Ben Lofy

Boston Red Sox Affiliate Recap (September 19) Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series vs. Durham Bulls (Tampa Bay Rays): 3-2 Season Record: 76-67 The WooSox couldn’t replicate their offensive prowess from Friday, falling in an extra-innings battle 4-3. Gage Ziehl made the final start of his first season in the Red Sox organization, turning in a solid six-frame appearance. He allowed a pair of runs (one unearned) on four hits as he issued a walk. He struck out three before Tanner Houck took over. Houck was making his fourth rehab appearance of the season in search of a postseason call-up. He was solid through the first three innings of his outing, but let up the go-ahead run in the top of the tenth. He let up two runs (one unearned) on two hits and struck out a pair in the 3⅓ inning relief appearance as he earned the loss. Sam McWilliams entered for the final two outs of the tenth, letting up a hit but striking out two. After a Friday night onslaught that featured a little bit of offense from everyone, the WooSox were entirely reliant on Franklin Arias on Saturday evening. Arias didn’t disappoint with three RBIs on a pair of hits, but he had no run support from the rest of the lineup. He gave the WooSox a one-run lead in the third, drilling his sixth Triple-A homer of the season to left field as Braiden Ward crossed home. In the fifth, Arias would give the WooSox the lead again. He scored Nathan Hickey on a single as Ward advanced to third. With a chance to walk it off in the ninth, Arias pulled a ball that looked good off his bat, but it would eventually fly foul to the dismay of the Polar Park patrons. Arias couldn’t do it all himself, as evidenced by the close loss. View full article

Boston Red Sox Affiliate Recap Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series vs. Durham Bulls (Tampa Bay Rays): 3-1 Season Record: 76-66 Strong performances on both sides of the ball were the key as Worcester trounced Durham 16-1 amid a playoff push. Michael Sansone lasted just 3⅔ innings his last time out, surrendering six runs in a loss. On Friday, Sansone erased any bad memories, spinning an outstanding six-frame outing. He allowed one run on one hit, striking out five as he shut down the Bulls. Devin Sweet took over in the seventh, following in strong fashion. He walked one and struck out another in an inning of hitless relief. Angel Bastardo followed Sweet with a similar line, walking one as he too stumped Durham. Osvaldo Berrios was called up for the final frame on Friday, but he couldn’t keep up the bullpen’s hitless day. He allowed two hits and struck out a pair, sealing an easy win for Worcester. Allan Castro was responsible for nearly half of Worcester's offense on Friday. His seven RBIs tied the WooSox single-game record. Amid rumors of a late-season call-up, Braiden Ward made his case on Friday evening with a record-tying performance of his own. The speedster went 5-for-5 with three RBIs, tying the WooSox record with five runs in the win. The pair got started early as Castro tagged a double to left field, scoring Ward. With Castro and Mikey Romero aboard, Nathan Hickey launched his eighth homer of the season to right field. An inning later, Franklin Arias built on the early lead with a single to right, scoring Max Ferguson. Just like the inning prior, Castro drove in Ward, this time on a sac fly to center. Arias would then come around on a Romy Gonzalez double. With a seven-run lead in the third inning, the WooSox didn’t slow down. Ward scored Nate Baez with a single before Arias drove in Ferguson on a groundout. To cap off the inning, Castro drove in Ward for the third consecutive inning, this time on a homer to left. In the fifth, Ward decided it was his turn to go deep. He hit a solo homer to right, bringing the WooSox total to 13. With the bases loaded in the seventh, who else would step to the plate but Castro. He put a bow on the blowout with a bases-clearing double, scoring Ward, Tsung-Che Cheng and Juan Montero. If the WooSox want to make the playoffs, they will need to win both of their final games and need Syracuse, Rochester, and Indianapolis to lose their last games. Worcester will also need Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to lose one of their final two. View full article

Boston Red Sox Affiliate Recap Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series @ Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Philadelphia Phillies): 3-3 Season Record: 73-65 The WooSox salvaged a series split behind a clutch ninth inning, winning 8-7. Gage Ziehl took the bump in Sunday’s series finale, but struggled towards the end of a 5⅔ inning appearance. He was scoreless through three, but then disaster struck. He let up four runs on five hits, but displayed excellent control. He didn’t issue a walk, a trend that would continue throughout Sunday’s outing from the WooSox staff. He struck out eight before Noah Song took the final out of the sixth frame. Song struggled, allowing two runs on two hits in the abbreviated outing. Tyler Samaniego got the call next, allowing one more run on two hits as he struck out one. Sam McWilliams took the final two frames of Sunday’s contest in perfect fashion, striking out a pair. The WooSox bats were on fire, with all but one batter recording a hit. Allan Castro’s two-homer performance paved the way for the win. Four players, Castro, Vinny Capra, Franklin Arias, and Tsung-Che Cheng, recorded multi-hit games. Cheng got the WooSox started with a two-run shot in the second inning, his eighth of the year, as Mikey Romero crossed home. An inning later, Capra launched a homer of his own, giving Worcester a three-run lead. But the WooSox weren’t done. One batter later, Arias crushed a ball to deep left center as the lead grew. Arias’s homer flew 439 feet as the top prospect quelled any doubts about a lack of power. In the fourth, Max Ferguson scored Cheng on a soft single to short. After letting up six unanswered runs, Castro responded with his first homer of the night, tying the ball game with a deep drive to right center. After Leigh retook the lead, Castro played hero once more. His second homer of the game, this time with Capra aboard, gave Worcester a one-run lead in the top of the ninth that proved to be the difference. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. Binghamton Rumble Ponies (New York Mets): 4-1 Season Record: 71-65 Portland’s final game of the season was cancelled due to inclement weather. View full article

