Red Sox Minor League Report: Patrick Sandoval Returns, Juan Valera Dominates

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Red Sox Affiliate Recap (April 7 - 9)

Triple-A Worcester Red Sox

April 7: The WooSox lost in heartbreaking fashion against the Columbus Clippers 14-10. With the WooSox down the entire game, the bats broke out with a four-run 7th inning due to a double from Mikey Romero that brought in two runs and a three-run homer from Matt Thaiss to put Worcester on top 10-8. That lead would not last long as Columbus scored three runs in the 8th to retain the lead and did not look back as they scored three more runs in the 9th to make it a 14-10 final.

Key Performances:

Kristian Campbell: 3-for-5, 2B
Matt Thaiss: 2-for-2, HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB

April 8: Patrick Sandoval made his first Red Sox rehab start after almost two years recovering from elbow surgery. Sandoval pitched 3.1 innings, throwing 63 pitches and averaging 92.2 MPH on his fastball and topped out at 93.5 MPH. In 2024, Sandoval averaged 93.7 on his fastball.

Worcester defeats Columbus with an 8-5 victory to even the series. Entering the 4th inning with the Clippers up 3-1, the WooSox scored four runs by drawing five walks, bringing in a run on a groundout from Vinny Capra and a sacrifice fly by Kristian Campbell to put Worcester up 5-3. Columbus showed life in the 8th, tying the game up 5-5 however the Sox answered back scoring three of their own. Braiden Ward put the defense to work with a swinging bunt that forced a throwing error by the pitcher so Capra scored a run. Campbell put on another run with a bases loaded hit by pitch while Mikey Romero followed up with a sacrifice fly to make it 8-5.

Key Performances:

Patrick Sandoval: 3.1 IP, 3 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
Braiden Ward: 2-for-5, 2 R, 1 RBI

April 9: The WooSox took a 2-1 series lead after shutting out Columbus 5-0. Anthony Seigler’s walk and stolen base set up a pair of RBI doubles from Vinny Capra and Jason Delay while Braiden Ward followed up with an RBI single to put Worcester up 3-0 in the 2nd inning. In the 5th, Nick Sogard smoked a double to center field and Kristian Campbell brought him in with a bloop single to right field to make it a 4-0 game. Ward stole his 2nd base of the game which set up Mickey Gasper to rope an RBI single to give the WooSox a 5-0 lead. The pitching took care of business, Jack Anderson throwing six scoreless innings and Tyler Uberstine tossing three scoreless to earn his first save of the season.

Key Performances:

Jack Anderson: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 7 K
Tyler Uberstine: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 K

Double-A Portland Sea Dogs

April 7: The Sea Dogs beat themselves up in a 12-7 defeat to the Fisher Cats. Portland got a 2-0 lead in the 1st from a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly from Nelly Taylor. The unthinkable happened in the top of the 2nd inning, New Hampshire scored eight runs before recording their first hit. After striking out the side in the 1st, Hayden Mullins would walk two guys, give up a run via the sacrifice fly, then walk three straight batters and getting pulled from the game after walking in a run. Jorge Juan would come into the game and not record a single out, instead he would give up five runs including the runs Mullins was responsible for. Juan threw two wild pitches that each brought in a run, hitting two batters with the bases loaded and putting on two more runs. Juan’s night would end after walking in two more runs. Cade Feeney then came into the game and immediately threw a wild pitch bringing in the 8th run of the inning. The Fisher Cats scored their 10th run of the inning after a two-RBI single. Portland slowly cut down the deficit during the game but it was not enough.

Key Performances:

Will Turner: 2-for-4, RBI, BB
Patrick Halligan: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 7 K
Max Carlson: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 5 K

April 8: Portland had another devastating 11-3 loss to New Hampshire. Pitching could not get anything going, however, Red Sox top prospect Franklin Arias had himself a nice day, going 2-for-3 with three RBI’s.

Key Performances:

Franklin Arias: 2-for-3, 3 RBI, 2B
Ahbram Liendo: 2-for-4, 2 R, 3B

April 9: The Portland Sea Dogs walk it off 4-3 after two tough games against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. Tyler McDonough drew a walk and stole a base which set up Nate Baez to bring him in with an RBI single to get an early 1-0 lead in the 1st inning. In the 4th, Drew Ehrhard hammers a two-run homer on the first pitch to put Portland on top 3-0. The Fisher Cats would claw their way back into the game scoring one run in each of the next three innings to tie it up 3-3 entering the 9th. Nelly Taylor hit a hustle double to leadoff the inning, Will Turner walked and both advanced a base as Ehrhard laid down a sacrifice bunt. New Hampshire intentionally walked star prospect Franklin Arias with a chance to get an inning ending double play but that did not work, Ahbram Liendo hammered a single to right field to walk it off for the Sea Dogs. World Baseball Classic standout for Puerto Rico Eduardo Rivera pitched well, throwing 4.1 innings, gave up one run and struck out seven.

