fell 3-1. 

Dylan Brown got the loss on Sunday despite turning in a solid six-inning performance. He allowed three runs (one unearned) on four hits and two walks across a lengthy outing. In any other game Brown’s performance would have been more than adequate but Greenville struggled on the offensive side, letting Brown down. Brown struck out five before Adam Bates took over in the seventh. Bates’ second outing of the season for Greenville was a good one as he allowed one hit and two walks. He shut out Greensboro across the outing as he maintained his 0.00 ERA. 

Greenville generated just seven baserunners on Sunday afternoon as they didn’t get an at-bat with RISP. Mason White was the only member of the Drive to record a multi-hit game as Enddy Azocar drove in Greenville's lone run. The run came on a third-inning solo home run, Azocar’s seventh of the season. The rest of the game was quiet for the Drive, as Luke Heyman and Justin Gonzales were the only other two batters to record a hit, each with a single. 

Low-A Salem RidgeYaks

Series @ Columbia Fireflies (Kansas City Royals): 4-2

Season Record: 36-50

Salem clinched its first series win since early April as they won 8-4 in extra innings. 

Jose Bello turned in an excellent start on Sunday afternoon, hurling four shutout innings. He allowed six hits and walked two, but left the game with a clean slate as he lowered his ERA to an even 3.00. Trennor O’Donnell spoiled the shutout after he took over in the fifth, but was able to keep Columbia’s offense in check. Across two frames, he allowed three runs (one unearned) on four hits. He struck out two in his second appearance with Salem this season as he returned from injury. Luis Cohen took the next two innings, allowing three hits but blanking the Fireflies in the run column. Williams Rodriguez got the ball to start the ninth and earned the win for his extra-innings performance. Across the ninth and tenth, Rodriguez allowed one run on a hit and issued one walk but sealed the clutch win for Salem. 

The Yaks batted .333 with RISP on Sunday, the sixth game in a row that they tallied at least ten hits. Ilan Fernandez accounted for five of Salem’s eight runs as he recorded three hits in four at-bats. Fernandez got the Yaks on the board late, crushing a solo homer to left field as Salem dug into a three-run deficit. Down 3-1 in the top of the ninth, Andruw Musett drove in Avinson Pinto on a double to left field, putting Salem within one. With one out later in the ninth, Fernandez came up clutch as he drove in Musett on a line drive single. After Fernandez sent the game to extras, Starlyn Nunez grabbed the first lead of the day for Salem. He hit his tenth homer of the season on a deep ball to right field, scoring Givian Sirvania. To add some cushion, Fernandez hit his second homer of the day with Musett and Justin Barry aboard, giving the Yaks a five-run lead.

Interested in learning more about the Boston Red Sox's top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!