Boston Red Sox Affiliate Recap Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series @ Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Philadelphia Phillies): 2-3 Season Record: 72-65 Despite outhitting Lehigh Valley 8-7, Worcester failed to capitalize with runners in scoring position as it lost 7-5. Michael Sansone struggled through a 3⅔ inning start, allowing six runs on five hits and issuing four walks. He struck out three, but was unable to quell an offensive uprising. Patrick Halligan took over with two outs in the fourth and was much better. He issued a walk but kept the IronPigs hitless over 1⅓ innings, striking out a pair. John Brebbia came in next, throwing a frame of one-run ball. He gave up a pair of hits and issued another pair of walks, but kept the game within reach. Then, Angel Bastardo threw ⅔ of an inning of hitless relief, walking one before being replaced by Hobie Harris. Harris closed the eight-inning matchup with ease, walking one and striking out another over an inning and ⅓. Braiden Ward led the WooSox offense with three hits and two runs while Allan Castro led the way with two RBIs. Castro’s first RBI came in the first inning when he took a ball deep to center field, giving Worcester an early one-run advantage. Down 4-1 in the fourth, Tsung-Che Cheng drove in Max Ferguson on a triple before scoring on a Tomas Nido groundout. Down by one, Ward would even the score with a solo shot to right center. Down three in the seventh, Castro scored Ward on a groundout, but the WooSox couldn’t catch the IronPigs as they fell 7-5. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. Binghamton Rumble Ponies (New York Mets): 4-1 Season Record: 71-65 Portland finished the season with a win in what was supposed to be its penultimate game of the 2026 season, as its season finale was canceled due to rain. It was a low-scoring affair as the Sea Dogs beat out the Rumble Ponies 1-0 in a pitching battle. Morgan McSweeney made his final start of the year a good one, and maybe his best. He spun seven shutout frames, letting up just four hits and a walk. He struck out five as he ended the season on a high note. Steven Brooks finished the Sea Dogs season in perfect fashion. He hurled two perfect frames and struck out four. Portland’s offense wasn’t as outstanding as the pitching, but it got the job done. Ahbram Liendo was the only Sea Dog to record a multi-hit game as only seven batters reached. Will Turner, Brooks Brannon, and Caden Rose each recorded a hit. Turner hit out of the leadoff spot, and wasted no time putting Portland on the board. His leadoff homer in the first inning proved to be the difference as neither team could put a run across home in the ensuing eight frames. View full article

Boston Red Sox Affiliate Recap Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series @ Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Philadelphia Phillies): 2-2 Season Record: 72-64 Worcester’s two-game win streak was snapped as Lehigh Valley prevailed 4-1 on Friday night. John Holobetz turned in a solid start on Friday, but didn’t get much run support. He let up one run on four hits over five and ⅓ innings, lowering his ERA to 4.00. He walked one and struck out seven before being replaced by Seth Martinez. Martinez struggled through an inning and ⅔, allowing three runs on three hits. He walked one and struck out a pair as the IronPigs pulled ahead. Devin Sweet took the final frame, striking out one and shutting down the opposition as he gave the offense a late chance. Worcester’s offense struggled mightily, combining for just five hits and six total baserunners. Worcester’s sole RBI came in the fifth inning on a Nate Baez double, scoring Max Ferguson. Baez, Ferguson, Allan Castro, Mikey Romero, and Tsung-Che Cheng were the only five to record a hit while Baez drew a walk as well. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. Binghamton Rumble Ponies (New York Mets): 3-1 Season Record: 70-65 Portland put up seven runs in the second inning en route to a 8-4 win over Binghamton. Yordanny Monegro took the first three frames of Friday’s contest, spinning a solid start. He let up one run on three hits and issued two walks. He struck out another before Tanner Houck took over. Houck made his second rehab appearance with Portland, finishing after three excellent innings. He let up one run on one hit and issued a walk. He struck out four over the outing as he earned the win. Max Carlson took the next two frames, allowing one run on a pair of hits. He matched Houck’s strikeout total of four. Cooper Adams took the final frame, but not without a bit of struggle. He allowed another run on a pair of hits. He issued a walk and struck out a pair in the win. After a 14-run outpouring on Thursday, the Sea Dogs picked up right where they left off. They compiled eight runs on nine hits and drew eight walks. Willson Contraras, on a rehab assignment, and Henry Godbout led the way with two hits apiece. Contrearas, Will Turner, and Brooks Brannon all pitched in two RBIs as well. Turner got Portland on the board, homering to right field as Ronald Rosario scored in the second inning. Godbout continued the inning, driving in Liendo on a double to left. The Sea Dogs weren’t done. With two outs, Contreras scored Godbout and Justin Gonzales on a single to center. Brannon capped off the inning with a two-run blast, scoring Contreras as he sent a ball deep to right center. In the fifth, Rosario gave Portland its eighth and final run on a solo blast to center. View full article

Let's see how the Red Sox's farm system did as some seasons came to a close. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series @ Buffalo Bisons (Toronto Blue Jays): 4-1 Season Record: 70-62 Worcester’s hot streak was snapped during the series finale on Sunday. The WooSox gave up seven runs in the seventh inning en route to a one-run loss. Before the seventh-inning disaster, Gage Ziehl turned in a quality start. Ziehl went five one-run innings, allowing three hits and issuing one walk. He struck out a pair as Worcester’s offense took a commanding lead. John Brebbia entered next and kept the Buffalo offense in check in his one-inning appearance. He struck out a pair and allowed one hit. The game got out of hand when Angel Bastardo jogged in from the bullpen. In just ⅓ of an inning, Bastardo let up five runs on four hits, issued a walk, and didn’t record a strikeout as Buffalo got back into the game. Tyler Samaniego entered next and he wasn’t much better than Bastardo. In just ⅔ of an inning, he let up two more runs on three hits and issued a walk as well. He earned the loss for his disastrous outing. Osvaldo Berrios came in next, but his efforts were in vain. He let up one hit and walked another, keeping the Bisons scoreless in the eighth but it was too little, too late as Worcester fell. The WooSox offense was hot through the first four frames of Sunday’s finale but cooled off quickly, failing to respond to Buffalo’s onslaught. Three players, Franklin Arias, Kristian Campbell, and Romy Gonzalez, all recorded three hits as Campbell and Gonzalez contributed two RBIs apiece. Gonzalez gave Worcester the lead early, scoring Arias on a line drive single in the first. Campbell tacked on another before the inning ended, driving in Anthony Seigler on a single. An inning later, Braiden Ward drove in Nathan Hickey as Worcester grabbed a two-run lead. A few batters later, Arias doubled on a hard line drive to the center field wall, advancing to third on a throwing error. Ward scored before Arias was driven home on a sac fly from Seigler. Worcester entered the fourth owning a four-run lead, and didn’t settle. Gonzalez drove home Ward on a single to third, advancing to third on a throwing error. Campbell drove in Gonzalez on a double to left, giving Worcester a large lead. However, it would be quickly relinquished and the offense failed to respond despite getting chances late. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series @ Chesapeake Baysox (Baltimore Orioles): 3-3 Season Record: 67-64 The Sea Dogs fought back from an early 0-2 series deficit, winning the finale to secure the series split. Tyler McDonough was the standout with his second great performance in two days. Caleb Bolden took the first two frames of a bullpen game from Portland. He allowed two runs on two hits and issued a walk. He struck out three before Max Carlson took over. Carlson was excellent over three frames, earning his sixth win of the season. He let up a solo homer, but kept the Baysox hitless otherwise. He struck out four before he exited following the fifth inning. Cooper Adams got the call next, but he couldn’t match Carlson’s performance. He allowed three runs on five hits over 1⅔ innings. Adams issued a pair of walks and struck out three before Tyler Davis was called upon to close the seventh inning. Davis went the distance, closing the game in dominant fashion. He let up one unearned run on one hit, striking out three and earning the save. After a three-hit, two-RBI game on Saturday, McDonough one-upped himself on Sunday. He drove in three on two hits as he helped Portland win the game. Other standouts from Sunday included Henry Godbout, who went 3-for-5, and Will Turner, who drove in two runs. Godbout drove in one run, smashing a homer to left center in the second inning and handing Portland an early lead. After the Baysox took a two-run lead, McDonough closed the gap in the fourth inning. His 12th homer of the year sailed over the wall in right field, driving in Turner and Caden Rose. An inning later, Johanfran Garcia crossed home on a balk. Later in the fifth, Turner crushed a two-run homer to right center, scoring Rosario. Max Ferguson stepped to the plate next and hit a homer of his own, going back-to-back with Turner and giving Portland a five-run lead. Holding a one-run lead in the ninth, Portland sealed the deal on a wild pitch as Godbout scored. High-A Greenville Drive Series @ Bowling Green Hot Rods (Tampa Bay Rays): 3-3 Season Record: 59-70 After winning by four runs on Saturday, Greenville came up just short on Sunday. A one-run loss closed the season for the Drive, who finished 11 games under .500. Leighton Finley started in the season finale, turning in a solid 4⅔ inning start. Finley kept the Hot Rods scoreless, limiting them to one hit and issuing three walks. He struck out seven in his final appearance of the year. Trennor O’Donnell took the final 3⅓ innings of the game. He dealt through the first two frames of his appearance, but struggled in the eighth. He let up four runs on four hits, striking out a pair as Bowling Green pulled ahead. The Drive had plenty of offensive opportunities, but failed to come through when it mattered the most. Owen Hull had two RBIs as he ended the season with a .337 batting average and a .967 OPS since joining the team in early August. Jake Schaffner, another early August addition, had two hits, ending the season with a .315 average and .797 OPS. Hull’s offensive contributions came in the third, when he hit a single to left field. Nazzan Zanetello and Skylar King scored as Greenville jumped out to a lead. In the eighth, Isaiah Jackson built on the lead, scoring Schaffner on a soft line drive single as Greenville took a 3-0 lead. However, it was short-lived as O’Donnell would relinquish it just a half inning later. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series vs. Hull City Howlers (Cleveland Guardians): 4-2 Season Record: 56-75 Despite accruing 12 hits and scoring seven times, Salem fell by three runs in its final contest of the season. Winners of two straight entering the game, Salem’s season ended on a negative note. Berny Ortiz took the final start of the season in rough fashion. He earned the loss for his three-inning appearance. He allowed three runs on four hits and issued four walks. His three strikeouts were solid, but not good enough to undo the other discrepancies. Williams Montero entered next, but struggled even more. He let up four runs on seven hits in just one inning. He failed to record a strikeout before Nicholas Judice took over, and he walked five but was solid otherwise. He allowed one run but kept the Howlers hitless, striking out two in 1⅓ frames. Alex Kranzler entered to finish the sixth and took the seventh as well. He struggled, but not as badly as Montero or Ortiz. He let up two runs on two hits, striking out three before Yander Bonaci took the final two innings of the season. Bonaci was outstanding, finishing one strikeout amid two perfect innings of relief. D’Angelo Ortiz, Colton Coates, and Andrews Opata all recorded two RBIs in the finale. Both Coates and Kleyver Salazar went 3-for-5, ending the season on a high. The Yaks wouldn’t strike until the third inning, down 3-0. Opata changed that with his 11th homer of the season, crushing a pitch to left field. Down 7-1 in the fourth, D. Ortiz brought the Yaks a little closer with a bases-loaded double. He drove in Salazar and Coates as Brito advanced to third. Brito would cross home on an Opata sac fly later in the inning. The Howlers’ runs just kept pouring on as Salem found itself down by six in the seventh inning. Salazar scored Wills Maginnis on a line drive single to cut into the lead before Coates did some more damage. Franklin Primera scored on Coates’ double, bringing the Yaks within four. In the ninth, Coates drove in Maginnis, attempting to kick-start a last-ditch effort for a comeback win. However, it couldn’t be done as Salem fell 10-7 in their season finale. View full article

Let's see how the Boston Red Sox affiliates did on Saturday evening. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series @ Buffalo Bisons (Toronto Blue Jays): 4-0 Season Record: 70-61 Worcester rolled to its fifth straight win, prevailing 4-2 behind great games from Kristian Campbell and Michael Sansone. Sansone got the start on Saturday evening, spinning a five-frame appearance while keeping Buffalo’s offense in check. He let up one run on a pair of hits but struggled with command, issuing four walks. He struck out two more before Noah Song took over. Song earned the win for his two-inning outing. He too allowed one run on two hits, but struck out three. Devin Sweet hurled a perfect eighth inning before Sam McWilliams struck out two in the ninth, sealing the win. Campbell was responsible for half of Worcester’s offense, knocking in two RBIs and going 3-for-4. Romy Gonzalez was responsible for the other two runs, going 1-for-3. Gonzalez got the WooSox on the board first, turning on a double to center as Nate Eaton scored. Down 2-1 in the eighth, Gonzalez struck again. With Anthony Seigler on third, Gonzalez hit a sac fly to right field to tie the game. Later in the inning, Kristian Campbell took it upon himself to give the WooSox the lead. He clobbered an opposite-field home run just over the fence, giving Worcester just enough to get the job done. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series @ Chesapeake Baysox (Baltimore Orioles): 2-3 Season Record: 66-64 After going down early, a six-run eighth inning propelled the Sea Dogs to victory as they won 6-4. Alex Bouchard struggled in the first two frames of his start, but settled in after. He was pulled after five innings, giving up four runs on four hits and issuing a walk. He struck out three before Seven Brooks took over. Brooks was nearly perfect through 2⅓ innings, allowing one baserunner via walk. He struck out four before being pulled in the eighth. Erik Rivera took it from there, closing the game in scoreless fashion. Across 1⅔ frames, Rivera walked a pair and allowed one hit, striking out four as he earned a save. Tyler McDonough was outstanding on Saturday, tallying three hits and driving in two runs. Behind him was Ronald Rosario, who was responsible for two more RBIs in the win. The Sea Dogs went down early, falling into a four-run hole by the second inning. However, in the eighth, the tables turned. Rosario slashed the lead in half with a two-run homer to right field, driving in Johanfran Garcia. With two runners on later in the inning, Nelly Taylor scored Will Turner on a double to right. Down by one, McDonough scored Taylor and Mason White on a ground ball single, giving Portland a one-run advantage. Brooks Brannon didn’t want to stop there; he tacked on one more with an RBI single to left, scoring McDonough as Portland stormed back to win the game. High-A Greenville Drive Series @ Bowling Green Hot Rods (Tampa Bay Rays): 3-2 Season Record: 59-69 The Drive won 5-1 in their penultimate game of the season behind a great start and combined offense. Barrett Morgan made his final start of the year a good one, turning in four shutout frames. He allowed one hit and walked two, but struck out three. He maintained a perfect 0.00 ERA in three starts with Greenville. Adam Bates got the ball next, earning the win. He pitched 2⅔ innings of one-run ball, allowing a pair of hits. He struck out two and walked two more, but held the Hot Rods offense largely at bay. Griffin Kilander came in for the final 2⅓ innings, shutting down the Hot Rods. He allowed two hits and walked one, but struck out four en route to a scoreless appearance. Four players recorded an RBI on Saturday, with Isaiah Jackson leading the way with two. Ronny Hernandez went 3-for-3 with an RBI as well. Jackson broke a 0-0 deadlock in the sixth inning, giving the Drive a two-run lead with a homer to right field, scoring Luke Heyman. One batter later, Hernandez would make the lead three as he teed off, going back-to-back with Jackson. Yophery Rodriguez stepped to the plate, looking to do the impossible. The impossible became possible as Rodriguez sent a fly ball deep to right field, going back-to-back-to-back as Greenville jumped way ahead. In the seventh, Givian Sirvania would put the game out of reach with a solo homer of his own to left field as Greenville looks to end the season on a high note on Sunday. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series vs. Hull City Howlers (Cleveland Guardians): 4-1 Season Record: 56-74 With two games remaining in the season and eliminated from playoff contention, Salem won 6-5 behind great games from two top prospects. Sadbiel Delzine has excelled since being called up to Low-A. The trend continued on Saturday as he turned in a four-inning start. He let up one unearned run on four hits, but struck out six of the 16 batters he faced. Jose Bello would come in next and his recent struggles continued. Over three frames Bello allowed three runs on four hits, issuing four walks and striking out only one batter. Caden Vire looked to get the game under control as he entered in the eighth, and he succeeded. He allowed one run on one hit, issuing three walks and striking out three more in 1⅔ innings. While it wasn’t the cleanest outing, Vire earned the win. Yermain Ruiz would enter for the final batter, earning a save as he closed out the win. Three RBIs from Adonys Guzman helped pave the way to a win, with Franklin Primera chipping in two more. Primera struck early, giving the Yaks a two-run lead in the first inning as he took a ball deep, scoring Colton Coates. After Hull City took a one-run lead, Guzman tied the game with a bases-loaded double play, scoring Louis Andujar but wasting an opportunity for more runs. Down by one once again, Guzman played hero for a second time. He blasted a ball to right center, scoring Andujar and Starlyn Nunez and giving Salem just enough to claim victory. View full article

Let's take a look at how the Boston Red Sox's farm system did on Friday. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series @ Buffalo Bisons (Toronto Blue Jays): 3-0 Season Record: 69-61 The WooSox played a game and a half on Friday, completing the remainder of Thursday’s game. They swept the pair, improving to a four-game win streak. In the completion of Thursday’s game, which was suspended in the 10th inning, Worcester won behind a clutch three-run performance in extras. After the late resumption, veteran reliever Seth Martinez was called upon to preserve the three-run lead. Martinez got off to a hot start, striking out the first two batters he faced. But then, Martinez faltered. With the extra-innings runner at second base, Carlos Mendoza smoked a line drive to shallow right field, scoring Jay Harry as the Bisons inched closer. However, Martinez would shut down any sort of comeback, forcing a groundout to seal the win. The Worcester offense was the story to watch as the game resumed. Kristian Campbell led off the inning by drawing a walk, giving the WooSox two baserunners with Anthony Siegler automatically on second. Seigler advanced to third on an Allan Castro flyout before Vinny Capra did some damage. Capra swung on and hammered a three-run line drive home run to left field, giving Worcester a 6-3 lead that carried them to a win. With vibes high coming off the clutch performance, Worcester cruised to a 10-0 win in the day’s second game. John Holobetz got the start for Worcester, spinning a six-inning gem that kept Buffalo scoreless. Holobetz allowed three hits and issued three walks, striking out four as he stymied the Bisons offense. The strong performance would carry over as Tyler Samaniego entered in the seventh frame. Samaniego walked one and struck out another before Patrick Halligan took over. Halligan was perfect in the eighth, striking out a pair and keeping the shutout alive. Looking to close out a terrific bullpen performance, Osvaldo Berrios took the ninth inning of the shutout. Berrios was perfect as well, keeping Buffalo at three total hits and just seven baserunners all game. Worcester’s offense was even more unstoppable than the bullpen. The bats registered a staggering 19 hits and converted for 10 runs. Nathan Hickey went 3-for-4 with three RBIs, Worcester’s clear MVP. Franklin Arias went 4-for-6 with an RBI as his average increased to .317 with a .860 OPS. With two runners in scoring position in the first, Arias scored on a Nate Eaton sac fly. The early lead grew in the third inning when Seigler drove in Tsung-Che Cheng on a groundout. Hickey broke the game wide open an inning later, driving in Castro and Capra on a deep three-run blast. Ward decided he wanted in on the fun later in the inning, slapping his fourth homer of the season to right center as Cheng scored again. With a 7-0 lead in the seventh, Tomás Nido stepped to the dish with the bases-loaded. Nido hit a sharp base-hit past the shortstop as Eaton scored. Later in the inning, Castro would score as Ward reached on a fielding error. Holding a formidable lead late, Arias put a bow on the blowout. His ninth Triple-A double and fourth hit of the game scored Hickey as Worcester reached 10 runs. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series @ Chesapeake Baysox (Baltimore Orioles): 1-3 Season Record: 65-64 Portland went 51-42 with Arias on the roster. Since the top prospect’s promotion to Triple-A, Portland has gone a middling 14-20. The Sea Dogs’ struggles continued to pile up on Friday as they fell in a low-scoring contest. Morgan McSweeney got the start on Friday. McSweeney let up six hits in four frames, but was able to limit the Baysox to just two runs. He walked one and struck out four before Jeremy Wu-Yelland took over. Wu-Yelland entered in the fifth, throwing two one-run frames. He let up two hits and an unearned run as Chesapeake built on their lead ever so slightly. His four strikeouts matched McSweeney as he walked one as well. Joe Vogatsky was called upon to finish the contest, and he turned in the most successful outing of the day from any Portland pitcher. He let up one run and struck out a pair as he kept the Baysox scoreless, giving Portland a late chance. Unfortunately for Vogatsky and the rest of the team, Portland’s offense struggled through Friday’s contest. The Sea Dogs had 10 opportunities with RISP, but failed to do any damage. Henry Godbout was the biggest standout for Portland, tallying three hits and claiming responsibility for its only RBI. The run was too little and it came too late. With runners on the corners in the eighth inning, Godbout laced a single through the infield. Ahbram Liendo crossed home, but the efforts were in vain as Portland fell 3-1. High-A Greenville Drive Series @ Bowling Green Hot Rods (Tampa Bay Rays): 2-2 Season Record: 58-69 Greenville lost on a walk-off despite an excellent combined effort from the pitching staff. It was the Drive’s second one-run loss in two days and the offense let multiple opportunities pass it by. Yordanny Monegro started for the second time this season, part of a rehab assignment from Double-A. He turned in two so-so frames but struck out four. He allowed two runs on a pair of hits and issued one walk. Shea Sprague entered in the third inning, taking on a bulk relief role. Sprague let up five hits but was otherwise excellent, shutting down the Hot Rods and punching out seven batters. Aaron Nixon took the final 2⅓ innings of Friday’s game, but he wasn’t as dominant as Sprague. With the game tied going into the tenth inning, Nixon recorded one out before giving up a walk-off single as Greenville lost the game. The Drive did a decent job getting on base, totaling nine baserunners, but struggled to make them count. Greenville went 2-for-12 with RISP, stranding seven as they passed up countless opportunities to change the outcome of Friday’s game. Gerardo Rodriguez and Stanley Tucker were each responsible for an RBI as Jake Schaffner led the team with two hits. Each of the Drive’s runs came in the third inning as they tied the ballgame. Tucker got the Drive on the board with his third homer of the year, a solo shot, to right center. Later in the frame, Rodriguez drove Schaffner home on a line drive single to center. It was all that Greenville could muster, falling by one in a game that could have gone its way plenty of times. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series vs. Hull City Howlers (Cleveland Guardians): 3-1 Season Record: 55-74 With just three games left to play in the 2026 season, Salem entered Friday’s game eager to set itself up to win its final series of the season. Salem did just that, racking up 11 runs en route to a seven-run win. Cam Padgett made what will likely be the last start of his season, spinning 3⅔ shutout innings. He walked one and gave up four hits, striking out five as he got Salem off to a good start. Carson Revay came in next, succeeding Padgett in solid fashion as Hull City got on the board. Over 1⅔ innings, Revay allowed one run on a pair of hits, walking one as well. He struck out two before Nicolas De La Cruz entered. De La Cruz won his seventh game of the season, allowing one run and issuing a walk across 2⅓ innings. He struck out four as he won Friday’s honors. Harry Blum took the final 1⅓ frames, allowing a pair of runs to score before he stopped the bleeding. He walked one and gave up two hits, but had plenty of insurance runs to back him up. Josue Brito and Kleyver Salazar were responsible for most of Salem’s offense, combining for five of the Yaks’ nine RBIs. Salazar went 4-for-4 with two RBIs as Brito went 1-for-4 with three RBIs. Salazar got the Yaks on the board in the third inning, grabbing a one-run lead. With two runners on, Salazar blooped a single to right as Wills Maginnis scored. Brito, the very next batter, would bring in Salazar and Colton Coates with a three-run homer. Adonys Guzman stepped to the plate following Brito, launching a home run of his own. The back-to-back blasts gave Salem an early five-run advantage. In the fifth, Salem would strike again. Starlyn Nunez drove in Salazar on an RBI double to right before Anderson Fermin hit a double of his own, scoring Nunez and Guzman. Owning a seven-run lead in the sixth, Salazar would add one more. He hit a single to left field that scored Maginnis for a second time. Salazar and Coates would score on a fielding error later in the inning as Avinson Pinto reached, giving the Yaks an insurmountable nine-run lead that they held until the end. View full article

Let’s see how the Red Sox farm did as this week's series came to a close. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (New York Yankees): 3-3 Season Record: 66-61 The WooSox got back in the win column on Sunday afternoon, claiming a 13-10 victory to secure the series split. John Brebbia took the first inning of a bullpen game that featured seven different pitchers on Sunday. Brebbia allowed a hit, walked one, and struck out another, turning over a clean scoresheet to Max Carlson after the first inning. Carlson earned the win for his outing on Sunday, the longest of any Worcester pitcher. He let up a pair of runs on five hits and struck out another before Devin Sweet took over. Sweet struggled across one and ⅓ innings, letting up three earned runs on three hits. He issued a walk and struck out one as Osvaldo Berrios was called in to finish the sixth inning. Berrios struggled even more than Sweet, allowing four runs on four hits in just ⅔ of an inning. Berrios punched out a pair before Angel Bastardo took the seventh inning. Bastardo was excellent, allowing one hit and issuing one walk as he struck out another. Seth Martinez followed Bastardo in the eighth but didn’t fare as well. He let up one run on two hits, striking out one before Hobie Harris was called upon to close the game. Harris earned his third save of the year for his shutout inning of work. He let up one hit but sealed the much-needed win for Worcester. As Red Sox fans anticipate the call-up of Franklin Arias and the reinstatement of Roman Anthony, many forget about Kristian Campbell. Campbell has quietly put together an excellent season and may have put together his best performance so far on Sunday. Campbell led the team with four RBIs on three hits as Romy Gonzales and Brett Harris chipped in three RBIs each. Campbell got started early, launching a solo homer in the second inning and grabbing a one-run lead for Worcester. In the third, Isiah Kiner-Falefa drove in Vinny Capra and Nate Baez on a bases-loaded single. Later in the inning, with two runners aboard, Gonzalez scored Kiner-Falefa and Arias on a double to center. The WooSox weren’t done scoring; Harris drove in Gonzalez and Campbell on a double to left, giving Worcester a 7-2 lead. In the fifth, Campbell struck once more. With Gonzalez and Nate Eaton in scoring position, he clobbered his second homer of the game beyond the center field fence, bringing the WooSox total to 10 runs. After a seven-run sixth inning brought the RailRiders within one, Allan Castro drew a bases-loaded walk in the seventh, scoring Eaton. With the bases loaded yet again, Harris drew a walk of his own, giving Worcester a three-run lead. With a two-run lead in the eighth, Gonzalez put an exclamation mark on the successful day for Worcester, crushing a homer to right field and sealing the win. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series @ Richmond Flying Squirrels (San Francisco Giants): 4-2 Season Record: 64-60 Portland lost on an extra-innings walk-off, narrowly missing out on their fifth straight win. Alex Bouchard struggled through the first three frames of Sunday’s game. He let up five runs on six hits and issued two walks. He struck out three as Richmond took advantage of his struggles. Caleb Bolden took the next three frames and saw much more success. He let up one hit and issued a walk, striking out a pair before Erik Rivera took over. Rivera matched Bolden’s scoreless appearance over two frames, allowing one hit and striking out three. Reidis Sena entered following Rivera and let up one run. Sena issued a walk and didn’t record an out as he was pulled quickly. Steven Brooks took over in Sena’s place and pitched a one-hit inning, walking one. With the bullpen depleted in the tenth, Portland turned to Hudson White to spin a miraculous win. White failed, however, allowing two runs (one unearned) on two hits as he issued two walks across ⅓ of an inning. Portland’s offense kept most of its momentum following Saturday's 14-run onslaught. The Sea Dogs tallied 16 baserunners as Tyler McDonough led the way with three RBIs. Johanfran Garcia posted his second three-hit game in a row, knocking in one RBI as well. In the second, Caden Rose put the Sea Dogs on the board as he drew a bases-loaded walk, scoring Yoeilin Cespedes. Down by four in the third inning, Garcia launched his third homer in two days to left field, cutting the lead to three. An inning later, Ahbram Liendo scored by way of a Nelly Taylor single. With the deficit at two in the top of the ninth, Tyler McDonough played hero. He crushed a fly ball to left field, scoring Rose and tying the game. Cespedes put Portland ahead with a double to left, scoring Garcia. After Richmond tied the game, McDonough gave the Sea Dogs another lead, scoring Liendo on a ground out. However, it wasn’t enough to claim victory as the Sea Dogs fell by one. High-A Greenville Drive Series vs. Rome Emperors (Atlanta Braves): 3-2 Season Record: 55-67 Greenville secured the series win in walk-off fashion, completing a four-run comeback in the ninth. Jose Bello got the call up to Greenville on Friday and turned in a solid start on Sunday. Across four and ⅓ innings, Bello let up three runs on six hits, issuing one walk and striking out three. Bello was followed by Griffin Kilander who struggled through one and ⅔ innings. Kilander allowed five runs (one unearned) on just two hits as he issued three walks. He struck out a pair before Trennor O’Donnell took the final three frames of Sunday’s contest. Across the seventh, eighth, and ninth, O’Donnell allowed three earned runs on three hits. He issued a walk and struck out three as he did just enough to help Greenville to the win. After losing 12-2 on Saturday, Greenville won with the same number of runs. Luke Heyman had a career night, knocking in five RBIs on three hits as the Drive went an impressive 5-for-14 with runners in scoring position. Down by four in the fifth, Heyman stepped to the plate with the bases loaded. Heyman drove in all three baserunners, crushing a moonshot grand slam to left-center and tying the game. Givian Sirvania, Jake Schaffner, and Owen Hull all crossed home plate. After Rome responded with six runs, the Drive had their work cut out for them if they wanted to get back into the game. Greenville dug in in the eighth inning. Antonio Anderson got it started, turning on a ball and sending a single to center field, scoring Isaiah Jackson. With the bases loaded, Stanley Tucker drew a walk to close the gap to four. Another walk from Sirvania put the Drive within striking distance as Schaffner stepped to the plate with the bases loaded. A groundout to first scored Nazzan Zanetello. The Drive entered the ninth inning down by three runs, and would need some magic to cap off the comeback. Schaffner stepped up with the bases loaded again, and this time he capitalized. He scored Ronny Hernandez on a single to left before Hull reached on a throwing error as Anderson and Tucker scored, tying the game. Who else would step to the plate but Luke Heyman? After a game-tying grand slam earlier in the game, he played hero once again. With two runners in scoring position and two outs, he smoked a groundball through the gap and into the outfield, scoring Schaffner and winning the game for Greenville. Single-A Salem RidgeYaks Series @ Fayetteville Woodpeckers (Houston Astros): 0-6 Season Record: 52-71 Salem’s losing streak reached eight as the Yaks lost both games of Sunday’s doubleheader. Williams Montero started the first game of the day for Salem, turning in a so-so appearance over one and ⅔ innings. He let up two runs, one hit, issuing two walks and striking out four before Nicolas Judice took over. Judice ended his one and ⅔ inning appearance with a near-identical line. He allowed two runs on one hit, walking three and striking out three. Wuilliams Rodriguez entered last and pitched a similar line. Across two and ⅔ innings, Rodriguez gave up two runs on three hits. He issued one walk and struck out a pair as he earned the loss in the first loss of the day for Salem. The Yaks notched nine baserunners through seven innings as Avinson Pinto and Martin Shelar pitched in two RBIs each. Pinto tied the game in the fourth inning on a line drive double to right field, scoring Kleyver Salazar and Starlyn Nunez. Later in the inning, Shelar gave the Yaks the lead with his first double of the season, scoring Pinto and D’Angelo Ortiz. The Drive’s lead was short-lived as Fayetteville took the lead on a grand slam in the bottom of the inning. The second game of the day was a low-scoring affair as Salem fell 2-1. Berny Ortiz took the first three frames in the second matchup of the day, giving up two runs on three hits and tallying five strikeouts. His efforts weren’t enough, however, as he earned the loss in the close game. Nicolas De La Cruz took the next two and ⅓ innings of the game, letting up three hits and walking two as he kept the Woodpeckers scoreless. He struck out three before Yander Bonaci took the final ⅔ of an inning. Bonaci walked one and let up a hit, but kept the Woodpeckers’ score at two in his first scoreless appearance with Salem. Despite 12 batters reaching base, the Yaks went 1-for-11 with RISP and couldn’t capitalize on the strong bullpen performance. Shelar knocked in his third RBI of the day on his second double of the day, scoring Anderson Fermin. The rest of the lineup was quiet as the Yaks fell for the eighth straight contest. View full article