Key Performances:

Eduardo Rivera: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 7 K
Cooper Adams: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 5 K, Win

High-A Greenville Drive

April 7: The Greenville Drive earned their first win of the year by defeating the Hub City Spartanburgers 7-2. The bats were quiet up until the 6th inning after Isaiah Jackson hit an RBI groundout and Mason White hit an RBI double to tie the game 2-2. Jackson would return the favor once again in the 8th inning by hitting an RBI single, White gave Greenville a comfortable 5-3 lead after smashing a two-run homer. In the 9th, top Red Sox prospects Justin Gonzales and Yoeilin Cespedes each earned themselves an RBI, Gonzales hitting a single, Cespedes hitting a double, putting the Drive on top 7-2.

Key Performances:

Jack Winnay: 2-for-2, 3 BB
Mason White: 2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI
Jojo Ingrassia: 3.0 IP, 0 H, 4 K

April 8: The Drive lose 4-1 to the Spartanburgers with the series now being tied. Not a lot went well for Greenville Wednesday night as they would only have one hit as a team (Jack Winnay) and the only run they scored was a sacrifice fly hit by Mason White. Although, a positive from this game is Alex Bouchard throwing 4.1 scoreless innings in his season debut.

Key Performance:

Alex Bouchard: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 K

April 9: The Greenville Drive took a 2-1 series lead as they defeated the Spartanburgers 2-0, highlighted by Juan Valera’s dominant performance. Valera pitched an impressive five innings, gave up two hits and struck out nine batters while only throwing 56 pitches. Valera topped out at 102 MPH on his fastball and 95 MPH on his changeup. Greenville only had three hits, two of which were a Henry Godbout single and Isaiah Jackson RBI triple in the 7th inning that scored their only two runs of the game. Steven Brooks was impressive as well as he pitched the last two innings and struck out six batters.

Key Performances:

Juan Valera: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 9 K
Steven Brooks: 2.0 IP, 6 K
Isaiah Jackson: 1-for-3, 2 RBI

Single-A Salem RidgeYaks:

April 7: The Salem RidgeYaks demolished the Wilson Warbirds 10-2 in the first game of the series. Salem jumped on top in the 4th inning hitting three RBI singles each coming from Starlyn Nunez, Kleyver Salazar, and Ty Hodge to put the RidgeYaks up 4-0. Salem scored five more runs in the 5th inning thanks to some sloppy defense from the Warbirds. Stanley Tucker scored on a wild pitch, Enddy Azocar hit an RBI double, Salazar followed up with an RBI single and would then score on a throwing error after an Anderson Fermin groundout, Hodge ended the five-run 5th inning with an RBI double to put them up 9-1. Avinson Pinto hit an RBI double in the 6th inning to increase the RidgeYaks lead once again, 10-2.

Key Performances:

Kleyver Salazar: 4-for-5, 3 R, 2 RBI
Ty Hodge: 3-for-4, 2 RBI, BB

April 8: The Ridgeyaks earned their fourth win on the year and their 3rd straight win after a 6-3 victory against the Warbirds. With the Warbirds getting an early 2-0 lead in the 2nd inning, Salem answered back scoring two of their own in the 3rd inning due to IIan Fernandez hitting a sacrifice fly and Frederik Jimenez scoring on a throwing error to make it a 2-2 game. Ty Hodge ropes an RBI single in the 4th to once again tie the game 3-3. The Ridgeyaks jumped back up and gave themselves a two-run lead after Avinson Pinto reached on a fielder's choice and Jimenez hit a sacrifice fly, 5-3. Hodge earned his 2nd RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly in the 8th, bringing in Andrews Opata who hit a leadoff triple to help make it a 6-3 ballgame.

Key Performances:

Andrews Opata: 2-for-3, 2 R, BB
Avinson Pinto: 3-for-4, RBI
Brandon Neely: 2.0 IP, 5 K

April 9: The Salem Ridgyaks with their fourth straight game with a close 2-1 victory versus the Wilson Warbirds. 2025 8th round pick Dylan Brown has yet to give up his first run in his first two starts of the season, throwing 3.2 shutout innings and striking out eight batters. Brown got into trouble in the 2nd inning giving up two walks and a single to load the bases with no outs, he would then strike out the next three batters he faced to get out of the jam. David Ortiz's son D’Angelo Ortiz would have a nice day at the plate going 2-for-4, including an RBI single to tie the game 1-1 in the 4th. A couple of stolen bases from Andrews Opata and Anderson Fermin, followed up with a wild pitch, gave Salem a 2-1 lead in the 8th. Wuilliams Rodriguez came back into the game in the 9th earning a win and striking out two batters.

Key performances: