Ben Lofy

How does one grade 620 wins, eight years, three postseason appearances, and one World Series? The Alex Cora era in Boston is over, and with it, the end of a tumultuous tenure. In 2018, Cora stepped into the managerial role left vacant by John Farrell, who was fired after five seasons with the club. Cora was the bench coach of the Houston Astros for two seasons, winning a World Series with the club in 2017. During the ALCS in the same year, Cora interviewed for the open position in Boston, and was announced as the franchise’s newest manager in late October. He was initially signed to a three-year deal from 2018 to 2020, with an option for 2021. It was a storybook first season for the new manager. He was supported by a star-studded roster featuring Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers, and Chris Sale. The Red Sox were dominant, finishing with a league-best 108 wins and cruising through the playoffs. They dispatched the New York Yankees and Houston Astros with ease in four and five games, respectively. Facing off against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series, Cora became just the fifth rookie manager to win the championship as the Red Sox won their fourth ring of the 21st century. The triumphant season led to a one-year contract extension as Cora seemed well-suited to serve as the Red Sox's manager of the future. He was beloved by his players, communicating with them in both English and Spanish, often seen sitting atop the dugout steps chatting with his coaching staff. Despite that early success and his positive relationships with his players, his scandal rocked the Red Sox. In November 2019, Cora was accused of playing a major role in the Astros' sign stealing affair. Cora was spared punishment for the time being so a separate investigation into the 2018 Red Sox could take place. In January 2020, a report published by The Athletic accused Cora and the Red Sox of using a replay room during the regular season in order to steal opposing catcher's signs. After the scandal came to light, Cora and the Red Sox mutually agreed to part ways. It was a dramatic turnaround for Cora, falling from the peak of the baseball world to the depths in just over a year's time. In April, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred issued a suspension through the 2020 playoffs for Cora, based solely on his role in the Astros scandal. Manfred didn’t impose any punishment in relation to the Red Sox replay scandal because the investigation didn’t conclude that Cora was aware of its occurrence. Manfred did, however, note that Cora didn’t “effectively communicate to Red Sox players the sign-stealing rules that were in place for the 2018 season.” Cora was welcomed back to Fenway with open arms following the 2020 season. He signed to a two-year contract with a club option for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. The following season, Cora led the club to its first playoff berth since the 2018 championship season. The Red Sox qualified as a wild card, facing the Yankees in a one-game series. After beating New York in a game for the ages, Boston beat the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS to advance to the league championship series. The storybook run would end here, as the Red Sox fell in six games. Following the playoffs, it was announced that the Red Sox exercised their option to extend Cora’s contract through the 2024 season. Boston struggled through the 2022 and 2023 seasons, finishing with 78 wins in each and placing fifth out of five teams in the American League East. Despite the unsavory results from those years, players backed up his leadership at every turn. From 2018 on, the roster was stripped from its peak. With the front office trading away Mookie Betts and letting Xander Bogaerts walk in free agency, many felt like Cora wasn’t given competitive rosters. He emphasized the importance of a consistent offensive approach throughout his tenure, though he wasn’t always supplied with offense-focused rosters. Following the 2023 season, the Red Sox hired Craig Breslow to be the newest Chief Baseball Officer. The 2024 season showed signs of improvement, the Sox finished third in the East but ended the season 81-81. Following a rocky start to the 2025 season, Breslow made a blockbuster trade, sending Rafael Devers to San Francisco for a slew of prospects. Despite having a close relationship with Devers, Cora backed up the trade, at least publicly aligning with a front office that had inherited his services. The Red Sox made the playoffs for the third time in Cora’s eight-year tenure, but lost to the Yankees in a three-game wild card series. While Cora’s commitment to the Red Sox never faltered, it seemed as if Boston’s front office had other ideas. Just four weeks into the 2026 season, Cora and many key members of his staff were fired in a stunning front office shakeup after disappointing early results. In a press conference the morning after the firing, Red Sox President Sam Kennedy made it clear that there was no ill-will towards Cora. “AC's impact on Boston and our city will be felt forever. The memories that we all shared from 2018 are gonna last a lifetime." Cora leaves behind a mixed legacy and one that is tainted by questionable decisions from the Red Sox ownership group. He led the club to its most dominant championship and is the third-winningest manager in franchise history, but he also dealt with embarrassment and never-ending frustration from the fanbase. Cora leaves behind a complex legacy, but his leadership during the 2018 championship season set a standard that will define Red Sox baseball until the team's next title. View full article

Boston Red Sox Affiliate Overview (Apr 24-Apr 26) Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series vs. Syracuse: 4-2 Season Record: 14-11 Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. Hartford: 3-3 Season Record: 11-9 High-A Greenville Drive Series at Asheville: 5-1 Season Record: 11-10 Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series vs. Fredericksburg: 2-4 Season Record: 10-11 Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Season Record: 14-11 Series Opponent: Syracuse Mets (New York Mets) Series Standing: 4-2 April 24: The WooSox lost 3-0, only generating two hits in a poor performance. After throwing six scoreless innings in his last appearance, Michael Sansone only turned in four and ⅓ innings of sub-par work. He allowed five hits and three runs, walking two while only striking out four. Through 20 innings of work this season, Sansone has registered a 2.61 ERA and Friday marked his worst start of the season as he got the loss. Seth Martinez entered in the fifth, putting in one and ⅔ innings of excellent work, striking out one. Noah Song got the next two, allowing one hit and walking two as he kept the ball rolling. Wyatt Olds finished out the game, throwing one inning of one-hit ball and striking out two. The pitching staff recovered well from Sansone’s outing and gave the offense plenty of time to get something going. Unfortunately for Martinez & Co., Worcester's bats were all but non-existent. Only two hitters recorded a hit, and the WooSox only drew three walks. The only hitters to get a knock were Mikey Romero and Anthony Seigler, both of whom recorded a single. It was a sharp contrast to Thursday, when they generated 10 runs in a six-run victory. It was a night the WooSox were eager to forget as Syracuse tied the series 2-2. April 25: The WooSox rebounded from a poor performance on Friday with a seven-run victory on Saturday. It was a combined effort on the mound from Worcester, in which Isaac Coffey got the start. He went three innings and only gave up one hit, K’ing five and walking one. Angel Bastardo took the next two innings, walking one and striking out two in his second game of the season, earning the win. Devin Sweet earned a hold for his performance, allowing one baserunner via walk in an inning of work. Kyle Keller also earned a hold for his two innings of work. He gave up the only two runs for Worcester but limited the damage. Tommy Kahnle threw the final inning for the WooSox, allowing a hit and striking out one. The most eye-catching stat from Saturday’s contest came at the plate, where the WooSox drew an incredible 13 walks. Nick Sogard, Tsu-Che Cheng and Vinny Capra all drew three walks apiece as they maintained their plate discipline. All but two of the WooSox batters also recorded a hit, with Nate Eaton getting three knocks. In 34 total at bats, Worcester reached base 25 times. The offense got going in the fourth, when Capra scored on a Mickey Gasper groundout. In the sixth, Kristian Campbell drove in Sogard on a single, and Gasper scored on an Anthony Seigler groundout. One inning later, Cheng scored via a Jason Delay infield single, and Sogard drove in two on a double. The runs kept piling up in the eighth for Worcester. Cheng scored yet again on a Delay sac fly, Capra