Ben Lofy

Let’s check in on Sunday’s action down on the Boston Red Sox's farm. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series @ Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (New York Yankees): 0-2 Season Record: 45-46 After a postponed game on Saturday, the WooSox fell in the second game of the series, getting walked-off by the RailRiders. Worcester’s afternoon on the mound was a combined effort featuring appearances from seven different pitchers. Osvaldo Berrios got the game started, lasting two innings before being pulled. He allowed one run on two hits, issuing one walk and striking out two. Noah Song replaced him, allowing one hit and a walk amid a shutout inning. Devin Sweet came in next, lasting one inning. Sweet was perfect as he struck out one before Tyler Samaniego entered in the fifth. Samaniego allowed one run to cross home on two hits, striking out two. Seth Martinez found a similar fate as he entered the game next. He too gave up one run on two hits across an inning-long appearance. Wyatt Olds took the bump next, matching the stat line of the two relievers before him. Olds allowed another run on two hits, striking out three before Sam McWilliams got the eighth inning. McWilliams was solid through one inning, but lost the game in the ninth. He gave up a walk-off home run as Worcester dropped the final game of the series. The WooSox had a solid day at the plate, tallying seven hits and going 3-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Nate Eaton, Mickey Gasper, and Brett Harris each recorded an RBI as the WooSox couldn’t come up with enough offense to grab the win. The WooSox took the lead early as Eaton scored on a wild pitch in the top of the first. Eaton drove in the next run for Worcester, scoring Braiden Ward on an eighth inning RBI single. Gasper, pinch-hitting for Jason Delay, drove Nick Sogard in on an RBI single of his own later in the inning. With two outs late in the eighth, Harris tied the game with his first double of the season as he drove in Eaton. It wasn’t enough, however, as Worcester fell by a slim margin. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. Somerset Patriots (New York Yankees): 2-1 Season Record: 46-41 After an offensive explosion on Saturday, the Sea Dogs mustered just two runs on Sunday. However, it was enough for a 2-1 win behind excellent pitching. Gage Ziehl got the start in the series finale against Somerset, turning in an exceptional outing. He earned his fifth win of the season after turning in five frames of shutout ball. Ziehl struck out eight, allowing just two hits and issuing one walk. Ziehl rebounded in a strong way after a disastrous eight-run meltdown the last time he took the mound. Caleb Bolden took over for the sixth, spinning a one-hit shutout inning as he struck out one. Reidis Sena got the call for the seventh inning, matching Bolden with a one-hit appearance as he kept the shutout alive. Patrick Halligan entered to begin the eighth and allowed the only run of the day as he closed the final two innings of Sunday’s game, holding onto the win. Sunday’s offensive effort from Portland paled in comparison to Saturday’s, but the Sea Dogs were potent enough to get the win. The game was in a deadlock until the fifth inning, when Matt Frazier pulled a ball down the right field line and into the corner. Frazier sped around first and second, pulling into third with a stand-up triple as Mason White crossed home from first base. In the eighth, Jack Winnay doubled the lead. He dropped a ball into the gap in right center as Nelly Taylor strode home from third. Winnay ended up at second with an RBI double, his fifth of the year. High-A Greenville Drive Series vs. Frederick Keys (Baltimore Orioles): 1-2 Season Record: 36-51 Greenville fell in a high-scoring shootout, losing the series finale. It was a shaky day to say the least for Greenville’s staff, which allowed sixteen runs on an astounding 25 hits. Jojo Ingrassia started the game for the Drive, lasting 4⅓ innings. It was a respectable outing for Ingrassia as he allowed two runs on five hits, striking out five as he issued four walks. Matt Duffy came in next as things began to fall apart for the Drive. He allowed five runs on seven hits, striking out two before Griffin Kilander made an appearance. Kilander 1⅓ innings as he let the game get away from him. He allowed six runs on six hits, striking out four. Matt McShane entered to do some damage control and ended up turning in the most successful outing of the evening for Greenville. Across 1⅓ shutout frames, he allowed two hits and a walk. P.J. Labriola took the final inning of the night, allowing four more runs (one unearned) on five hits as Frederick completed an incredible night from the dish. In the game of baseball, it’s hard to match a ten-run outpouring from your opponent, much less a 17-run onslaught. The Drive were able to put some runs on the board, but they could do little to compete with the offensive machine that was Frederick on Sunday evening. Yophery Rodriguez had himself a four-RBI night, while Luke Heyman and Isaiah Jackson had an RBI each. Three of Rodriguez’s RBIs came in the second inning. He smacked a homer to right center, scoring Gerardo Rodriguez and Ronny Hernandez as the Drive snagged an early lead. In the third, Jackson added to the lead with an RBI double, scoring G. Rodriguez once more. In the fifth, Heyman crushed his tenth homer of the season as he brought the Drive within one. In the ninth, with any chance of winning the game gone, Y. Rodriguez scored Hernandez again as he tacked on his fourth RBI of the night. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series vs. Delmarva ShoreBirds (Baltimore Orioles): 2-1 Season Record: 37-51 Salem took the series rubber match behind a three-RBI day from Kleyver Salazar. Leighton Finley and Trennor O’Donnell guided Salem to victory on Sunday with a combined two-run performance. Finley earned his fifth win of the season for his five frames of work as he got the start. He allowed two runs on four hits and issued a walk. He struck out six as he fought back against the ShoreBirds offense. O’Donnell entered in the sixth, earning his first save of the season for his bulk relief appearance. Across four shutout innings, O’Donnell allowed just two hits and didn’t issue a walk. He struck out four batters as he sealed the series win for Salem. Salazar accounted for the bulk of the Yaks offense as he went 3-for-3. Ilan Fernandez and Givian Sirvania had two hits apiece as well. Salazar’s RBIs came early. In the first inning, with Skylar King and Andrews Opata on base, Salazar shot a line drive over the wall in left field. The three-run blast, his seventh of the year, gave the Yaks an early lead that they never relinquished. Three innings later, Sirvania added a run to the lead with an RBI single, scoring Justin Barry and adding the final run of the day for Salem. View full article

Let’s see how the Boston Red Sox's farm system fared through Saturday’s action. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series @ Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (New York Yankees): 0-1 Season Record: 45-45 Worcester’s Saturday night game was postponed due to rain. No make-up date has yet been provided. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. Somerset Patriots (New York Yankees): 2-1 Season Record: 47-41 Franklin Arias, Ronald Rosario and Anthony Eyanson put on a show for Portland as the Sea Dogs rolled to an 11-0 win. Anthony Eyanson has arguably been the Red Sox’s most impressive prospect in his first professional season. After turning heads in High-A, the LSU alum got the call-up to Portland in May. In July, Eyanson represented the Red Sox at the All-Star weekend Futures Game. In his first game of the second half, he twirled an absolute gem. With one hit, no earned runs, and an outstanding eight strikeouts across five frames, Eyanson was the epitome of dominance. He allowed one walk before Jedixson Paez took over in the sixth, who was similarly dominant across his two innings. He allowed one hit and struck out three, keeping the momentum going for Portland. John Holobetz completed the final two innings for Portland, allowing a walk and a hit as he matched Paez with three Ks. It was an incredibly successful day on the bump for Portland as the staff rebounded well from a rough Friday. Portland was equally as impressive on the other side of the ball. Tallying 11 hits and drawing nine walks, the Sea Dogs recorded six hits with runners in scoring position. Franklin Arias went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Ronald Rosario went 2-for-5 as he drove in five runs on two moon shots. Rosario got started quickly, hammering a home run to center field in the first inning. Arias and Will Turner crossed home as Portland jumped out to an early lead. In the fifth, Matt Frazier tacked on another on an RBI groundout that scored Brooks Brannon. In the seventh, Nate Baez scored on a Caden Rose sac fly to begin a seven-run frame. Arias joined in on the fun with a fly-ball double to center, scoring Frazier and Miguel Bleis. Brannon drove in two more with a double of his own, scoring Arias and Turner. Rosario capped off an impressive inning with his second homer of the night, a two-run blast with Brannon aboard. Rosario’s ninth homer of the year put a bow on what may have been the Sea Dogs’ best all-around game of the season. High-A Greenville Drive Series vs. Frederick Keys (Baltimore Orioles): 1-1 Season Record: 36-50 Greenville’s pitching staff was rocked as the Drive fell 12-2. Dylan Brown got the nod to begin Saturday’s game for Greenville, turning in five innings of okay ball. Brown allowed three runs on seven hits and issued three walks as he struck out five. He got his sixth loss of the season as his ERA rose to 4.28. Shea Sprague entered the game next, lasting 1⅔ innings before being yanked. Across his appearance, Sprague allowed five runs (one unearned) on four hits as the Keys’ offense pulled away. Calvin Bickerstaff got the call from the pen next, but was unsuccessful in his efforts to stop the bleeding. Over just two-thirds of an inning, Bickerstaff let up four runs on five hits before Tyler Davis entered to clean things up. Davis succeeded in steadying the ship, closing out the final inning and ⅔ of Saturday’s game. Davis allowed three runs as he K’d two, staving off the Keys offense in the late stages of the game. The Drive was similarly weak at the plate, recording just eight total baserunners and stranding six throughout the game. Stanley Tucker was the only player to record multiple hits as he and Antonio Anderson recorded one RBI apiece. Anderson’s RBI came first as he drove in Isaiah Jackson on his second triple of the season. Down by two later in the inning, a Tucker single drove Anderson home, marking the Drive’s final RBI of the game. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series vs. Delmarva Shore Birds (Baltimore Orioles): 1-1 Season Record: 37-51 Salem’s eighth win of the month came behind a combined effort from both the pitching staff and offense. Ethan Walker took the first two frames of Saturday’s ballgame for the Yaks, allowing three runs (two unearned) on three hits before Jose Bello took over. Bello was more successful, allowing one run on three hits. He struck out four across his 5⅓ inning appearance. Harry Blum took over for Bello in the eighth, closing the game for Salem. Across 1⅔ innings, he allowed one more run on two hits as he struck out one. All three pitchers allowed one walk, but were good enough to help give Salem the win. Salem’s offense was the story of the game on Saturday. The Yaks combined for 12 hits and 10 runs as they notched 10 runs for the second straight contest. Anderson Fermin contributed three RBIs as Franklin Primera and Avinson Pinto added two each. However, it was Justin Barry who got the RidgeYaks on the board with an RBI single in the second, scoring Louis Andujar. Two innings later, Pinto tied the game with a single as Andujar and Andruw Musett crossed home. Pinto was subsequently driven home on a Fermin single as Salem took the lead. The Yaks didn’t look back, capitalizing on their momentum just one inning later. Andujar reached on a throwing error as Musett scored before Andujar and Pinto were driven home on another single from Fermin. The sixth inning featured season firsts from two players. Primera notched his first homer of the season with Skylar King aboard. Then, Andujar hit his first triple of the season, and of his career, as he drove in Adonys Guzman to cap off the ten-run game for Salem. Andujar was outstanding on Saturday, going 3-for-5 with two doubles, a triple, and adding two stolen bases. View full article

The All-Star Break is over, and the second half of the MiLB season is underway. Let’s take a look at how the Boston Red Sox farm affiliates performed in their first game back. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series @ Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (New York Yankees): 0-1 Season Record: 45-45 Despite a solid offensive showing all-around, the WooSox fell by just one run as they lost 7-6. Raymond Burgos got the ball to start the night for Worcester, throwing four frames of subpar pitching. Burgos allowed five runs on eight hits as he walked two. He got the loss for his poor showing on Friday. In his first game following a rehab assignment and stint on the IL, Hobie Harris took the fifth inning of Friday’s game. Harris was evidently still rusty as he let up two runs on three hits in one frame. He struck out one and walked another before Angel Bastardo took over in the sixth. Following two so-so outings, Bastardo turned the page for Worcester. He twirled two frames of perfect ball, striking out four of the six batters he faced before Tommy Kahnle took the eighth. Kahnle recently re-signed with the Red Sox on a minor league contract after a few rough appearances in the big leagues. Kahnle kept the perfection going, striking out one as he pitched a perfect eighth. Worcester tallied 13 hits and went an impressive 4-for-10 with runners in scoring position, but came up just short in Friday’s action. With runners on the corners in the first inning, Andrew Knizner put the WooSox on top quickly. He smoked a single through the legs of the second baseman, driving home Nick Sogard. Down by four in the third, Nate Eaton closed the gap slightly with a solo homer, his sixth of the year. An inning later, Allan Castro stood at second with Kristian Campbell at the plate. Campbell blooped a single down the right field line to drive in Castro. Castro drove in the next run for Worcester, scoring Knizner on a single in the sixth inning. Down by three in the eighth, Mikey Romero hit a solo shot to right center as Worcester cut the lead to two. Two batters later, Brett Harris did some more damage. He launched a solo shot of his own to bring the WooSox within one. However, they couldn’t get it done as they fell 7-6 in the series opener. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. Somerset Patriots (New York Yankees): 0-1 Season Record: 46-41 Portland fell 7-2 behind a disastrous start and a slow day from the offense. After shoving five frames of two-run ball in his last start, Dalton Rogers fell apart in a quick appearance on Friday. Across three frames on Friday, Rogers allowed seven runs on seven hits and two walks. He struck out four, but it wasn’t enough to right the ship as he exited early. The bullpen was downright excellent for the Sea Dogs on Friday, not allowing a run in the final six frames. Jeremy Wu-Yelland entered first, allowing a hit and a walk in one inning of work before Hayden Mullins took over. Mullins pitched to a similar line as Wu-Yelland, allowing one hit and walking two across a 3⅓ inning bulk relief appearance. Cooper Adams closed out the loss with 1⅔ innings of near-perfect work, allowing one walk. Adams struck out one as he completed the ninth and final frame of the game. Portland was sluggish coming out of the midsummer break, recording just four hits and taking three walks. Both runs came in the sixth inning as Somerset held a commanding seven-run lead. Brooks Brannon put the Sea Dogs on the board with his 15th homer of the season, a solo shot to right center. With the bases loaded and Ahbram Liendo at the dish, Ronald Rosario crossed home on a balk, marking the second and final run of the day for Portland. High-A Greenville Drive Series vs. Frederick Keys (Baltimore Orioles): 1-0 Season Record: 36-49 Greenville snagged an 8-7 win on a walk-off from top prospect Enddy Azocar. Devin Futrell took the mound to kick things off for Greenville on Saturday, working through a 5⅓ inning appearance. Across the outing, Futrell allowed four runs on seven hits and a walk. He struck out one-third of the 24 batters he faced, tallying eight Ks. Joe Vogatsky got the ball in the sixth inning and pitched into the eighth. Vogatsky allowed two runs on three hits as he didn’t issue a walk. He struck out four before turning the ball over to Steven Brooks in the eighth. Brooks closed out the game for Greenville, earning the win for his work. Across 1⅓ innings, he allowed one run on two hits as he stuck out three of the five batters he faced. The Drive rallied for a clutch ninth-inning effort after going dormant following a hot start to the night. Down three in the second inning, Antonio Anderson stepped to the plate and launched a game-tying three-run blast over the wall in center field. Mason White and Maximus Martin crossed home. White, who was called up to Double-A Portland following the game, made his mark just an inning later. He launched his 14th homer of the season with Yoeilin Cespedes aboard, giving the Drive a two-run edge. In the sixth, White would score again on a wild pitch. After Frederick took the lead in the top of the ninth, the Drive dug into the batter’s box with work to do. Yophery Rodriguez took the first step, tying the game with a single as Stanley Tucker scored. With two runners on and one out in the inning, Enddy Azocar played the hero for Greenville. Azocar roped a soft ball over the head of the third baseman, driving home Rodriguez as Greenville snagged victory from the jaws of defeat. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series vs. Delmarva Shore Birds (Baltimore Orioles): 0-1 Season Record: 36-51 Despite putting up three runs in a last-ditch ninth-inning effort, Salem fell 14-11 in a slugfest. Brady Tygart got the start in the Yaks’ first game back following the All-Star Break. His outing was mediocre at best, however, as he lasted four frames, striking out four. He gave up two runs (one unearned) on three hits and two walks before Jay Allmer entered in the fifth. Allmer exited just one-third of an inning later as Delmarva got the best of him quickly. During his abbreviated outing, Allmer allowed seven runs (three unearned) on just two hits and two walks. Following the disastrous start to the inning, Joey Gartrell entered to clean up the mess. Gartrell took the sixth as well, completing 1⅔ innings of work. He allowed two more runs (one unearned) on a walk and two hits as he struck out two. Williams Rodriguez got the ball in the seventh and pitched to the end of the ninth, closing out the contest for Salem. Rodriguez allowed three runs (one unearned) on three hits as he struck out an impressive six batters. Led by Louis Andujar’s four-RBI night, as well as three each from Anderson Fermin and Avinson Pinto, Salem’s offensive output would have sufficed on almost any other night. Unfortunately for the Yaks, Delmarva decided to put up a staggering 14 runs as they got the edge on Friday evening. Salem fought hard, tallying 11 runs on 12 hits, but it just wasn’t enough to beat the Shorebirds. In the second inning, Fermin got the Yaks on the board with a line drive triple, scoring Pinto. An inning later, Andujar scored his first RBI of the night on a sac fly, scoring Andrews Opata. Pinto drove in Franklin Primera later in the inning to give Salem its first lead of the night. It was an uphill battle from there on out, however. Down by seven in the fifth, Pinto drove home Primera and Kleyver Salazar to cut the deficit to five. In the seventh, the Yaks put up a solid effort as Pinto scored Primera on a double and Fermin scored Andujar and Pinto on a single. In the ninth, Louis Andujar put the Yaks within three on a three-run shot, scoring Primera and Salazar. The Yaks came up just short in a heartbreaking loss despite an excellent offensive showing, especially from Primera who reached base four times. View full article

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. View full article

It's Day 2 of the MLB Draft! Let's check in on the guys who are already in the Boston Red Sox's system before we analyze all of the newcomers. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series vs. Rochester Red Wings (Washington Nationals): 3-2 Season Record: 44-44 Worcester fell by a large margin for the second day in a row, losing 10-3 without much protest. Michael Sansone got the nod to start Saturday’s contest for the WooSox. He got off to a rocky start, allowing three runs in the first two innings en route to a poor five-frame outing. Sansone allowed seven earned runs, including four in the fourth inning, on eight hits. He struck out just three before Noah Song took over. Song saw a little more success, letting up a run on three hits as he struck out three as well. Angel Bastardo took over in the eighth, allowing two more runs as he closed out the game. The two runs came on two hits as Bastardo struck out two, closing out another disappointing loss for Worcester. The WooSox hardly showed up at the plate, generating just three hits. They were able to score three runs, aided by a pair of triples from Nick Sogard and Braiden Ward. Sogard put the WooSox on the board with his triple, driving in Ward in the sixth inning. Two innings later, Ward drove home Max Ferguson, cutting the deficit to seven runs. Vinny Capra then drove Ward in on a ground out to short later in the inning. The eighth-inning effort came much too late as Rochester held a commanding lead for the majority of the game. It was the second night in a row that Worcester fell by six or more runs. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series @ New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays): 3-2 Season Record: 46-39 Portland seized an 8-3 win behind another solid start from Blake Wehunt. Wehunt won his third consecutive game for his 5⅔ innings performance on Saturday, racking up six strikeouts. Wehunt allowed three runs on six hits, but didn’t issue a single walk. While he allowed more runs and hits than his two previous starts, Wehunt continued his campaign for a call-up to Triple-A. Jedixson Paez got the ball with two outs in the sixth inning and closed the game with 3⅓ innings of one-hit shutout ball. Paez struck out two as he earned his second save of the season and lowered his ERA to a respectable 3.86. Portland had a great day on the offensive side of the ball, even with Franklin Arias out of the lineup. The Sea Dogs tallied an impressive 16 hits and eight runs. As a team, Portland went an impressive 5-for-16 with runners in scoring position. Ronald Rosario kept up his momentum from Friday’s contest, getting the scoring started with a line drive single that scored Johanfran Garcia and Miguel Bleis. Two innings later, Matt Frazier tacked on one more with a sac fly, scoring Brooks Brannon. In the fourth, Jack Winnay drove in Caden Rose on a ground ball single to right field. Rosario added another RBI, his seventh in the past two games, with another single, scoring Bleis again. In the eighth, the Sea Dogs put the game out of reach as Winnay scored Rose once more. Winnay was then driven home on Raudelis Martinez’s first homer of the season, adding an exclamation point to an emphatic win. High-A Greenville Drive Series @ Greensboro Grasshoppers: 4-1 Season Record: 35-48 The Drive won 12-7 after a late offensive awakening and some extra-inning heroics. Devin Futrell got the start on Saturday, coming off a horrendous outing last week in which he allowed seven earned runs on 11 hits in five innings. Futrell saw improvement this time around, lasting 4⅔ innings. He allowed four runs on six hits, issuing just one walk. He struck out five before turning the ball over to Matt Duffy in the fifth inning. Duffy made his first appearance in an affiliate game since September 2024, striking out five across three frames. He allowed three runs on four hits, but it was a successful outing after a long journey back to the mound. Griffin Kilander got the ball in the eighth, and pitched into extras. Kilander earned the win for his 3⅓ innings of dominance. He allowed just one baserunner, via a walk, as he shut down the Grasshoppers offense in extras with four strikeouts. The Drive’s bats were lively on Saturday, driving in 12 runs on 11 hits. Greenville also displayed excellent plate discipline, drawing a collective eight walks and striking out only five times. Enddy Azocar tallied four RBIs on two hits as all but one of the Drive’s starting nine tallied a hit. Azocar put the Drive on the board in the third, tying the game at 1-1 with a solo home run. The Drive’s next run came in the eighth when Gerardo Rodriguez drove in Hudson White and Yoeilin Cespedes on a groundball single as he advanced to third. Rodriguez raced home later in the inning on an Isaiah Jackson RBI single that tied the game at four runs apiece. Facing a three-run deficit in the ninth, Ronny Hernandez got the Drive within striking distance on a solo home run before Cespedes tied the game on a two-run shot that scored White. With the game tied in extras, Antonio Anderson gave the Drive a lead with an RBI single that scored Yophery Rodriguez. With two runners on later in the inning, Enddy Azocar gave Greenville some cushion with his second homer of the game, a three-run blast scoring Anderson and White. Already ahead by four, G. Rodriguez tacked on one more with a solo blast as he put the game firmly out of reach. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series @ Columbia Fireflies (Kansas City Royals): 3-2 Season Record: 35-50 Salem fell in an extra-innings heartbreaker as the bullpen fell apart late. Ethan Walker made his first appearance with Salem in nearly two months as he returned from a lower back injury. Walker was excellent across three innings, surrendering two hits and striking out four before Jason Gilman took over in the fourth. Gilman took a bulk role, going the distance as he turned in five innings of work. He wasn’t as dominant as Walker, however, as he allowed five runs (one unearned) on just three hits. He issued two walks as he struck out six. Harry Blum got the ball in the ninth inning of a tied ballgame. He allowed one hit and two walks as he stalled out Columbia’s offense in the ninth before the game headed to extras. However, with two outs in the tenth, Blum relinquished a bases-loaded single that put the Fireflies within one. Nicolas De La Cruz took over, but promptly gave up another run on a wild pitch, then allowed the Fireflies to walk-off the game on a bases-loaded single. The Yaks were incredibly successful at the dish on Saturday, registering 12 hits and eight runs and going 5-for-12 with RISP. Louis Andujar led the way with three RBIs and three hits as D’Angelo Ortiz contributed three RBIs of his own. Andujar got the Yaks on the board with his second homer of the season, a solo shot in the fifth inning to cut into a two-run Columbia lead. Facing a four-run deficit in the eighth, Andujar struck again, singling on a line drive and scoring Franklin Primera and Kleyver Salazar. Later in the inning, Avinson Pinto drove Starlyn Nunez home as the Yaks were within one. Ortiz then tied the game with an RBI single, scoring Andujar. In the tenth inning, Salazar put the Yaks ahead on a single to center field, scoring Anderson Fermin. Ortiz then added two more to the lead on another RBI single, scoring Salazar and Pinto. It was a short-lived lead, as the bullpen collapsed and handed Columbia the win. View full article

Happy draft day, all! Before we add a bunch of new members to the farm system, let's recap Friday night's action. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series vs. Rochester Red Wings (Washington Nationals): 3-1 Season Record: 44-43 Worcester fell 10-4 on a rough day for the pitching staff. Raymond Burgos had amassed a 1-4 record entering his start on Friday night against Rochester. After he exited in the fifth inning, his record fell to a weak 1-5. Across his start, Burgos allowed four runs on seven hits as he struggled to stop the Red Wings’ offense. He K’d just one and walked another before being pulled. Caleb Bolden, who was called back up to Worcester after a one-game stint last week, made a two-frame appearance in relief. Bolden struggled mightily as his Triple-A ERA rose to 13.50. He allowed four more runs on four hits as the game began to slip away from the WooSox. Bolden struck out four before Wyatt Olds took over in the eighth. Olds struggled, allowing two more runs on four hits. He struck out five of the nine batters he faced before first baseman Nathan Hickey finished off Friday’s contest with a one-out appearance. The WooSox struggled on both sides of the ball, going a measly 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and failing to capitalize at key junctures. Tyler McDonough and Andrew Knizner had two hits apiece as Mickey Gasper drew three walks in five at bats. Although the lopsided final score didn’t show it, the WooSox grabbed the lead first. Braiden Ward crossed home on a wild pitch by former Red Sox prospect Luis Perales in the first inning. The lead was short-lived, however, and the next WooSox run came as they were down two runs. In the third, Allan Castro stole second, advancing to third on a throwing error as Gasper stole home, cutting the deficit to one. The WooSox wouldn’t strike again until the ninth inning, when Tyler McDonough launched a two-run homer to right field, scoring Hickey. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series @ New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays): 2-2 Season Record: 45-39 Portland rebounded after a seven-run loss on Thursday, winning 7-5 behind four RBIs from Ronald Rosario. John Holobetz set the tone on the pitching side for Portland, turning in another quality start. Across five frames on Friday, Holobetz allowed four runs on five hits. While it was the most runs he’s allowed in his past three starts, it was still a successful night as Holobetz struck out six. Jeremy Wu-Yelland took the mound for the next 2⅔ innings and earned the win for his performance. He struck out two and allowed one run on two hits. Patrick Halligan took the final 1⅓ frames of Friday’s contest, shutting out New Hampshire with a perfect outing. He earned the save as he struck out two. Rosario was on fire on Friday as he contributed the bulk of Portland’s offense. Will Turner got the scoring started for Portland in the third inning, launching his tenth homer of the season. In the fourth, Rosario struck for the first time. With Brooks Brannon aboard and down by two runs, Rosario tied the game with one swing. His fifth homer of the year sailed past the wall in left center as the Sea Dogs evened the score. In the fifth, Brooks Brannon struck as well. His fourteenth homer of the season scored Jack Winnay and nabbed the lead for Portland. With the ballgame tied in the eighth, Rosario put the Sea Dogs ahead once and for all. He hit his second homer of the night to right center, scoring Winnay and leading Portland to victory. High-A Greenville Drive Series @ Greensboro Grasshoppers: 2-2 Season Record: 34-48 Greenville won behind late offense even after a near collapse from the bullpen. Marcus Philips was electric in one of his best starts of the season. Across 4⅔ frames, Philips allowed one run on two hits, his second start in a row allowing one run. He struck out six before turning the ball over to Shea Sprague. Sprague earned the win for his 2⅓ innings of relief. He allowed two runs on two hits, striking out one but displaying excellent command as he didn’t allow a walk. Matt McShane took the next 1⅔, innings turning in a poor performance. He allowed four runs on three hits before Tyler Davis took the final out. He allowed one more run on a solo homer, but escaped with the save as Greenville won by a slim margin. Justin Gonzales extended his hit streak to six games as he hit his twelfth homer of the season. Mason White was a major contributor on Friday, recording three RBIs on two hits. Ronny Hernandez drove in White in the second inning to put the Drive on the board. Four innings later, Gonzales put the Drive ahead with his solo homer before White drove in Isaiah Jackson to add to the lead. With the game tied in the eighth inning, Gerardo Rodriguez drove in Gonzales with an RBI double to center field. Luke Heyman tacked on another run, scoring Rodriguez on an RBI single. Ahead by two, White wasn’t done. He drove in two more runs on a homer to right center field, driving in Heyman. One inning later, Rodriguez added another run on a solo homer before Heyman matched him with a solo shot of his own. Owners of a six-run lead, the Drive clung to a win despite a five-run showing in the bottom of the ninth from Greensboro. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series @ Columbia Fireflies (Kansas City Royals): 3-1 Season Record: 35-49 Andrews Opata’s three-RBI night and a solid showing from the bullpen helped lead Salem to a slim 9-8 win. Christian Foutch started the game for Salem, but didn’t last long before being pulled. In just 2⅓ innings, Foutch allowed five runs on four hits as he walked four. He struck out three before being replaced by Yermain Ruiz in the third inning. Ruiz earned the win for his bulk relief appearance. Ruiz lasted four frames, allowing two runs on four hits as he struck out eight batters. Joey Gartrell took the final 2⅔ innings, silencing Columbia’s offense and sealing the win for Salem. Gartrell allowed one unearned run on two hits as he struck out four. Starlyn Nunez and Opata got Salem off to a hot start back-to-back home runs in the first inning. After falling behind by three runs in the fourth, Givian Sirvania put the Yaks back in the game with a two-run shot, scoring Andruw Musett and cutting the deficit to one. One inning later, Avinson Pinto drove in Louis Andujar on an RBI single to tie the game. Musett then scored Pinto as Salem drew ahead. To tack on one more, Justin Barry hit an RBI single of his own as the lead grew to two runs. Salem wasn’t quite done, however. Opata put an exclamation mark on the five-run inning with a line drive single to center, scoring both Barry and Sirvania. Salem held onto a close win as they won their third game in the last four. View full article

No, but its not far off. The record for a nine-inning game was set earlier this year when Wehunt, Patrick Halligan, and Cooper Adams combined for 20 Ks. Sunday's total is tied for the fourth most by the Sea Dogs' staff.

Let's see how the Red Sox affiliates fared on Sunday afternoon to wrap up Fourth of July weekend. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series @ Syracuse Mets (New York Mets): 3-3 Season Record: 41-42 Worcester salvaged the series split with a 7-3 win in the finale behind early offense. Raymond Burgos got the nod on Friday afternoon and turned in a one-run outing. Across 4⅔ innings, Burgos allowed four hits and a walk, letting a solo run cross home plate. He struck out three before WooSox Manager Iggy Suarez made a call to the bullpen. Eduardo Rivera took an inning and ⅓ of relief work, sparking what was a solid combined effort from the Worcester bullpen. Rivera allowed a hit and a walk, earning the win before Tyler Uberstine took over in the seventh. Uberstine turned in a perfect inning, striking out two and lowering his ERA to 3.05. Sam McWilliams was up next in the eighth inning. McWilliams allowed two runs on one hit and two walks in one inning of work, but kept the game from getting out of hand. Wyatt Olds took the final frame, sealing the win with a two-strikeout perfect inning. The WooSox took advantage of the good pitching with a solid performance at the plate. Andrew Knizner led the way with two RBIs as Tyler McDonough, Mickey Gasper, and Max Ferguson each contributed two hits. In the first, Gasper stepped up to the plate with runners on the corners. He proceeded to crank a double to the right field wall, driving in McDonough. With Gasper on second and Vinny Capra on third later in the inning, Allan Castro hit a groundball single to left, driving in Capra and advancing Gasper to third. To add to the early offensive surge, Castro and Gasper executed a double steal of second and home, tacking on another run. Knizner drove in Castro shortly thereafter, adding two more runs to the lead. Holding onto a four-run lead in the sixth inning, Ferguson gave the WooSox some insurance as he drove in Kristian Campbell on a single to left. Capra added some extra comfort as he drove in Brett Harris on a sac fly later in the inning. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. Altoona Curve (Pittsburgh Pirates): 4-2 Season Record: 43-37 Portland trounced Altoona 10-0 to claim the series win in decisive fashion. On Saturday, Patrick Sandoval and Anthony Eyanson combined for an excellent game. On Sunday, Blake Wehunt and Jedixson Paez did them one better. The duo of Wehunt and Paez let up only two hits amidst nine shutout innings. Wehunt got the ball rolling, earning his fourth win of the season for his five inning efforts. He has been dominant as of late and is a serious candidate for a call-up to Triple-A. On Sunday, Wehunt walked four and allowed just one hit, accumulating nine strikeouts as his ERA dropped to 3.38. Paez entered in the sixth inning, looking to shut down the rest of the game. He did just that. Paez allowed just one more hit and struck out eight more batters while not issuing a single walk. It was a dominant effort from both pitchers as they set up the Sea Dogs offense perfectly. Portland’s offense took full advantage, tallying ten runs and ten hits. Franklin Arias and Marvin Alcantara recorded two RBIs each as the Sea Dogs got the scoring started early. Alcantara sparked a four-run second inning with a two-run shot to center field, scoring Brooks Brannon. Later in the second, Matt Frazier dashed home on a wild pitch as Nelly Taylor advanced to third. Ahbram Liendo drove Taylor in with a one-out single to center field as Portland grabbed a four-run advantage. One inning later, Nate Baez added another run to the lead as he scored on another wild pitch. In the sixth, Brannon clubbed a homer of his own to center, making the lead 6-0. With the game out of reach, Franklin Arias joined in on the fun in the seventh inning, singling on a ground ball with two runners in scoring position. Liendo and Caden Rose scored as a result. Arias then scored later in the inning on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch. In the eighth, Raudelis Martinez added insult to injury with a bases-loaded groundout, scoring Rose one final time. High-A Greenville Drive Series @ Winston-Salem Dash (Chicago White Sox): 1-5 Season Record: 31-47 Greenville fell 8-3 in the finale of a disappointing series. Devin Futrell, who pitched six shutout innings his last time around, was battered around during his start on Sunday afternoon. Futrell allowed two runs in each of the first three innings, lasting through the fifth inning. Across the five frames, Futrell allowed seven runs on 11 hits in what was easily the worst start of his season. Calvin Bickerstaff entered in the sixth inning, looking to do some damage control. Bickerstaff was successful for the most part, allowing one more run on three hits as he struck out one. Finally, Matt McShane took the eighth and final inning in perfect fashion, striking out two. Antonio Anderson was the only member of the Drive to record a multi-hit game on Sunday as Greenville couldn’t replicate their strong offensive showing from Saturday. It was Isaiah Jackson who first put the Drive on the board, hitting a solo home run in the second inning. Facing a five-run deficit in the fifth inning, Mason White did his part to close the gap, hitting a solo shot of his own. Justin Gonzales drove in Anderson in the eighth on a groundout, but it had little effect as Winston-Salem had opened an eight-run lead. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series @ Augusta GreenJackets (Atlanta Braves) : 3-3 Season Record: 31-47 Salem fell in the series finale 4-1 as the offense struggled mightily. Trennor O’Donnell made his first appearance for Salem in 2026 on Sunday, grabbing the start. Unfortunately for O’Donnell, his first appearance was less than ideal as he earned the loss. Over three frames, he allowed two runs on three hits as he struck out four batters. Jose Bello took a bulk relief role on Sunday, pitching from the fourth through the sixth as he struggled as well. He allowed another two runs on three more hits as Augusta took advantage of the shaky pitching. Joey Gartrell took the final two frames for Salem, spinning a near-perfect outing. He allowed just one hit as he struck out five of the eight batters he faced, highlighting the day for the RidgeYaks’ staff. Salem’s offense was nothing impressive on Sunday, accounting for just three hits and one run. The lone run came in the eighth, down 4-1. With Franklin Primera in the box, Justin Barry scored via a balk as Salem avoided the shutout. Barry, Primera, and Kleyver Salazar were the only Yaks to record a hit, each of them smacking a single. View full article

There’s nothing more American than baseball on the Fourth of July. Let’s see how the Red Sox affiliate teams fared on the nation’s birthday. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series @ Syracuse Mets (New York Mets): 3-2 Season Record: 41-42 Worcester fell by one run for the second consecutive night despite a late offensive surge. Seth Martinez started the ballgame for Worcester and turned in two frames of perfect work. He struck out two before being pulled. Noah Song got the ball next, but his appearance was less than ideal as he earned the loss. Over just 1⅓ innings, Song allowed five runs on five hits as Syracuse jumped out to an early lead. Tyler Samaniego was called in to finish off the fourth inning, and stayed in for the fight. Samaniego allowed one baserunner via a walk, but struck out two before turning the ball over to Angel Bastardo. Bastardo allowed one more run, but held it down through two innings of work. Finally, Osvaldo Berrios was called upon to close out the contest. He did just that, striking out the side and putting Worcester in a comeback position. Unfortunately for Berrios, Worcester’s offense fell just short for the second straight night. The WooSox kept it close with five runs on five hits, most of which came in the late stages of the game. Worcester was held scoreless until the eighth inning, when Mikey Romero put the WooSox on the board with an RBI single, scoring Braiden Ward and Vinny Capra. Later in the inning with the bases loaded, Brett Harris grounded out to short but Romero and Jason Delay scored on a throwing error as the WooSox crept within two. With the game in reach in the ninth, Mickey Gasper singled on a ground ball to right, driving in Max Ferguson and advancing Ward to third. However, with the tying run just 90 feet away, the WooSox couldn’t get the job done as they fell by a narrow margin. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. Altoona Curve (Pittsburgh Pirates): 3-2 Season Record: 42-37 Portland walked off Altoona in extras behind five excellent innings each from Patrick Sandoval and Anthony Eyanson. Sandoval made what was his reported final rehab start in a lengthy two-year recovery from UCL surgery. Sandoval was excellent through a five inning appearance, allowing a hit and a walk as he sent five batters packing on strikes. In the sixth, Portland made an unusual call to the bullpen as starter Anthony Eyanson took the mound in a relief role. Eyanson won his third game of the season for his outing as he delivered a great five innings. He allowed two runs on three hits and a walk, but gave the offense enough leeway to pull off the win. Eyanson matched Sandoval’s strikeout total with seven of his own as he delivered another superb performance. Despite tallying only three runs, the Sea Dogs did just enough to win Saturday’s contest. Ahbram Liendo provided most of the offense with his two RBIs, as Franklin Arias opened the scoring in the first. Arias skied a fly ball to right field, driving in Raudelis Martinez on a sac fly. After Eyanson conceded two runs in the eighth, Liendo tied the game. He looped a check swing hit just over the glove of the second baseman, reaching first safely as Martinez was thrown out at second. Liendo played the hero for a second time just two innings later. With two runners in scoring position, Liendo smoked a hit off of the third baseman's glove as Miguel Bleis raced home. Liendo was mobbed by his teammates as the crowd celebrated the walk-off win. High-A Greenville Drive Series @ Winston-Salem Dash (Chicago White Sox): 1-4 Season Record: 31-46 Greenville snapped an eight-game losing streak, winning in easy fashion 12-3. Marcus Philips got the start for Greenville on Saturday, turning in four and ⅓ innings of solid work. Philips allowed one run on four hits as he struck out three batters. One thing that stood out from Philip's performance on Saturday was his exceptional control. He didn't issue a walk across his outing. Shea Sprague got the nod next, making a one and ⅓ inning relief appearance. He allowed two runs to cross home on two hits as he allowed two walks. Sprague struck out one and got the win for his middle-innings outing. Joe Vogatsky took the final three and ⅓ frames in nearly perfect fashion. Vogatsky allowed just one baserunner via a walk as he struck out four batters and sealed the long-sought win for the Drive. Greenville's offense was exceptional on Saturday as they totaled 12 runs on as many hits. Enddy Azocar lived up to his top prospect status as he led the way with three RBIs on Saturday afternoon. Azocar got the scoring started in the third inning with a line drive single to left field. Stanley Tucker crossed home as ht eDrive captured an early lead. In the fifth, Antonio Anderson added to the lead as he scored Yophery Rodriguez on a double. With Anderson at second, Azocar hit his third home run of the season to tack on two more runs. Not to be outdone, Yoeilin Cespedes stood at the plate next, crushing his 13th homer of the season as the two prospects went back-to--back. But the Drive weren't done yet. Luke Heyman matched Azocar and Cespedes with a homer of his own as the Drive went back-to-back-to-back in an explosive five-run inning. Cespedes stepped up to the plate in the sixth inning with Azocar aboard. Cespedes took the pitcher deep for his second homer of the night, giving the Drive a six-run lead. One inning later, with runners at the corners, Ronny Hernandez grounded out to first as Isaiah Jackson raced home. In the eighth, Azocar was driven in once more as Jackson hit a triple to deep centerfield. To put a bow on a tremendous afternoon, Mason White crushed a two-run homer to put the game firmly out of reach. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series @ Augusta GreenJackets (Atlanta Braves) : 3-2 Season Record: 32-47 The RidgeYaks won behind dominant pitching across the staff, prevailing 1-0. Jason Gilman got the nod on Saturday evening, twirling an astounding performance. Over six frames, Gilman limited the GreenJackets offense to just two hits and two walks as he struck out nine of the 22 batters he faced. Following Gilman’s excellent outing, Jay Allmer kept the ball rolling with an inning of shutout relief. Despite walking three, Allmer was able to limit the damage before Harry Blum took the final two innings. Blum was nearly perfect, allowing just two walks in two frames as he struck out two and sealed the close victory for Salem. Salem’s offense was quiet on Saturday, recording just five hits and four walks. However, it was just enough to eke out the victory as Ilan Fernandez was responsible for the lone, game-winning run. The run came early, as Anderson Fermin stood at first in the third inning. Fernandez hooked a double down the line in center field as Fermin hustled around the bases and beat the tag at home. It proved to be critical for the RidgeYaks, however, as they were able to go home satisfied for the third straight contest. View full article

Let’s check in on the Red Sox farm through Friday’s action. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series @ Syracuse Mets (New York Mets): 3-1 Season Record: 40-41 Worcester fell 8-7 in a close game amid a poor day from the WooSox bullpen. Jack Anderson impressed through five shutout frames. Anderson allowed three hits and walked two, but struck out three before his night came to a close following the fifth inning. Zack Kelly followed Anderson and struggled. Kelly didn’t record an out, instead conceding five runs on three hits. Caleb Bolden replaced Kelly, getting thrust into a high-stakes situation in his first appearance in Triple-A. Bolden spent three years in Double-A before getting the long-awaited call-up on Thursday. Bolden pitched through two complete frames, striking out three but allowing Syracuse to tack on three more runs (one unearned) on two hits. In Bolden’s first appearance with Worcester, he was dealt the loss. Sam McWilliams, another Worcester newcomer, took over in the eighth inning and closed the loss for the WooSox. He allowed two walks and struck out one in his first appearance. McWilliams was signed to a minor league deal on July 2 following a stint in Mexico. Worcester went an impressive 5-for-14 with runners in scoring position on Friday, but came up just short. Mikey Romero led the way with three RBIs as Kristian Campbell tallied three hits. Tyler McDonough got the scoring started for Worcester in the third inning, doubling on a fly ball to right field and driving in Campbell. Later in the inning, newly acquired infielder Brett Harris scored Nathan Hickey on a groundball back to the pitcher. With a two-run advantage in the fourth, Campbell smacked a line drive to center, good for an RBI single as Allan Castro crossed home. One inning later, Romero drove in Braiden Ward on a line drive single to left, adding to the lead. Romero smacked another RBI single in the seventh, driving in McDonough and Ward and tying the ballgame. Down by two in the ninth, Mickey Gasper attempted to start a comeback, singling to center and driving in Vinny Capra. However, it was too little too late as Worcester fell by one run. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. Altoona Curve (Pittsburgh Pirates): 2-2 Season Record: 41-37 The Sea Dogs went home victorious 9-3, behind another strong start from John Holobetz. Holobetz has recorded six strikeouts in each of his last three starts but on Friday he one-upped himself, punching out seven batters. Holobetz lasted 5⅓ innings, allowing two runs on four hits and walking just one batter as he earned the win. Reidis Sena took over in the sixth inning and lasted through the eighth. Over the 2⅔ innings, Sena allowed one run on four hits and sent three batters down on strikes. Eduardo Rivera allowed one hit as he shut the door on Altoona’s offense and sealed the Friday night victory for Portland. Brooks Brannon turned in a three-hit night, contributing two RBIs in the win. Johanfran Garcia and Ronald Rosario also added two RBIs as the trio helped the Sea Dogs to a win. With the bases loaded in the third, Garcia turned on a ball high in the zone and hit it back to the wall in right center. Franklin Arias and Miguel Bleis scored as Garcia opened the scoring. Portland wasn’t finished as later in the third, Rosario drove in Brannon and Garcia on a ground ball single to center as Portland took an early four-run lead. In the fifth, Ahbram Liendo hit a single to left field, driving in Jack Winnay and sending Caden Rose to third. Two batters later, Rose took advantage of a wild pitch and crossed home. In the seventh, the Sea Dogs scored again on a wild pitch as Matt Frazier scored. To add to the lead later in the inning, Brooks Brannon scored Arias and Rose on a ground-rule double as Portland put the game firmly out of reach. High-A Greenville Drive Series @ Winston-Salem Dash (Chicago White Sox): 0-3 Season Record: 30-46 Greenville lost their eighth straight game 7-1 as its struggles on both sides of the ball continued. Despite Winston-Salem tallying seven runs, the Drive’s pitching staff only allowed one earned run on Friday night. Alex Bouchard took the bump to start the game and allowed the only earned run for the staff. Bouchard was pulled in the third, finishing with two walks, two strikeouts, one run, and no hits, earning the loss. The inherited runner scored on a triple allowed by Tyler Davis. Davis took the 2⅔ innings following Bouchard’s exit. He allowed two hits but struck out four before Danny Kirwin took over. Kirwin allowed three unearned runs as he walked four batters and allowed one hit. He struck out four but was replaced by Steven Brooks after just 1⅓ innings. Brooks took the next inning, allowing three more unearned runs on three hits as Greenville truly fell apart. Catcher Hudson White took the eighth and final frame, allowing two walks but staving off any further offense from the Dash. It was an embarrassing night for the Drive at the dish as they only totaled three hits. They drew six walks, but they were far from effective as they only scored one run. The Drive’s lone run came in the top of the eighth, facing a seven-run deficit. With the bases loaded, Isaiah Jackson drew a walk and drove in Antonio Anderson. While the Drive avoided being shut out, there was nothing more to write home about regarding Friday’s poor performance. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series @ Augusta GreenJackets (Atlanta Braves) : 2-2 Season Record: 31-47 The RidgeYaks rode early offense and solid pitching to a 7-4 win. Christian Foutch got the start on Friday night for Salem and turned in an excellent 4⅔ inning performance. Foutch allowed one run on three hits and one walk, but struck out eight. It was the most strikeouts he’s recorded in a game since May 1 as Foutch lowered his ERA to 6.18. Yermain Ruiz split Friday’s game with Foutch, entering in the fifth and closing the game. Ruiz allowed three runs on five hits as he struck out four batters as he staved off Augusta’s offense to give Salem the win. After allowing two runs in the eighth, Ruiz pitched a clean ninth inning to seal the win for Salem. The RidgeYaks totaled ten hits and seven runs at the plate, going a respectable 2-for-8 with RISP. D’Angelo Ortiz led the way with three RBIs, and Andrews Opata and Louis Andujar followed suit with two RBIs apiece. Opata struck early, going yard in the first inning and driving in Starlyn Nunez as Salem established a quick lead. With runners on second and third in the fourth inning, Ortiz hooked a ball past third base and into the corner in left field. Andujar and Adonys Guzman scored easily as Salem’s lead rose to four runs. Ortiz added another RBI in the sixth, driving in Andujar once more on a sac fly. Andujar then joined the party, tacking on two more runs in the eighth as Salem took a commanding four-run lead. Guzman and Franklin Primera scored as Andujar advanced to second on a fielding error. Andujar capped off a successful night for Salem as they left the ballpark victorious. View full article

Let's see how the Red Sox affiliates fared on Sunday afternoon. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series vs. Toledo Mud Hens (Detroit Tigers): 1-5 Season Record: 37-40 The WooSox avoided the series sweep and snapped a five-game skid, winning 3-1. Patrick Sandoval, who is finally nearing a big-league return after missing two years due to elbow surgery, turned in a quality start on Sunday afternoon. The veteran shoved four frames, giving up one run on three hits and recording three strikeouts. Jovani Morán, who is also nearing a return from a short stint on the injured list, took the fifth and sixth innings. Morán was perfect, striking out three and earning the win for a dominant performance. Alec Gamboa got the ball next, allowing one hit and striking out three over two innings. Joe La Sorsa took the ninth inning and converted a save opportunity. He allowed one hit and walked one but sealed the much needed win for Worcester. Worcester’s offense leaned on Jason Delay as he propelled the WooSox to victory with two-late RBIs. It was Vinny Capra that kicked off the scoring, launching a solo home run in the first inning to give Worcester an early lead. With the ballgame tied and two runners on in the sixth, Jason Delay hit a groundball back to the pitcher. The ball ricocheted off the pitcher's leg, bouncing into shallow right field as Capra and Braiden Ward raced home. The single gave Worcester the push it needed to grab its first win in five days. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series @ Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies): 4-2 Season Record: 39-35 Portland’s pitching staff lifted the Sea Dogs to a win as they shut out Hartford 6-0. Blake Wehunt excelled in the starting role, turning in six frames of one-hit ball. Wehunt allowed just one baserunner as he sent eight batters down on strikes in one of his best starts of the season. Jeremey Wu-Yelland redeemed a poor performance earlier in the weekend with a perfect inning of relief. Wu-Yelland struck out the side before Max Carlson took over. Carlson allowed only the second baserunner for Hartford, but sent the Yard Goats packing with ease. Patrick Halligan took the ninth, adding a perfect inning and sealing an excellent afternoon for the Sea Dogs staff. Portland allowed just two baserunners and racked up a combined thirteen strikeouts. Franklin Arias carried his recent hot streak into Sunday, contributing an RBI and two hits. The real story of Portland’s offense, however, was Miguel Bleis. Bleis homered again, his fourth in the past three games amidst a torrid offensive streak. Bleis’s homer came in the first inning, putting the Sea Dogs up early. Arias raced home on a wild pitch in the third, before knocking in an RBI of his own two innings later. Arias hit a groundball single to center field, driving home Nelly Taylor. In the ninth, Jack Winnay and Matt Frazier put an exclamation point on the shutout win. With Johanfran Garcia aboard, Winnay hit his first homer of the season to left center. Matt Frazier stepped into the batter’s box next, going back-to-back with Winnay with his first homer of the season. High-A Greenville Drive Series vs. Asheville Tourists (Houston Astros): 2-3 Season Record: 30-41 Greenville fell for the fourth straight game as the pitching staff let up three runs in the top of the ninth, losing 8-5. Marcus Philips took the mound to start the afternoon for Greenville, looking to find his groove amid a rough season. Philips struggled through just 1⅓ innings, allowing three runs on two hits and walking three. Griffin Kilander entered in the second, taking the next three innings. He allowed two more runs on three hits before Matt McShane took over. Despite allowing three hits over 2⅔ innings, McShane fended off Asheville’s offense as he struck out four. P.J. Labriola took the ball in the eighth and pitched into the ninth. Disaster struck for the left-handed reliever as he allowed three unearned runs on three hits. Hudson White limited the damage as he came in for Labriola, but it wasn’t enough to avoid the loss for the fourth straight night. Gerardo Rodriguez and Isaiah Jackson led the offense with two RBIs apiece, and Luke Heyman added an RBI of his own. Heyman’s RBI kick-started the offense’s afternoon as he drew a bases-loaded walk in the third inning. Later in the inning, Rodriguez hit an infield single to second base, as Justin Gonzales and Enddy Azocar scored as the throw to first was misplaced. To cap off the five-run inning, Jackson smoked a groundball to center, driving home Heyman and Rodriguez as Greenville took a two-run lead. It was a short-lived lead, however, as the Drive couldn’t muster any more offense, falling 8-5. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series vs. Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Chicago Cubs): 1-3 Season Record: 28-45 Salem split the series with Myrtle Beach on a walk-off single from Starlyn Nunez, prevailing 7-6. Jason Gilman got the start for Salem on Sunday, pitching very well over four and ⅔ frames. He allowed one run on three hits. He struck out six and walked four. Jose Bello has quietly had a great season so far in Low-A and he continued to pitch well on Sunday afternoon. Over 2⅔ innings of relief, Bello allowed two runs (one unearned) on three hits. While it was far from his best appearance this season, he was able to stave off Myrtle Beach. Nicolas De La Cruz took the ball in the eighth inning and was able to earn the win on Sunday, but not without some struggle. Over 1⅔ innings, De La Cruz allowed three runs (one unearned), one hit and three walks. It was a rough outing, but De La Cruz didn’t concede the lead as Salem’s offense won the game for the RidgeYaks. Salem’s bats went back and forth with Myrtle Beach throughout the afternoon and surged late in the game, propelling the Yaks to victory. In the bottom of the first, Skylar King skied a double off the wall in right field, scoring Andrews Opata and putting Salem on the board. Tied 1-1, Anderson Fermin regained the lead for Salem in the fourth, driving Kleyver Salazar home on a sac fly. Down by one in the seventh, Ilan Fernandez shot a double to left field, scoring Fermin and D’Angelo Ortiz as Salem got ahead again. Fernandez then scored on a wild pitch later in the inning. In the eighth, Salazar added to the lead with a double of his own, scoring Opata. After the Pelicans tied the game in the top of the ninth, Salem’s offense got in the box with work to do. Givian Sirvania and Fernadez drew two walks on eight straight pitches before Justin Barry drew the third walk in a row for Salem. Nunez, Salem’s leadoff batter, stepped into the box with the bases loaded and no outs. Nunez played the hero for the second time this season, hitting a line-drive single to right field as Salem walked off the series finale. View full article

Let's see what happened down on the Red Sox's farm on Saturday evening. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series vs. Toledo Mud Hens (Detroit Tigers): 0-5 Season Record: 36-40 Worcester’s losing streak hit five on Saturday as the WooSox fell 15-6 in a slugfest. The WooSox, playing as the Worcester Kelley Squares, turned to Jack Anderson for Saturday’s start. Anderson struggled across four frames, letting up six runs on four hits. Anderson struck out three and walked two before being replaced by Tyler Samaniego. Samaniego stopped the bleeding temporarily, allowing just a walk and a hit while striking out two in one inning of relief. Tyler Uberstine came next and was rocked to the tune of six runs (three unearned) on five hits in just an inning of work. Eduardo Rivera took the mound next, turning in a solid two innings of work. He allowed one run on four hits before Juan Montero took the ninth frame. Montero allowed two more runs to cross home in the ninth inning of a disastrous day for the WooSox staff. The WooSox offense held its own on Saturday, but it couldn’t compete with Toledo’s onslaught. Max Ferguson and Kristian Campbell led the offense with two RBIs apiece. Andrew Knizner started the scoring with a bases-loaded double in the bottom of the first, driving in Braiden Ward and Vinny Capra and forcing Mikey Romero to third. Romero was driven home later in the inning on a Campbell sac fly. Just one inning later, Max Ferguson drove in Tyler McDonough on a two-run shot to right. The WooSox last run came far too late to do any damage as Romero rounded the bases on a solo home run, his sixth of the year. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series @ Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies): 3-2 Season Record: 38-35 TalkSox’s top two prospects took the field for Portland on Saturday as Franklin Arias returned to the lineup and Anthony Eyanson took the mound. The pair put up two excellent outings, leading the Sea Dogs to a 5-2 victory. Eyanson turned in yet another quality start, lasting 5⅔ innings. He allowed one run, his first run given up in the month of June. Eyanson only struck out two batters, his fewest mark all season. It was a successful start despite some minor struggles. Jedixson Paez took the next 2⅓ innings, allowing one more run on a solo homer and striking out three. Erik Rivera followed Paez, sealing Portland’s win with a two-strikeout save. Portland had a great offensive showing on Saturday, tallying 11 hits and five runs. The Sea Dogs were especially effective with runners in scoring position, going 4-for-13. The scoring started late for Portland, with the first two runs coming in the eighth inning. Down one run, Franklin Arias cranked a two-run homer to right center with Nelly Taylor on second. It was Arias’s 15th homer of the season, leading the Red Sox affiliate teams. Miguel Bleis wanted in on the fun, homering after Arias as the pair went back-to-back. It was Bleis’s third homer in just two nights as he continued a hot month at the plate. With a two-run lead in the ninth, Ahbram Liendo put the ball in play with runners on the corners. Liendo reached on a fielder’s choice as Marvin Alcantara crossed home. With the bases loaded, Miguel Bleis stepped to the plate and singled to left field, scoring Caden Rose. Bleis put an exclamation mark on what was a successful day at the dish for Portland. High-A Greenville Drive Series vs. Asheville Tourists (Houston Astros): 2-3 Season Record: 30-41 Greenville fell 11-9 in an extra-innings heartbreaker. Alex Bouchard took the mound to start the evening for Greenville. Bouchard limped through a 3⅔ inning start. He allowed five runs (one unearned) on eight hits before being replaced by Ben Hansen. Hansen undertook a bulk relief role, turning in 4⅓ innings of shutout ball. Danny Kirwin took the mound to start the ninth and escaped unscathed. However, in the tenth Kirwin was lit up, allowing six runs (one unearned) on five hits and three homers. Tyler Davis played damage control in the tenth, but it was too late to avoid the loss as the Drive fell apart late. Akin to Portland, Greenville was effective at the dish on Saturday. Going a combined 4-for-11 with RISP and good for nine runs on 11 hits, Greenville’s offense was nearly enough. Luke Heyman continued to impress on Saturday, going 3-for-4 and driving in three runs. Heyman started the scoring for the Drive, scoring Enddy Azocar on a single in the second inning. Then in the fourth inning, Heyman drove a solo home run over the wall in center and cut the deficit to three. Heyman capped off his three-hit performance with another RBI single, this one coming in the fifth inning and scoring Antonio Anderson. Down by two runs in the sixth, Yophery Rodriguez scored on a wild pitch as Ronny Hernandez advanced to second. Hernandez was subsequently driven home on a home run from Anderson. It was Anderson’s third home run in as many days as he gave Greenville a one-run edge. Mason White added to the lead with an RBI single in the seventh, scoring Gerardo Rodriguez. With their backs against the wall in the bottom of the tenth, the Drive tried to mount a comeback effort. Isaiah Jackson scored on a passed ball to cut the deficit to three. Finally, Rodriguez hit his twelfth homer of the season but it was too little too late as Greenville narrowly fell. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series vs. Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Chicago Cubs): 1-3 Season Record: 28-45 Salem held on to a three-run lead, prevailing 8-5 behind a good start from Christian Foutch. Foutch turned in three innings of no-hit ball, walking three and racking up five strikeouts. It was a much-needed rebound from a disastrous last start. Yermain Ruiz took the mound next, allowing three runs on six hits over the next three frames. Ruiz struck out another five before turning the ball over to Adam Bates. Bates let up two runs on four hits, but still earned the win. Like the two pitchers before him, Bates recorded five more strikeouts across two innings. Devin Gartrell took the ninth frame and struck out the side in a perfect inning, sealing the win for Salem. Despite a collective 11 strikeouts, the RidgeYaks were more than sufficient at the plate. Down by two runs in the fourth, Louis Andujar put Salem on the board with an RBI double, driving in Skylar King. King hit an RBI single of his own just an inning later, scoring Givian Sirvania and Andrews Opata to take a one-run lead. Down by two in the seventh, Andujar hit another RBI single, tying the game with two more RBIs. Opata and Avinson Pinto scored as Salem evened the game. Andujar then scored as Anderson Fermin reached on a throwing error, giving Salem the lead. D’Angelo Ortiz put the game out of reach with a two-out RBI single, scoring Fermin and Andruw Musett. View full article

Let's check in on Friday’s action on the farm. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series vs. Toledo Mud Hens (Detroit Tigers): 0-4 Season Record: 36-39 The WooSox skid continued on Friday as they were crushed 13-1. Not much went well for Worcester on Friday, especially on the mound. Seth Martinez got the start, lasting just two innings before being pulled. Over the course of his short outing, Martinez gave up five runs on four hits, raising his ERA to 6.65 while taking the loss. Devin Sweet took the next two innings and saw some more success. Sweet let up one run on two hits before turning the ball over to Angel Bastardo for the fifth. Bastardo let up two runs on two hits as Toledo began to run away with the ballgame. Zack Kelly put together the most successful outing for Worcester, allowing one walk in his inning-long outing. Noah Song took the seventh through eighth, allowing the Mud Hens to score five more runs. Song walked two and allowed five hits. Wyatt Olds took the ninth and matched Kelly’s inning, allowing a walk but preventing Toledo from tacking on anything else. At the dish, the WooSox struggled to get on base, recording only eight baserunners. A somewhat depleted roster didn’t help, as Anthony Seigler and Tsung-Che Cheng have both recently joined the big league club. Worcester’s only run came on a Mikey Romero solo home run in the first inning, his fifth of the year. Otherwise, newly signed Andrew Knizner and Max Ferguson recorded a double each while both Allan Castro and Jason Delay singled. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series @ Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies): 2-2 Season Record: 37-35 Miguel Bleis clubbed two homers as Portland lost 4-3 in a close game. John Holobetz spun an absolute gem on Friday, turning in six innings of superb work. Holobetz gave up just one earned run throughout his start, allowing three hits and a walk. Holobetz struck out six for the third start in a row. Jeremy Wu-Yelland got the ball in a tense situation, hoping to carry over Holobetz’s momentum. Wu-Yelland faltered, however, allowing two runs on three hits in just an inning and earning his first blown save of the season. Reidis Sena ultimately lost the game for Portland, allowing one more run (although it was unearned) on one hit in the eight inning as Hartford prevailed. Franklin Arias was absent from Portland’s lineup on Friday evening. Whether or not Arias sat out in anticipation of a Triple-A call-up is unclear, but it’s certain that Portland struggled without him. Coming into Friday night, Arias carried a five-game multi-hit streak. Miguel Bleis stepped up in Arias’ absence, but he was alone in his efforts. He hit a leadoff home run to start off the game, giving the Sea Dogs an early lead. In the third, Bleis stole second as Ahbram Liendo scored on a throwing error. In the fifth, Bleis crushed his second home run of the night as Portland added to a short-lived lead. Liendo, Ronald Rosario, and Jack Winnay recorded a single each, making up the rest of Portland’s offense. High-A Greenville Drive Series vs. Asheville Tourists (Houston Astros): 2-2 Season Record: 30-40 Kyson Witherspoon is finally beginning to look like the pitcher Boston drafted last year. Despite early season struggles, Witherspoon has been terrific over his past few outings. Friday was no exception, as Witherspoon notched seven strikeouts and allowed just one run. He let up five hits and a walk over six innings, but minimized the damage as he turned in yet another great performance. Calvin Bickerstaff took the next two innings, letting up a solo home run and a walk before turning the ball over to Steven Brooks. The outings that preceded Brooks were not in line with his performance as he imploded. Brooks allowed five runs on four hits in the top of the ninth as Asheville took a late lead, and eventually the win. Greenville’s offense was solid for most of the game, but couldn’t rectify poor late-game pitching. Antonio Anderson shouldered most of Friday’s offense as he drove in two runs on two hits. His first RBI came in the fourth inning as he drove in Yophery Rodriguez on a single. Ronny Hernandez then scored on a Hudson White sac fly, taking a 2-0 lead. In the sixth, Hernandez and Anderson teed off. The pair went back-to-back as Greenville established a three-run lead. However, it was all the offense could muster for the rest of the night as Asheville stole a win on Friday night. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series vs. Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Chicago Cubs): 1-3 Season Record: 27-45 Salem lost yet again, falling 8-1 in its 16th loss of the month. With three days until July, you can count the Salem RidgeYaks number of wins in the month of June on one hand. The RidgeYaks have won just four games in 20 contests, good for a .200 winning percentage. This trend continued on Friday as Salem barely put up a fight. The struggles on the pitching side started early. Myrtle Beach got to Brady Tygart early, forcing him out of the game after just 1⅔ innings. Tygart walked five batters and allowed two hits, letting up three runs (one unearned). Jacob Mayers took the next 2⅓ frames, walking four and allowing a hit but staving off any more runs from the Pelicans. Jay Allmer pitched just ⅓ of an inning before being pulled, allowing three runs on four walks and zero hits. Harry Blum took the next 2⅓ innings to the tune of one run on one hit. Wuilliams Rodriguez closed out the final 2⅓ innings of Friday’s game, letting up one unearned run and striking out four. Salem recorded just four hits on Friday, two of which were hit by Avinson Pinto. On a more positive note, Salem drew six walks but struggled to do much with runners on. Its only run of the evening came on an Andrews Opata double in the third inning, driving in Ilan Fernandez to cut the lead to two runs. However, Salem didn’t put up much of a fight as they were dispatched quite easily, striking out 12 times. Opata and Pinto each registered a double and Pinto and Adonys Guzman both singled as well. View full article