scored on a Gasper single, and, Sogard scored on an Eaton infield single to cap off a successful day at the plate. April 26: It was another successful offensive campaign for Worcester, who defeated Syracuse 6-2 to win the series. Jack Anderson started the afternoon contest for the WooSox, allowing three hits over four innings as he struck out four. After returning from the big leagues earlier in the week, Anderson didn’t miss a beat in Triple-A. Eduardo Rivera also returned to Worcester after making his big league debut last week. The 22-year-old made the jump from Double-A to the Majors without making an appearance for the WooSox, but made his debut on Sunday. He earned the win for his three innings of work. He allowed two runs on two hits, but K’d six. Jacob Webb took the next inning, striking out two and not allowing a baserunner. Finally, Tommy Kahnle made his second appearance in two days, allowing one hit, but sealing the game with his inning. Worcester was successful yet again at the plate, starting in the third inning when Nate Eaton cranked a three run home run to left field. In the sixth, Matt Thaiss stepped to the plate and lined into a double play, but drove in Vinny Capra. One inning later, Kristian Campbell hit a sac fly to drive in Braiden Ward and extend the lead. Then, Capra singled to left field to drive in Mickey Gasper and put the game out of reach. The WooSox totaled ten hits and six walks, with both Ward and Capra recording two hits. Nate Eaton continued his case for a call-up as well with three hits, three RBIs and a walk in three plate appearances. Nathaniel Hickey was the only player to struggle, going 0-for-4 as he continued to try and break out of a long slump. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Season Record: 11-9 Series Opponent: Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies) Series Standing: 3-3 April 24: Portland fell 5-1 as they fall to one game above .500 John Holobetz got the nod, marking his fourth start of the season. He put in six innings and gave up four runs on eight hits, only striking out three after punching out 11 in his previous start. He let up a pair of two-run bombs in the first and fifth in his worst appearance on the season so far, earning the loss. Cade Feeney pitched three solid innings of relief as Hartford tacked on one more run. He gave up the lone run on a double play in the ninth. The rough day on the mound could have been rectified by a solid performance at the dish, but unfortunately for Holobetz and Feeney, the bats were silent. Despite hitting six bombs in the last seven games, Franklin Arias didn’t record a single hit, striking out once in an uncommonly weak performance. As a team, the Sea Dogs only recorded three total hits, coming from Marvin Alcantara, Max Ferguson, and Ronald Rosario. Rosario recorded the only RBI for Portland, driving in Miguel Bleis on a single in the second. Ferguson bumped his average to .371 and drew two walks. Aside from the measly hitting performance, the Sea Dogs recorded four walks and struck out eight times as they just couldn’t get their bats hot. April 25: The Sea Dogs won 4-3 on a pinch-hit walk-off home run by none other than Franklin Arias. It was a bullpen game for the Sea Dogs, whose staff put together a solid afternoon. Jedixson Paez got the game started, giving up one hit in his one-inning appearance. Joe Vogatsky got the next three innings, limiting the Yard Goats to one hit as well. He struck out four in one of the best appearances of the season. Erik Rivera took the next three and ⅔ but got rocked. He gave up 5 hits and three runs (two unearned) while punching out four. He got the blown save as he failed to curb the Hartford comeback. However, P.J. Labriola settled the ship, earning the win with his one and ⅓ innings of work in which he allowed two hits but no runs on one strikeout. Franklin. Alexander. Arias. The young stud continued to establish his dominance despite not getting the start, hitting his seventh homer in his last eighth games. He pinch-hit for Ahbram Liendo in the bottom of the ninth, launching a two-run walk-off homer and bumping his average to .420. Aside from Arias, Portland’s offensive success was a collective effort. Tyler McDonough scored in the third on a pick-off attempt that ended up being an error on the pitcher. Then in the sixth inning, Brooks Brannon hit a solo shot in his second game of the season after being activated from the IL. Max Ferguson also recorded a single, bringing his average to .359 on the season as he continues his quietly successful season. April 26: Portland sealed the series tie with a 3-2 no-hit victory on Sunday. The Portland pitching staff achieved an incredible feat on Sunday as they combined for the ninth no-hitter in Sea Dogs history. Hayden Mullins started the game for Portland and turned in a solid five innings of no-hit ball as he struck out five. He did, however, allow five walks and two unearned runs on a fielding error by Ronald Rosario in the third inning. Caleb Bolden took the next two innings and was excellent. He punched out two and didn’t allow a runner. It was by far his best appearance of the season and one he will look to replicate. Reidis Sena earned the win for his outing, one-upping Bolden. It was almost identical, two innings of perfect pitching, but Sena struck out four, giving him the edge as he shut out Hartford. Despite going home with the win, it was a sleepy day at the plate for the Sea Dogs. Ronald Rosario accounted for two of Portland’s four hits, driving in the go-ahead run in the eighth on an RBI single. The only other runs came on a Nate Baez two-run shot that scored Franklin Arias in the sixth. Arias generated one hit on the game. Aside from the trio of Baez, Arias, and Rosario, the roster struggled, striking out ten times and drawing four walks. Despite the subpar offense, Portland eked out the win to avoid the series loss. High-A Greenville Drive Season Record: 11-10 Series Opponent: Asheville Tourists (Houston Astros) Series Standing: 5-1 April 24: The Drive won 9-6, fueled by an excellent offensive performance. It’s certainly been a rough going for Kyson Witherspoon so far in his first professional season. It didn’t get much better in his fourth start on Friday. He gave up five runs (three unearned) and five hits through three and ⅓ innings. He walked four and only K’d three as his season ERA rests at 6.00. Devin Futrell rebounded quite well from Witherspoon’s outing, putting in four and ⅔ innings of solid pitching. Futrell has adjusted nicely since being called up from Single-A Salem. He gave up four hits and one run on a solo shot in the seventh, but retired five batters on strikes, earning the win. Matt McShane got the ninth inning and was nails. He struck out two as he sealed the game for Greenville. In addition to an excellent bullpen performance, Greenville's bats were hot as could be. Collectively the Drive recorded 11 hits and drew seven walks, totaling 18 baserunners. Henry Godbout was outstanding, getting on base in all five plate appearances. He scored once and recorded three hits and two walks. Yoeilin Cespedes, Gerardo Rodriguez, and Yophery Rodriguez each recorded two RBIs as the trio made up the bulk of the Drive’s offense. Mason White added another RBI with a fourth inning solo homer to give Greenville a 3-1 lead. The Drive rallied in the fifth, entering the inning down two. After a Cespedes double and a G. Rodriguez single, the Drive left the inning with a one run lead. The Drive put the game out of reach with a Yophery Rodriguez two-run shot in the eighth, and a sac fly by G. Rodriguez. April 25: The Drive prevailed again, behind a near perfect performance from Anthony Eyanson. While one of the Red Sox 2025 draft picks has struggled, another has flourished. Anthony Eyanson has produced a 0.54 ERA through four starts, and was the epitome of excellence on Saturday. Through four and ⅓ innings, Eyanson was nearly perfect and only allowed one runner on a single. He struck out nine batters, including the side in the third inning. Danny Kirwin made his first appearance of the season, but it wasn’t a good one. He only lasted ⅓ innings and walked three batters. He allowed two runs and a hit as he will surely look to rebound from a rough season debut. Brandon Neely made his first appearance in High-A, allowing another three runs on two hits and four walks over one and ⅔ innings. Just as it looked like Greenville would waste a superb outing from Eyanson, Steven Brooks locked down the last two and ⅔ innings, shutting the door on a comeback and earning the win. The Drive’s offense continued to stay hot Saturday, amassing 16 baserunners and driving in 11 runs. It didn’t take long for Greenville to get on the board. Henry Godbout smashed a home run to center in the top of the first, his second of the season. Isaiah Jackson added to the lead with a two-run shot in the fourth, giving the Drive a 3-0 lead. In the seventh, Yophery Rodriguez hit his fifth blast of the year, tacking on another run. Down 4-5 in the eighth, Greenville put it out of reach. Jackson drew a walk with the bases loaded to tie it. Then, Rodriguez took the lead with a RBI single. Just one batter later, Antonio Anderson did the same, driving in Jack Winnay. Rodriguez scored on a wild pitch, and Justin Gonzales drove in two on a single to cap off a six-run inning. Then, just for good measure, Yoeilin Cespedes hit a solo shot in the ninth to seal Greenville’s sixth win in seven games. April 26: The Drive won again on Sunday behind absolute dominance from Justin Gonzales. Marcus Philips struck out five through three and ⅓ frames of work. He allowed four walks, but otherwise looked good in one of his best appearances thus far. Joey Gartrell took the next inning, but gave up five runs on only two hits. Gartrell had a hard time locating the strike zone, resulting in five walks as Asheville had no difficulty getting runs on the board. Jay Allmer got the nod in the fourth, but also had a rough outing. He allowed two runs on six hits, limiting the damage. Despite three strikeouts it was a far cry from a superb performance. Luckily for Greenville, they got that performance from Harry Blum. Blum struck out five in three innings to close out the game in extra innings and give the Drive the series win. He allowed just one baserunner on a walk but was excellent otherwise. Red Sox fans better learn the name Justin Gonzales, because he is a force to be reckoned with. Standing 6’5’’ and weighing in at 210 lbs, the 19-year-old is batting .276 on the season with 21 RBIs and three homers. On Sunday he put the Drive on his back. Up two runs in the fifth, following a second inning two-RBI double by Freili Encarnacion, Gonzales recorded his first RBI of the afternoon, singling and driving in Stanley Tucker. Then, down by four runs with two outs in the eighth, Gonzales stepped to the plate with the bases loaded. After working a 2-1 count, he proceeded to smash a grand slam past the wall in center field, tying the game. In the top of the tenth, Stanley Tucker built on Gonzales' performance with a two run homer in his second game since being promoted from Low-A. Then, to seal the comeback victory, Gerardo Rodriguez singled on a line drive, scoring Justin Gonzales one more time. Gonzales went 3-5 with five RBIs and two runs as he helped the Drive to a comeback win. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Season Record: 10-11 Series Opponent: Fredericksburg Nationals (Washington Nationals) Series Standing: 2-4 April 24: The RidgeYaks were pummeled on Friday, losing 14-4. Madison Frias started the game for Salem and was shelled. He gave up six runs on seven hits through four innings, allowing three home runs. His ERA ballooned to 11.08 as his first month has been less than ideal. Salem’s bullpen just couldn’t get on its feet, Ethan Walker took the next three and ⅔ innings didn’t give up a hit. However he did give up an eye-popping seven walks, allowing five runs as the Nationals pulled way ahead. Wuilliams Rodriguez gave up another three runs in just ⅔ inning, allowing one more home run. Lastly, to cap off a terrible day on the mound for Salem, Griffin Kilander went ⅔ innings of no-hit ball. The RidgeYaks bats simply couldn’t compete with Fredericksburg, generating five hits and four runs. Two of their runs came early as they struck first. In the first inning, Andrews Opata crossed home on a Skylar King groundout. In the second, Avinson Pinto scored on a Frederik Jimenez sac fly. Salem’s final two runs came in the fifth and sixth, on an Ilan Fernandez ground out that drove in Jimenez, and a wild pitch on which Opata scored. Aside from that, the RidgeYaks went down quietly striking out 10 times as they were crushed. April 25: It was more of the same on Saturday when Salem fell again, this time 11-4. Despite the loss, Jose Bello continued his solid season. He posted three innings of one-run work and punched out four. His ERA rests at 2.70 as he looks to be called up to Greenville. The wheels came off for Salem when Christian Foutch entered the game. In two and ⅓ innings of work, he walked four and allowed four runs as the Nationals took control of the game. If Foutch was bad, Adam Bates was worse. Over one and ⅓ innings he gave up six runs as Salem fell way behind. On the bright side for Salem, Jason Gilman looked great in his first appearance of the season. Through two innings he allowed one baserunner via a walk, and struck out five in his debut. The RidgeYaks were quiet at the dish as they couldn’t get the offense going. They got on base ten times, and only converted those baserunners into runs four times. In the second, Anderson Fermin drove in Ty Hodge on a single, but the bats went silent until the sixth. Enddy Azocar drove in Starlyn Nunez to cut the deficit to six, but it wasn’t until the ninth that Salem would drive in another run. Avinson Pinto drove in Luke Heyman on a sac fly, and D’Angelo Ortiz drove in Andrews Opata on a line drive single. It was too little too late as the RidgeYaks fell by a large margin for the second game in a row. April 26: The RidgeYaks fell yet again, this time by a score of 7-0. Dalvinson Reyes got the nod to start Sunday’s game, but was pulled after just two and ⅓ innings. He walked five of the 12 batters he faced, allowing three runs on a singular hit. In quick relief, Barrett Morgan went two and ⅓ innings. He amassed a solid outing, allowing two runs (one unearned) on four hits and a walk. He struck out four but failed to keep Fredericksburg at bay. Nicolas De La Cruz took the next two and ⅓, allowing two runs as well. He struck out three but allowed three runs and a homer. Finally, Griffin Kilander had the best performance of the afternoon for Salem. He went two perfect innings and struck out one, but his efforts were in vain as the offense didn’t provide any run support. In fact, the offense was downright awful. The RidgeYaks only totaled three hits on the afternoon, and didn’t drive in any baserunners. Anderson Fermin accounted for two of the hits, hitting two singles. Enddy Azocar had the third hit for Salem with a single. The only highlight on the box score for the RidgeYaks was in the walk column, where they drew seven bases on balls. Aside from the exceptional plate discipline it was a day to forget as they fell for the third consecutive game View full article

Red Sox Affiliate Overview (April 17 - April 19) Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series at Nashville Sounds (Milwaukee Brewers): 1-5 Season Record: 11-9 Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series at Altoona Curve (Pittsburgh Pirates): 4-2 Season Record: 8-6 High-A Greenville Drive Series vs. Bowling Green Hot Rods: 3-3 Season Record: 6-9 Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series at Hickory Crawdads (Texas Rangers): 1-5 Season Record: 8-7 Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Season Record: 11-9 Series Opponent: Nashville Sounds (Milwaukee Brewers) Series Standing: 1-5 April 17: It was a busy Friday for Worcester as they lost both games of a doubleheader 4-2. Thursday’s game was suspended in the fourth inning due to rain, and picked up on Friday with the score 0-0. Prior to the suspension, Jake Bennett worked through three innings and only gave up three hits. He lowered his ERA to 0.55 in his fourth game of the season, a stellar start for the lefty. Seth Martinez lasted two and ⅔ innings to resume play on Friday. He gave up one run on two hits and three walks before turning the ball over to Devin Sweet. Sweet went another two innings, giving up two runs, two walks, and one hit and earning the loss on the day. With a save opportunity on the line, Tayron Guerrero gave up another run on three hits as the Sounds pulled ahead. At the plate, the WooSox didn’t take long to find their groove after the suspension of play. Vinny Capra singled to drive in Tsung-Che Cheng and give Worcester the one-run advantage. Then, four innings later in the top of the eighth, Kristian Campbell drove in Nate Eaton on a line-drive single to tack on another run for the WooSox. It was a slow afternoon at the plate for the WooSox as they only generated six hits and lost 4-2. For attendees of Friday’s games, the second game was like seeing double. The WooSox again fell 4-2 on seven hits this time. Isaac Coffey took the mound to start for Worcester, turning in three innings of quality work. He allowed four runners via two walks and two hits, but struck out four as well. He maintained his 0.00 ERA amid a fantastic stretch to start the season. Tyler Samaniego took the mound next, but wasn’t nearly as good as Coffey. In just one inning he gave up two runs on three hits and two walks. Samaniego is working his way back to the majors after making his debut earlier this month. Tommy Kahnle took over in the fifth and couldn’t rebound from Samaniego's outing. In two innings he gave up two runs on one hit. It’s been a less than ideal start for the veteran as he also tries to crack the big league roster. At the plate, the WooSox continued their performance from the day’s first game. Allan Castro drove in Nate Eaton on a first inning single to take a 1-0 lead. There was some excitement in the second when Braiden Ward was hit in the head with a pitch. He threw his bat in the direction of the mound and the benches cleared. The frustrations are understandable for Ward, who’s been hit eight times already this year. In the sixth, down 2-1, Capra tacked on his second RBI of the day on a sac fly to drive in Campbell. That was all the offense for the WooSox, who again fell 4-2. April 18: Worcester dropped their fifth straight game in a low-scoring affair. It was a bullpen game for the WooSox, who had Reidis Sena start the game. Sena went two innings and struck out four. He allowed one run on a solo home run in the first inning, and only allowed two baserunners otherwise. Noah Song got the nod next, and allowed two hits over two and ⅔ innings. He struck out five as he continued to build his case to be called up. Wyatt Olds pitched the next two and ⅓. He walked two and gave up one run on a sac fly. He got the loss despite striking out four. Kyle Keller pitched the final inning of the game and gave up one hit but no runs. The WooSox’s bats were all but silent at the plate. Only five players recorded a hit and they struck out a combined 11 times. It was an uncharacteristic series for Worcester who have seriously struggled to generate offense. On Saturday, the WooSox only run came from a Matt Thaiss single that scored Allan Castro. Mickey Gasper stood out, drawing two walks and going 1-2 with a double. It was a quiet showing from the WooSox as they fell without protest. April 19: The WooSox got back in the win column with a 4-2 victory. Payton Tolle was scratched from his start just hours before Saturday’s game, with Michael Sansone getting the start in his absence. Sansone was excellent, putting in six innings of shutout work, striking out five, and only giving up two hits. It was Sansone’s longest outing of the year, and the first since his call up from Double-A Portland. Jacob Webb pitched two innings in relief, earning the hold. He gave up two more hits, and allowed the only two runs of the afternoon for Worcester in the bottom of the ninth. Tayron Guerrero came in looking to close out the game for the WooSox, and did just that, earning the save as he rebounded from his rough outing on Friday. The WooSox looked better at the plate as well. Nate Eaton highlighted the afternoon for Worcester with a brilliant game. He went 3-5, crushing a solo homer in the fifth, and driving in Mikey Romero on an eighth inning single. Nick Sogard also knocked in his tenth RBI on a single in the fifth, scoring Tsung-Che Cheng. Cheng tacked on the fourth run of the day for Worcester with a sac-fly in the eighth to drive in Mickey Gasper. Cheng had two hits and a walk, building on a good start to the season. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Season Record: 8-6 Series Opponent: Altoona Curve (Pittsburgh Pirates) Series Standing: 4-2 April 17: The Sea Dogs fell 5-2 on Friday, giving the Curve their first win of the season. Dalton Rogers started things off for Portland, going four and ⅓ solid innings in his second appearance of the season. He gave up two runs on two hits and struck out two. The issue of the day for Rogers came in the walk column. He allowed five baserunners via walk as he struggled with his command. Jay Allmer came in next and his outing was nothing short of disastrous. In his first appearance since being called up from High-A Greenville, he allowed three runs on six baserunners in just one and ⅔ innings. Max Carlson rounded things out for Portland, pitching a dominant two innings without allowing a baserunner. Franklin Arias has been utterly outstanding thus far this season. The Red Sox top position prospect continued his campaign to be called up to Triple-A Worcester with yet another solid performance on Friday. In the third inning Arias absolutely crushed a 440ft home run to dead center, his third of the season as he bumps his batting average to an astonishing .538. It seems like the 20-year-old won’t be in Portland much longer if he keeps up his dominant form. Other than Arias, the Sea Dogs offense was spurred on by Ronald Rosario, who hit his first homer of the season in the fourth inning to give Portland a 2-1 lead. Rosario also drove in a second RBI on a single to right field that drove in Miguel Bleis. Other than Arias and Rosario, the Sea Dogs offense was mostly silent as they fell to the lowly Curve. April 18: The Sea Dogs fell to the Curve again on Saturday, this time by a score of 2-0. Despite getting the loss on the scoresheet, John Holobetz was excellent as he got the start. The 23-year-old turned in seven innings of one-hit ball, and punched out 11 of the 23 batters he faced. The lone run, however, was a solo home run. The righty has a 1.13 ERA through 16 innings of work so far this season. Jedixson Paez pitched one inning in relief, but gave up another solo home run. Paez was selected by the Chicago White Sox in last season’s Rule 5 draft, but was designated for assignment and returned to the Red Sox on April 4. He will look to bounce back from a rough early season with Chicago back in a familiar organization. Portland struggled to generate offense at the plate. Despite a collective seven hits, the Sea Dogs failed to drive in a run. Nelly Taylor was the lone bright spot, hitting two singles as he tried to rebound from a rough early season. Portland’s offensive struggles were evident, especially as Franklin Arias went 0-4 in one of his worst games of the season. April 19: Portland snapped a two-game skid, beating Altoona 5-3. Hayden Mullins got the start for the Sea Dogs, going six innings three-hit ball while striking out eight. It was a strong return to form for Mullins who struggled in his first two starts, lowering his ERA from 9.53 to 4.63. Patrick Halligan came in for the seventh, allowing all three of Altoona’s runs on a three-run shot. Halligan’s season has been a mixed bag to say the least, he’s amassed an 8.64 ERA over eight innings. Cooper Adams came in with two innings left, and shut down any comeback attempt. He went two hitless innings, only allowing two walks as he closed the game for Portland. All of the Sea Dogs' five runs came in a high-scoring fourth inning. Miguel Bleis got the offense going with an RBI single that was deflected by the third baseman, scoring Marvin Alcantara. Ronald Rosario kept it going, driving in Nate Baez on a single and adding onto the lead. Bleis then scored on a wild pitch as Rosario advanced to third. Will Turner stepped up to the plate, driving in Rosario on a sac-fly. Then, to cap off the inning, Max Ferguson hit an RBI single to score Tyler McDonough. Despite the silent bats the rest of the afternoon, it was a much better effort all around compared to earlier in the weekend. High-A Greenville Drive Season Record: 6-9 Series Opponent: Bowling Green Hot Rods Series Standing: 3-3 April 17: The Drive prevailed 8-7 in a walk-off win against Bowling Green. Friday marked Kyson Witherspoon’s third professional start, and it was a rough one. His career hasn’t gotten off to the start he would have liked, but there’s still plenty of time for the young prospect to settle in. Over four and ⅓ innings on Friday, Witherspoon gave up three runs on five hits, allowing two runners by way of walks. He struck out three, but was unsuccessful in lowering his ERA, which rose to 6.17. Ben Hansen came in in relief, pitching three and ⅓ innings while allowing two runs. He gave up two hits but didn’t allow any walks, striking out four. Matt McShane made his first appearance of the season coming off the injured list. It was a so-so return, he went one and ⅓ innings and allowed two runs on one hit, accounting for a blown save. P.J. Labriola took the bump in extra innings and earned the win with one shutout inning, allowing just one baserunner on a walk. It was Labriola’s second consecutive scoreless outing as he continues to rebound well from a rough start to the season. The Drive were excellent at the dish, amassing ten hits and eight runs. Natanael Yuten hit his first homer of the season in the second, driving in Adonys Guzman. The sixth was eventful for the Drive. Freili Encarnacion hit his second of the season in the sixth to lessen the deficit to 5-3. Then, Guzman scored again on a passed ball to cut the lead to one. Up to the plate next was Hudson White, who tripled to drive in Yuten and Yophery Rodriguez. Just one batter later, Yoeilin Cespedes singled to center to drive in White to give the Drive a two run lead. With the game tied 7-7 in the bottom of the tenth, Guzman stepped up to bat and hit a sacrifice fly to deep right field, driving in Isaiah Jackson and capping off the comeback win for the Drive. April 18: The Drive won 4-0 behind great outings from Anthony Eyanson and Devin Futrell. Anthony Eyanson has been living up to the hype to say the least. The Louisiana State alum shoved over five shutout innings. He struck out five and only allowed two runners on two hits. He lowered his ERA to 0.73 as he continued his stellar start to his professional career. Devin Futrell gave up just one hit and one walk, striking out three in his first High-A appearance after being called up from Low-A Salem. The two combined for nine shutout innings, putting the Drive in prime position. At the plate, Greenville took advantage of the strong pitching. Justin Gonzales accounted for two hits and one run, while Yoeilin Cespedes went 2-4 with an RBI single. The one-two punch of Gonzales and Cespedes has been excellent for the Drive as the pair makes up a solid portion of the offense. Jack Winnay had the first RBI of the day for the Drive, driving in Cespedes on an RBI double in the sixth. Later in the inning, Winnay scored on a wild pitch, giving the Drive a 2-0 lead. Additionally, Yophery Rodriguez has stood out recently, and hit an RBI double in the sixth to cap off a three-run inning. April 19: The Drive won their third game in a row to split the series. Marcus Phillips started the game for Greenville and turned in a solid outing. The righty went three and ⅔ innings, only giving up two hits and striking out half of the fourteen batters he faced. Austin Ehrlicher got the next inning and ⅓, putting together a rough outing. He walked three, giving up three runs on two hits, the only runs Bowling Green would score all afternoon. Calvin Bickerstaff put together a solid three and ⅓ innings behind Ehrlicher. Bickerstaff gave up three hits and two walks, but didn’t allow a run, earning the win for Saturday. P.J. Labriola got the nod for the last ⅔ innings of the game, striking out one and earning the save after sealing the win for Greenville. Justin Gonzales continued his strong season, going 2-5 with two RBIs on a single in the second inning and giving the Drive a 2-0 lead. In the eighth, Antonio Anderson drove in Jack Winnay with a sac-fly, and Natanael Yuten drove in Isaiah Jackson on an RBI single to give the Drive a one-run advantage. Mason White also had a strong showing, he went 2-4 with a run. The Drive combined for seven hits, but offensive struggles persist. Not one hitter has an average higher than .300, and five are hitting well below .200. However, Saturday was a positive sign for the Drive who will look to build on their momentum at Asheville this week. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Season Record: 8-7 Series Opponent: Hickory Crawdads (Texas Rangers) Series Standing: 1-5 April 17: Salem lost 7-5 as it had a hard time on the mound. Madison Frias’ tough start to the season continued in his third start of the season. Through four innings he allowed four runs (one unearned) on four hits and two home-runs. He walked three and struck out three as his ERA ballooned to 10.00. Ethan Walker came in relief, throwing three and ⅔ innings of three run ball. He gave up two hits and only allowed one earned run, but his four walks were an eyesore on the scoresheet. He earned the loss, but despite that his ERA remains an impressive 1.69. Wuilliams Rodriguez sealed the game with ⅓ inning of easy work. The RidgeYaks got off to a hot start on Friday. Starlyn Nunez launched his first homer of the season in the top of the first, and just an inning later Avinson Pinto hit his first, driving in two and extending the lead to three. In the third, Andrews Opata hit a two-run double to left field to give Salem a 5-0 advantage. However, that was all the offense the RidgeYaks could generate as they allowed five unanswered runs and took the loss. April 18: After starting the season 7-2, the RidgeYaks dropped their fifth straight and fell to .500. Jose Bello, the only remaining piece of the Rafael Devers return, made his second appearance of the season. He gave up two hits and one run off of an inside-the-park home run in the second inning before getting pulled after one and ⅔ innings. Christian Foutch put in three solid innings of relief, giving up two runs on two hits, but striking out six. Adam Bates earned the hold in his two and ⅓ innings of work. He allowed four runs on four hits and allowed two runners via walks. Harry Blum had the opportunity to earn a save, but instead went home with a blown save. In just an inning he gave up six runs (one unearned) on five hits and three walks. Overall it was a night to forget for Salem’s pitching staff, who collapsed towards the end of the game. At the plate, the RidgeYaks tried valiantly to make up for the poor pitching performance, but fell short. Enddy Azocar has been strong as of late, and this trend continued. He went 3-5 with four RBIs while launching two homers. Stanley Tucker was also excellent, going 3-4 with two runs and a triple. Frederik Jimenez went 2-4 and drove in one run on a soft line drive to center field. The bulk of Salem’s offense came in the early stages of the game, and they were mostly silent from the sixth on, allowing Hickory to seal the game. April 19: Salem snapped a five-game losing streak, snatching the series finale 4-2. Barrett Morgan made his second start of the season, turning in two and ⅔ innings of one-hit ball and striking out two. He maintained his season ERA of 0.00. Nicolas De La Cruz earned the win for his one and ⅓ innings of work, allowing two hits and a walk, and striking out one. He’s been excellent in four appearances this season, allowing no runs and just two hits through a combined five innings of work. Dalvinson Reyes kept up the good work in his first appearance of the season for Salem. He threw three innings and allowed just two baserunners via walks. He struck out three and earned the hold in his first game for Salem after being called up from the FCL Red Sox. Wuilliams Rodriguez threw the final two innings, and was the only pitcher to allow a run. He gave up two runs on three hits and a walk, but prevented a comeback as he closed out the game. D’Angelo Ortiz got the offense started, driving in Avinson Pinto on a groundout in the fifth to put the RidgeYaks up 1-0. Later in the inning, Stanley Tucker scored on a wild pitch to add onto the lead. Ortiz went 2-4 as he continued to be one of Salem’s hottest hitters. In the seventh, Starlyn Nunez tripled to right, driving in both Tucker and Ortiz to tack on two more runs. Luke Heyman went 2-4 as he tried to shake off a rough start, and Pinto went 2-4 as well. Andrews Opata, who leads the team in average, went 1-4 with a single. Salem avoided the sweep, and kept itself above .500 with the win. View full article

Boston Red Sox Affiliate Overview (April 10 - April 12) Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series vs. Columbus Clippers (Cleveland Guardians): 4-2 Season Record: 10-4 Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays): 3-3 Season Record: 4-4 High-A Greenville Drive Series at Hub City Spartanburgers (Texas Rangers): 3-3 Season Record: 3-6 Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series vs. Wilson Warbirds (Milwaukee Brewers): 5-1 Season Record: 7-2 Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Season Record: 10-4 Series Opponent: Columbus Clippers (Cleveland Guardians) Series Standing: 4-2 April 10: Tsung-Che Cheng hit for the first cycle in WooSox history, leading them to a 8-5 victory. Jake Bennett earned the win in his third start of the season, continuing his excellent start to his 2026 campaign. He went five and ⅓ innings and limited the Clippers to just one run while striking out four. The lone run is only the second he’s allowed through three starts and 13 innings, bringing his ERA to 0.68. Bennett, acquired in a deal that sent Luis Perales to the Washington Nationals, is the Red Sox 7th top prospect and could make his big league debut later this season. In relief, the WooSox bullpen was shaky to say the least. Kyle Keller went one and ⅔, allowing one run on one hit. Noah Song took the bump next, but allowed two more runs (one unearned). Song has had a rough start to his season, allowing six runs in 5 and ⅔ innings, a worrying sign for the 28-year-old. New veteran signee Tommy Kahnle converted his save opportunity, sealing the win for Worcester through one and ⅓ innings of work, allowing a run but preventing the comeback. The story of the game came from the plate, where Tsu-Che Cheng hit for the first cycle in Worcester history. In the bottom of the second, he crushed his second triple to deep center field, speeding around the bases as Petey Halpin failed to make the catch. Then, two innings later in the bottom of the fourth, Cheng hit another ball to center. This time it was a line drive double that drove in a run, making the score 4-0. In the sixth, Cheng worked a long at bat and on the seventh pitch, launched his third homer of the year to left field. In the eighth with one man aboard, Cheng laid down a bunt to complete the cycle. He advanced to third on a throwing error and drove in a run, his second RBI of the day. He accounted for half of the WooSox hits. Other than Cheng, the WooSox were solid. Kristian Campbell went 1-2 with three walks, smoking a double and driving in one run. Vinny Capra also recorded one RBI, driving in Cheng after his second inning triple. April 11: Worcester fell in shutout fashion 7-0 in Kutter Crawford’s first rehab start back from injury. Crawford made his first start since Sept. 2024 after missing the entirety of the 2025 season due to Tommy John surgery. He turned in three innings of shaky work on 60 pitches, 43 of which landed in the strike zone. He gave up five runs, six hits, and three homers and got the loss. On the bright side, he struck out five and allowed only one walk. The WooSox bullpen rebounded from a rough Friday. Wyatt Olds gave up one hit and struck out five in two innings and Jacob Webb gave up one run in two innings. Tayron Guerrero had a lockdown eighth inning, striking out two of the three batters he faced. Catcher Nathan Hickey got the opportunity to close out the game, and gave up one run, one hit, and one walk across one inning. Worcester was stagnant at the plate, a sharp contrast from their success on Friday. They got blanked in the runs column, and only got on base six times. Anthony Seigler picked up a double in his second game of the season, while Nate Eaton and Braiden Ward picked up the only other hits for the WooSox. Matt Thaiss, Nick Sogard, and Mikey Romero each picked up a walk, but that was all she wrote for the WooSox, who simply couldn’t get any offense going. April 12: The WooSox cruised to a 8-2 win behind a solid outing from Payton Tolle. Tolle continued to build his case for a call up on Sunday. He struck out six across five innings, and only allowed three hits and a walk. He got his second win of the season in his third start as he continues to rebound from a poor season debut. Seth Martinez made his fifth appearance, pitching two innings in relief, allowing one run on a solo home-run. Devin Sweet gave up one more run in his one-inning appearance, and Tommy Kahnle closed out the game allowing one hit in one inning. The WooSox got their offense going early on a two-run blast from Allan Castro in the second inning, his second of the season. Then just an inning later, Castro hit another one, this time a grand slam. He teed off, hitting a bomb to right field and giving Worcester a 6-0 advantage with all of their runs coming via Castro’s homers. In the fourth, Nick Sogard added on with a sac-fly to drive in Vinny Capra. Then, Nathan Hickey added the WooSox final run of the evening with another sac-fly to drive in Tsung-Che Cheng. The WooSox rolled to a win as they continue to be one of the hottest teams in Triple-A Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Season Record: 4-4 Series Opponent: New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays) Series Standing: 3-3 April 10: The Sea Dogs fought back to .500 after a solid all-around win. It was a combined effort on the bump for Portland. Dalton Rogers started the game, allowing two unearned runs on two hits over three and ⅔ innings. He was solid in his first start of the season, striking out two but surrendering three walks. Cade Feeney came in in relief, pitching two and ⅓ scoreless innings and earning the win. He allowed two hits and gave up two walks, but limited the damage. Erik Rivera started the seventh and finished the game strong. He allowed just two hits and a walk while striking out three. He earns his second save of the year and keeps his ERA at 0.00 through five innings over two games. The Sea Dogs offense was fueled by another outstanding performance from Franklin Arias. The shortstop went 3-4 with an RBI and a run. The 20-year-old has 10 hits through 17 at-bats, posting an astonishing .538 batting average and a 1.303 OPS. Arias is building on his case to be the Red Sox next budding superstar. Besides Arias, the Sea Dogs offense has struggled through the early stages of the season. Five players have a batting average below .200, and only two players aside from Arias have an OPS over .800. Despite the lackluster start, Portland had a decent day on Friday. Eight players recorded a hit, and three recorded an RBI. It’s the first step towards success as the Sea Dogs settle into the season. April 11: The Sea Dogs won their second straight behind solid pitching. John Holobetz took the mound to start the afternoon for Portland. He built on a strong start to the season, striking out nine of the 17 batters he faced over three innings. He surrendered three hits and two walks, allowing a lone run in another solid start. Jorge Juan came in next, allowing only one hit in one and ⅔ innings pitched and earning himself the win. He bounced back strong from his April 7 outing, where he got shelled for five runs without recording an out. Caleb Bolden earned the hold for two and ⅓ innings of work in which he gave up only two hits and struck out two. Patrick Halligan came in to close out the victory and he succeeded. He pitched a solid inning, allowing one baserunner via a walk, and securing the save, and win for the Sea Dogs. It was a quiet day at the plate for Portland, who only scored twice. Franklin Arias accounted for half of the team's hits, adding another strong game to his outstanding season so far. He went three for four with a run scored, increasing his batting average to a stunning mark of .588, the only Sea Dog with an average above .250. Marvin Alcantara drove in Portland’s first run on a ground-rule double that scored Caden Rose, and Nate Baez followed that up with a sac-fly to drive in Arias. That was the only offense for the Sea Dogs as they prevailed by a thin 2-run margin. April 12: Portland gave up 13 unanswered runs, losing 15-9 in a beatdown. Hayden Mullins got the start for Portland and turned in four innings of decent work. He struck out seven, but allowed two runs (one unearned) on four hits and two walks. It was a marked improvement from his first start of the season, but nothing to write home about. Joe Vogatsky got the ball in relief, and was downright shelled. In just an inning and ⅓, he allowed eight earned runs on one walk and six hits. He gave up two home-runs and got the loss in a second consecutive appearance that just didn’t go his way. Max Carlson gave up another three runs in two and ⅔ innings as the Sea Dogs struggled. Second baseman Drew Ehrhard got the chance to end the beatdown, but allowed the Fisher Cats to tack on another two runs. It was a rough day all around for the Sea Dogs pitching staff, who never gave the offense a real chance to win. Despite the lopsided box score, the offense was solid. Ronald Rosario went three for five with one RBI and two runs, and Erhard went two for five with five RBIs. After his pitching stint, Ehrhard went to the plate in the bottom of the ninth and clobbered his second homer of the season, adding three runs for Portland. In the fifth inning, Nelly Taylor stole home as Ehrhard and Will Turner advanced to second and third. It gave the Sea Dogs a 5-2 lead, but not for long. The offense went quite from the fifth inning to the ninth, as Portland gave up a jaw-dropping 13 unanswered runs. Clear inconsistencies continue to plague the Sea Dogs as they will look to get back above .500 against Altoona on Tuesday. High-A Greenville Drive Season Record: 3-6 Series Opponent: Hub City Spartanburgers (Texas Rangers) Series Standing: 3-3 April 10: The Drive fell narrowly 3-2 in a game that didn’t feature much offense. Kyson Witherspoon made his second professional start on Friday and showed flashes of brilliance. Over four innings he struck out six and didn’t relinquish a walk, but gave up three hits and two runs (one unearned). It was a marked improvement from his start a week ago, but a far cry from his ceiling. In relief, Ben Hansen pitched an outstanding three innings, allowing just one baserunner via a walk, and striking out four. It was a stark contrast from his season debut just a week prior in which he gave up six runs in just one and ⅓ innings. P.J. Labriola got the ball to close out the game, but struggled. Over one and ⅔ innings he walked three and gave up a walk-off single, giving himself the loss. The Drive struggled to produce at the plate. In a combined 31 plate appearances, Greenville got on base just four times by way of a walk and three hits. The seventh inning was the most productive for the Drive, they scored two runs on a hit by pitch and a bases loaded ground out. The offensive struggles continue to pile up for the Drive in the early season. Only two batters are hitting over .200 as they fall to 2-5. April 11: The Drive won their third game of the season behind dominant pitching. Anthony Eyanson started the second game of his professional career on Saturday, and didn’t disappoint. He followed up a solid start last week with an even better one this week. He threw four and ⅓ perfect innings, not allowing a single baserunner. Of the 13 batters he faced, he struck out over half of them, amassing seven K’s on the day. He lowered his ERA to 1.23 as he continues to be outstanding in his first professional season. Behind him was Jay Allmer, who walked two and gave up one run on a line drive to left field through two innings. Finally, Calvin Bickerstaff earned the win and closed out the game with two and ⅔ innings of no-hit ball while striking out three. The Drive were also better at the plate. The scoring didn’t start until the seventh inning, when Antonio Anderson hit a sac-fly that drove in Nazzan Zanetello. Then, in the eighth inning, two runs scored on an Adonys Guzman single. Zanetello followed that up with a hit of his own, hitting his first double of the season to tack on two more runs. Finally, Zanetello scored again on a wild pitch to give Greenville their sixth run of the day. April 12: Greenville returned to the loss column, falling 6-5 in a battle. Marcus Philips started the game for the Drive, but was shaky at best. He threw three innings, giving up three runs (one unearned) on three hits and a walk. It’s been a difficult start to the season for Philips, who’s given up five total runs in three and ⅔ innings across two games. Austin Ehrlicher wasn’t much better. He went two innings, giving up another three runs (two unearned) on two hits. He was given the loss for his performance. Joey Gartrell was solid for the Drive. He went two innings, and only allowed two baserunners via walks, and struck out two. Despite his strong showing, he was given the blown save as he was unable to contain the Spartanburgers. Steven Brooks closed out the game for Greenville, giving up two hits in one inning, allowing a walk and striking out two. It was a rough outing overall for the Drive. Justin Gonzales played his first game since April 9, going one for three with an RBI single in the third. Yophery Rodriguez and Adonys Guzman had two hits apiece, and Guzman totaled three RBIs. He hit a bases-clearing double in the sixth to give the Drive the lead, however it was quickly relinquished. The Drive’s only other run came on a Henry Godbout groundout with the bases loaded that drove in Rodriguez. As a team, they recorded just four strikeouts, but failed to capitalize with bases loaded on multiple occasions. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Season Record: 7-2 Series Opponent: Wilson Warbirds (Milwaukee Brewers) Series Standing: 5-1 April 10: The RidgeYaks eked out a victory 5-4 amid a strong start to the season. Madinson Frias got the nod on Friday, his second start of the season. Frias rebounded hard after a disastrous outing last week in which he gave up a staggering six runs in just one and ⅓ innings pitched. In three and ⅓ innings on Friday he struck out four and gave up two runs. However, he allowed five walks as he struggled with his command. Luckily for the RidgeYaks, Ethan Walker was the epitome of dominant. In four and ⅓ innings in relief he gave up just one hit and two walks, and struck out an eye-popping nine batters, earning the win. He lowered his ERA to 1.29 as he continued his strong start. Adam Bates came in with a save opportunity, and did just that. Despite giving up two runs on two hits over one and ⅓ innings, he finished the game strong and got the win for Salem. The RidgeYaks were steady at the plate. They drew six walks and amassed eight hits, driving in five runs en route to the win. Kleyver Salazar continues to stand out, bumping his batting average to .353 over the first part of the season and driving in a run on his third double of the year. Additionally, D’Angelo Ortiz is living up to his name. The 21-year-old crossed the plate once and picked up a single. Skylar King hit Salem’s lone home run of the night, mashing a solo shot in the fifth to take a 3-2 lead. April 11: Salem fell 6-3 as they had a hard time generating offense in their second loss of the season. Jose Bello, the last remaining piece of the Rafael Devers trade, made his first start of the season on Saturday. The 20-year-old allowed one runner via a walk in two innings, but was otherwise solid. Christian Fouch came in relief to start the third inning, and it was all downhill from there. Foutch walked five batters, allowing three runs but not a single hit. He only lasted two and ⅓ innings before getting the loss and being replaced by Harry Blum. Blum’s outing was similarly disastrous, he only lasted two innings and gave up three runs on three hits and one home-run. Gilbel Galvan lasted the longest for the RidgeYaks, turning in two and ⅔ innings of solid work. He struck out five, walked three, and allowed just one hit in the best outing of the day for Salem. The bats were just okay for the RidgeYaks, as they scored just three times on seven hits. The offense didn’t wake up until the seventh inning, and by then it was almost too late. Kleyver Salazar hit his first home run of the season, a solo shot to left field. One inning later, Avinson Pinto scored on an Ilan Fernandez sac-fly. In the ninth, Pinot grounded out to shortstop, and Ty Hodge scored. That was all she wrote for the RidgeYaks as they struggled to wake up their bats, striking out twelve times en route to a 6-3 loss. April 12: The RidgeYaks were absolutely dominant on Sunday, pouring on 16 runs and cruising to victory. Devin Futrell was lights out in his season debut last week, and nothing changed on Sunday. The Vanderbilt alum was nearly perfect through five innings, allowing one baserunner on a walk. His ERA stays at 0.00 as he continues to impress, earning the win on Sunday. Nicolas De La Cruz tacked on one hitless inning in his second appearance of the season. Griffin Kilander took the bump next, but faltered, going an inning and ⅔ and allowing three runs, three hits, and walking three. Wuilliams Rodriquez steadied the ship, going a perfect one and ⅓ innings and sealing the win for the RidgeYaks. The real story of the day came from the plate for Salem. All nine hitters reached base safely, and all but one crossed the plate at least once. Andrews Opata continued his strong start, going three for five with two runs and two RBIs. Enddy Azocar also recorded three hits, as well as two walks, reaching base safely in all five plate appearances. He crossed home four times, and drove in one RBI. Luke Heyman also recorded three runs, and drove in three RBIs, hitting his first homer of the season, and driving in two on a single. It was a team effort from the RidgeYaks, who only struck out a combined three times and recorded 14 total hits. View full article

Red Sox Affiliate Overview (April 3 - April 5) Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series at St. Paul Saints (Minnesota Twins): 5-0 Season Record: 6-2 Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series at Somerset Patriots (New York Yankees): 1-1 Season Record: 1-1 High-A Greenville Drive Series at Greensboro Grasshoppers (Pittsburgh Pirates): 0-3 Season Record: 0-3 Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series at Delmarva Shorebirds (Baltimore Orioles): 2-1 Season Record: 2-1 Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Season Record: 6-2 Series Opponent: St. Paul Saints (Minnesota Twins) Series Standing: 5-0 April 3: Friday's game against the Saints was cancelled due to rain. It was the second consecutive game affected by inclement weather. April 4: The WooSox beat the Saints 5-3 on Saturday behind dominant pitching and solid hitting. Jake Bennet got the start for the WooSox on Saturday and was nails through five innings of work. He struck out four and allowed only one hit in his second start of the season. His ERA remains at 0.00 through eight innings on the season. Behind Bennett was Jacob Webb, who gave up one hit in two innings in his second appearance of the season. Things started to unravel for the WooSox when Kyle Keller entered the game. The righty gave up three runs on four hits through just an inning of work. With a two-run lead, Tayron Guerrero took the bump with a save opportunity. He did just that, striking out one and sealing the game for the WooSox. At the plate, all of Worcester’s runs came via the long ball. In the first inning, Mickey Gasper took one deep off Zebby Matthews with one man on. Then, in the third inning, Nick Sogard and Nate Eaton launched back-to-back solo shots to add onto the lead. Just an inning later, Tsung-Che Cheng got to Matthews once more, the fourth home-run of the game for the WooSox. It was a well rounded effort from the WooSox, who took the third game of the series. April 5: The WooSox swept a doubleheader on Sunday, completing a series sweep. Red Sox top prospect Payton Tolle got the start in the first game of the afternoon. He turned in six innings of solid work, but isn’t yet at the same level of dominance that he was last season. He gave up two runs (one unearned) on four hits, including a leadoff home run. On the bright side, he struck out seven and got the win for Worcester. Noah Song came in in the seventh inning, holding the Saints at bay and earning the save after one inning of no-hit ball. At the dish the WooSox were solid if not a little lackluster. They recorded just seven hits, but managed to get the job done. Allan Castro went two-for-three, and Kristian Campbell drove in his fourth RBI of the season in the seventh inning on a single to left field. The second game of the afternoon made up for any lack of offense in the first. The WooSox won 11-9 in an extra-innings thriller. It was a bullpen game for Worcester, as Seth Martinez got the start. He gave up one run on a solo blast, but struck out three in two innings. Tyler Samaniego and Wyatt Olds pitched a combined three innings, giving up five runs and three hits. Devin Sweet entered the game with a save opportunity, but gave up two runs on three hits as the Saints forced extra innings. Reidis Sena came up clutch for the WooSox, pitching three innings of one run ball to seal the sweep. The offense came to life in the second game, totaling 11 runs on 10 hits and drawing eight walks. Mickey Gasper continued his excellent start to the season, crushing a 405-foot homer in the first, and a grand slam in the second to put the WooSox up 5-0. Then, Kristian Campbell launched his first homer of the year, marking the second straight day with back-to-back homers for the WooSox. Late in the tenth inning, Nick Sogard hit a ground-rule double that drove in Jason Delay, grabbing an 11-9 lead. The WooSox complete the five-game sweep and head back to Worcester for the first homestand of the season beginning on April 7. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Season Record: 1-1 Series Opponent: Somerset Patriots (New York Yankees) Series Standing: 1-1 April 3: The Sea Dogs were dealt a drubbing on Friday at the hands of the Patriots, losing 18-2. Portland gave up 22 hits, and only had three of their own. Blake Wehunt took the mound for Portland, but didn’t last long. Over ⅓ innings of work, Wehunt walked one, and gave up three earned runs, including two home runs. It was all downhill from there for the Sea Dogs. Cooper Adams took over, and promptly gave up another five runs over one and ⅓ innings. Patrick Halligan came in next, giving up four runs on six hits in one and ⅓ innings. Micheal Sansone was the lone bright spot on the bump for Portland. He struck out four in three innings and gave up one run on five hits. To finish the game, Max Carlson gave up another five runs in two innings, capping off a disastrous outing for the Sea Dogs pitching staff. On the other side of the ball, Portland simply couldn’t get their bats going. Top-five prospect Franklin Arias accounted for two of the Sea Dogs' three hits on the day, and drove in one of their two runs. The only other player to record a hit was Max Ferguson, who hit a solo home-run in the fourth inning. April 4: The Sea Dogs avenged their disastrous Friday outing with a 1-0 win on Saturday. It was a low-scoring affair anchored by a solid five innings of work from John Holobetz, who earned the win. He gave up just two hits and walked two while striking out 3 in his first appearance of the season. In relief, Isaac Coffey and Erik Rivera were excellent, allowing a combined two hits in four innings. Rivera earned the save, registering three strikeouts in two innings. It was a slow day at the plate for Portland. They recorded only four hits, and struck out 11 times. The lone run of the game came on a third inning groundout from Ronald Rosario that drove in Tyler McDonough. No players recorded more than one hit, but it wasn’t necessary as the Sea Dogs grabbed the win. April 5: Sunday’s series finale was postponed due to inclement weather. High-A Greenville Drive Season Record: 0-3 Series Opponent: Greensboro Grasshoppers (Pittsburgh Pirates) Series Standing: 0-3 April 3: The Drive fell 11-7 in a high scoring affair in Kyson Witherspoon’s professional debut on Friday. Witherspoon worked through three and ⅓ innings, allowing four runs on six hits. The 21-year-old is fourth in the Red Sox’s prospect rankings, and is the Sox’s top right handed pitching prospect in the system. Following Witherspoon’s debut, Ben Hansen pitched a disastrous one and ⅓ inning, giving up six runs (five earned) and seven hits while digging the Drive deeper into a hole. Joe Vogatsky was solid in his first appearance of the season. Over three and ⅓ innings he gave up one run on four hits. Hudson White also made his professional pitching debut on Friday. The catcher/first baseman pitched a stellar inning in relief, giving up only two hits and no runs. At the plate, Justin Gonzales and Yoelin Cespedes provided the bulk of the Drive’s offense. The first two hitters in the lineup each had three hits in five plate appearances. Gonzales, who compared himself to Aaron Judge in Spring Training, demolished his first homer of the season in the first inning and accrued six total bases. Cespedes hit a double in the third inning, and was driven in on a two-run knock from Mason White, his first of the season. Despite the valiant efforts from Gonzales and Cespedes, the Drive left 10 men on base and lost their second straight to open the season. April 4: The Drive lost their third game in a row, falling 10-4 in the series finale to Greensboro. Anthony Eyanson got the start and had a solid outing. He struck out six in his professional debut, giving up three hits and one run over three innings. The 21-year-old is the tenth ranked prospect in the Red Sox system. Marcus Philips took over in the fourth, and only lasted ⅔ innings before being pulled. He walked three batters in the short time he was on the mound, giving up four runs (one unearned) on three hits and earning the loss. Calvin Bickerstaff came in in relief, turning in three and ⅓ innings of work, giving up two hits and striking out two. Things started to fall apart for the Drive when P.J. Labriola took over. The lefty gave up five runs on just two hits in an inning and ⅓. Hudson White took the mound for the second time in as many games, giving up one hit and striking out one to close out the game. Justin Gonzales built on his solid performance from Friday. He put his raw power on display, launching a home run for the second game in a row and driving in two runs. Yoelin Cespedes continued his streak of excellence, tallying three hits in five at-bats and maintaining .500 batting average. Despite the solid performances all weekend long from Gonzales and Cespedes, the Drive were unable to avoid being swept in their opening series. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Season Record: 2-1 Series Opponent: Delmarva Shorebirds (Baltimore Orioles) Series Standing: 2-1 April 3: The RidgeYaks lost 11-10 in brutal fashion on Friday. They led 10-6 at one point, but allowed five unanswered runs to lose the game. Madinson Frias got the start for Salem and got shelled through one and ⅔ innings. He gave up six runs on six hits and surrendered three walks. The difficult outing was redeemed by Adam Bates and Ethan Walker, who pitched a combined five innings. Between the pair, they gave up five hits and two runs while preserving the RidgeYak’s lead. Wuilliams Rodriguez entered the game with a save opportunity, but allowed three runs over two and ⅓ innings that gave the Shorebirds an 11-10 edge. The RidgeYaks were rock-solid at the dish, scoring 10 runs on eight hits. Anderson Fermin was excellent, drawing three walks and scoring three times. His solo hit was a line-drive homer that scored two and gave the RidgeYaks a 9-6 lead. Ty Hodge and Stanley Tucker were also solid at the plate. Hodge notched two hits, three runs, and two walks while driving in one run. Tucker hit a three-run blast in the second inning, and added an RBI single in the fourth. D’Angelo Ortiz, son of David Ortiz, drove in two runs on a sac fly and a double play. The RidgeYaks drew an eye-popping 10 walks, but couldn’t score when it counted. April 4: The RidgeYaks returned to the win column on Saturday with a 5-3 win to claim the series. Salem’s pitching staff was excellent through eight innings, allowing just one hit. After a superb three innings from Christian Foutch, Devin Futrell came in and showed out. He allowed just one hit and one walk, and struck out six batters in four innings, earning the win. Harry Blum earned the hold, pitching a hitless one inning. Things began to go south once Griffin Kilander took the bump as Delmirva scored three runs in the ninth, but Kilander was able to stave off the upset. Anderson Fermin was great yet again for Salem, he recorded two hits in four appearances and maintained a .500 batting average. Avinson Pinto scored twice and Frederik Jimenez walked three times, including once with the bases loaded. The RidgeYaks bounce back from Friday’s loss with a season opening series victory. View full article