Let’s take a look at how the Red Sox farm fared on Saturday evening. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (New York Yankees): 2-3 Season Record: 65-61 The WooSox couldn’t muster much offense for the second night in a row, losing 9-1. Michael Sansone was back in Worcester on Saturday night following a month-long stint with Portland. The lefty turned in five frames of shoddy work, allowing the RailRiders to take a commanding lead. He let up six runs (one unearned) on six hits and issued one walk. He struck out five before Patrick Halligan took over in the sixth inning. Halligan was slightly better, allowing two runs on five hits across three innings. He punched out four and walked one. First baseman Nathan Hickey took the final inning of the blowout loss, letting up one run on three hits and issuing a walk. He notched one strikeout against former Yankees top prospect Jasson Dominguez. After a disappointing showing on Friday, the WooSox bats weren’t much better on Saturday. Tallying seven baserunners, Worcester was able to score just one run as offensive struggles plagued nearly the entire lineup. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who has struggled through his rehab stint thus far, led the way with two hits while Mikey Romero knocked in Worcester’s only run. The run came in the first inning, when Romero recorded an RBI knock, driving Kiner-Falefa home and grabbing an early lead. It was the only lead the WooSox would hold, however, falling in blowout fashion. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series @ Richmond Flying Squirrels (San Francisco Giants): 4-1 Season Record: 64-60 Contrary to Worcester’s struggles, Portland’s offensive triumphs kept piling up on Saturday as it won its fourth straight 14-3. Morgan McSweeney turned in his longest, and most successful, start of the season on Saturday. Across five innings, McSweeney let up one run on three hits and issued one walk. He struck out eight, his most this season before Tyler Davis took over. Davis turned in a so-so performance, but held the Flying Squirrels at bay. Davis gave up two runs on four hits across three frames of work. He issued one walk and struck out a pair before Jeremy Wu-Yelland took the ninth inning in perfect fashion, capping off a dominant win. All but one of Portland’s starting nine crossed home on Saturday night as the Sea Dogs racked up 14 runs on 14 hits. Johanfran Garcia notched two homers in the action. Justin Gonzales made it clear that he’s more than ready for the spotlight with a four-hit, two-RBI performance that included an incredible outfield assist in the first inning. The top prospect is batting .441 in Double-A. Surprisingly, the Sea Dogs didn’t put a run on the board until a seven-run outpouring in the sixth inning. Ronald Rosario got the inning started with a two-RBI double to center field, scoring Gonzales. Garcia crossed home shortly after, scoring on Henry Godbout’s first Double-A double. Rosario came all the way home on a wild pitch before Godbout scored on a bases-loaded walk from Caden Rose. A Tyler McDonough walk drove Max Ferguson home before Gonzales knocked in two more on a line-drive single with the bases loaded. Portland pulled ahead in a hurry, and never looked back. In the eighth Garcia would hit the first of two homers, taking his 15th homer of the season way deep to left field. The blast came off the bat at 106 mph and scored McDonough and Gonzales. In the ninth, Nelly Taylor added one more with a solo shot before Garcia went yard again, scoring Rose and Gonzales as the Sea Dogs cruised to a fourth-straight win. High-A Greenville Drive Series vs. Rome Emperors (Atlanta Braves): 3-2 Season Record: 55-67 After two easy wins, the Greenville offense fell flat as it lost 12-2 on Saturday night. Barrett Morgan turned in a great start, chucking 3⅓ innings of hitless ball as he built back from a month-long IL stint. He walked one and struck out four before disaster struck during Adam Bates’ outing. Bates allowed six runs on four hits in just an inning of work, walking a pair and striking out two more. The bullpen struggled to recover after Bates’ appearance as Rome ran away with the win. Luis Cohen entered after Bates and let up three runs on three hits, issuing one walk and striking out another. Matt McShane took the final two innings of Saturday's game and struggled as well. He let up three runs on four hits, issuing one walk and striking out two more. Nazzan Zanetello was responsible for two of Greenville’s six hits while Isiahah Jackson and Givian Sirviania each recorded an RBI in Saturday’s loss. Both runs came in the fifth inning following Rome’s six-run explosion in the top of the inning. With the pressure on, Sirvania scored Zanetello on a groundout before Jackson scored Skylar King on a groundball single to right field. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series @ Fayetteville Woodpeckers (Houston Astros): 0-6 Season Record: 52-71 Salem’s offense went quiet in the late stages of Saturday's game, falling 5-4 in a close contest. Sadbiel Delzine turned in another solid start across three innings on Saturday night. The young star let up two runs on three hits, and recorded seven strikeouts across 13 batters faced. Alex Kranzler followed Delzine with an excellent appearance of his own. Kranzler let up one hit and walked one amid two frames of shutout work. He struck out a pair before Cade Vire took over. Vire struggled, allowing three runs (one unearned) across 1⅓ innings as Fayetteville claimed a slim lead. Vire walked two and recorded a pair of strikeouts before Cam Padgett took over. Padgett shut down the Woodpeckers in an attempt to give the Yaks’ offense a chance to come back. Across 1⅔ innings Padgett let up one hit and struck out another, lowering his ERA to 4.22 in the loss. Andruw Musett was responsible for all three of Salem’s RBIs, tallying three hits during Saturday’s game. The Yaks struggled with runners on, going 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Colton Coates got the Yaks on the board first, reaching on a throwing error as Wills Maginnis scored. In the fourth, Musett gave Salem a wide lead with a three-run blast, scoring Louis Andujar and Starlyn Nunez. It was all the Yaks could muster, however, letting up four unanswered runs as they fell by one. View full article

Let’s check in on the Red Sox farm teams through Friday's action. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (New York Yankees): 2-2 Season Record: 65-60 The WooSox fell 2-0 as they struggled to generate offense. John Holobetz got the start on Friday night, looking to give the WooSox a series lead. He turned in a quality start, letting up two runs on five hits and issuing one walk. He struck out a pair before John Brebbia took over. Holobetz earned the loss despite the solid start. Brebbia threw a scoreless sixth inning as the bullpen gave the offense plenty of room to run. Brebbia allowed one hit and walked another. He struck out one before Angel Bastrado took the seventh and eighth in scoreless fashion. He K’d two and walked one before Hobie Harris took the final inning. Harris struck out the side, issuing one walk as he completed a great bullpen outing despite the loss. The WooSox reached base just five times on Friday, tallying three hits and drawing two walks in the loss. Franklin Arias accounted for one of the hits, a double in the ninth. Nate Eaton and Romy Gonzales recorded a single each as Worcester fell without much noise. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series @ Richmond Flying Squirrels (San Francisco Giants): 3-1 Season Record: 63-60 Portland dominated in a 9-3 win behind a solid start from Devin Futrell. Futrell had allowed two runs in his two previous starts entering Friday, and looked to match his solid outings. He did just that, allowing two runs on four hits in six frames of work. He issued one walk and notched seven punchouts before being replaced by Cooper Adams. Adams followed Futrell with a solid appearance of his own, allowing one earned run on three hits. He struck out four before Erik Rivera took over. Rivera was outstanding as he shut down Richmond, striking out two in a perfect ninth-inning close. The Sea Dogs’ offense was unstoppable on Friday, tallying 17 baserunners and taking control of the game early. In the first, Justin Gonzales scored Tyler McDonough on a line drive to right field before Ronald Rosario drove Gonzales home on a two-run blast. In the second, McDonough followed Rosario with a two-run shot of his own, giving Portland a 5-0 lead early. In the sixth inning, Brooks Brannon joined the two-run homer party, scoring McDonough as he touched them all for the 20th time this season. With a 7-2 lead, Will Turner gave Portland some cushion as he scored Brannon and Henry Godbout on a line drive double to right field. High-A Greenville Drive Series vs. Rome Emperors (Atlanta Braves): 3-1 Season Record: 55-66 A great day from the pitching staff helped Greenville to a 6-2 win on Friday night. Yordanny Monegro made his first appearance of the season on a rehab assignment from Portland. He threw one and ⅔ hitless innings, issuing three walks and striking out three more. Shea Sprague came in next in a bulk relief role. He hurled five and ⅓ innings to the tune of two runs on three hits. He issued a pair of walks and struck out six as he kept Rome’s offense in check, earning his fourth win of the season. Aaron Nixon took the final two innings of Friday’s game, allowing three hits but hindering Rome any further. He struck out three as he closed out the win. Owen Hull and Luke Heyman drove in two runs each as Greenville’s offense triumphed behind a combined effort. Heyman’s contributions came early as he crushed a two-run homer in the first inning, scoring Hull. Hull would follow in Heyman’s footsteps just two innings later, covering a two-run shot of his own with Jake Schaffner aboard. With a 4-1 lead, Yophery Rodriguez kept the inning going, scoring Maximus Martin on a double to right field. In the eighth, Isaiah Jackson added one more as he scored on a wild pitch. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series @ Fayetteville Woodpeckers (Houston Astros): 0-5 Season Record: 52-70 Salem’s losing streak reached five as the Yaks fell 6-2 on Friday evening. Leighton Finley turned in an excellent start to kick things off for Salem, shutting down Fayetteville over six frames. He allowed four hits and issued a pair of walks as he struck out nine, his second-most all season and most since late June. Trouble arose when Carson Revay entered the game. He let up four runs (three unearned) on two hits and a pair of walks as the Woodpeckers pulled ahead. Harry Blum entered to quell the storm but was unsuccessful. He allowed two runs on two hits and a pair of walks in just ⅓ of an inning as Fayetteville claimed a solid lead late. Kleyvar Salazar was responsible for both of the Yaks’ runs on Friday as the offense struggled. After being held scoreless for the first five frames, Salazar took one deep into left field, scoring D’Angelo Ortiz as Salem claimed the first lead of the game. Salem wouldn’t score again as they fell for the fifth straight contest. View full article

Let’s see how the Red Sox farm did in Sunday’s series finales (spoiler alert: not great). Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series @ Syracuse Mets (New York Mets): 1-5 Season Record: 63-58 Worcester was scoreless for the second straight contest as their losing streak reached four. Raymond Burgos, who found success with the big league club last week, turned in an excellent five-inning start on Sunday afternoon. Throughout his outing he allowed four hits and walked three but shutout the Mets. He struck out four before Seth Martinez took over in the sixth inning. Martinez turned in a solid two innings but earned the loss in the low-scoring affair. He allowed two runs (one unearned) on one hit, issued one walk, and struck out another. His afternoon ended when he was replaced by Sam McWilliams in the eighth inning. McWilliams took the final inning of the afternoon, turning in a shutout, one-hit appearance. He walked one and struck out another in the loss. Worcester’s bats were downright lifeless on Sunday, notching just two hits and drawing only two walks. Mikey Romero and Franklin Arias were the only WooSox to reach base, each with a single and a walk. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. Reading Fighting Phils (Philadelphia Phillies): 2-4 Season Record: 60-59 Portland was blown out in a game that was abbreviated due to rain in the seventh inning. Morgan McSweeney took the mound to begin Sunday’s series finale, turning in a four-inning start. He was okay, allowing three hits on four runs and striking out six batters. Steven Brooks took over in the fifth, earning the loss as Reading got to him quickly. He allowed two runs on no hits, instead issuing five walks and striking out just one. Brooks’ night came to a quick close as Caleb Bolden entered to finish the inning. Bolden was just as unsuccessful, allowing five runs on five hits in just an inning and ⅔. He walked one and struck out a pair before Cooper Adams entered. Adams walked one and struck out another in ⅔ of an inning before the game was called due to rain. Roman Anthony was hitless in three tries, striking out once on Sunday as offensive struggles plagued the whole lineup. Two of the Sea Dogs' three runs came in the second inning as Henry Godbout and Miguel Bleis launched a pair of back-to-back solo home runs, giving Portland an early two-run lead. The Sea Dogs’ final run would come in the fourth inning, when Tyler McDonough hit a bases-loaded groundout to first base as Bleis crossed home. High-A Greenville Drive Series vs. Winston-Salem Dash (Chicago White Sox): 2-4 Season Record: 52-65 Greenville lost for the third time in two days as Winston-Salem exploded for ten runs in the seventh. Alex Bouchard started the game for Greenville, turning in a respectable three and ⅔ innings of work. He allowed one run on three hits and issued one walk. He struck out six before Adam Bates took over to close out the fourth inning. Bates hurled two and ⅓ innings of shutout ball, allowing two hits, walking three and striking out one. Things fell apart when Aaron Nixon took the mound. In his third appearance with Greenville, Nixon allowed seven runs on five hits in just ⅓ of an inning. Nixon walked two and struck out one as the Dash jumped out to a large lead. Luis Cohen managed to finish the seventh inning and pitched through the eighth. He allowed three runs on three hits and issued a pair of walks. He struck out four before catcher Hudson White made his second appearance in as many days. He allowed one more run on three hits and struck out one as he closed out a night to forget for the Drive’s staff. The Drive was solid on the other side of the ball, going 3-for-7 with runners in scoring position and putting up a fight early in the game. Nazzan Zanetello led the way with three RBIs as Carlos Gutierrez was the only Greenville batter with a multi-hit game. Down one in the fifth, Antonio Anderson tied the game for Greenville with a single to center field, scoring Gutierrez. Later in the inning, Zanetello crushed a three-run homer to center field, scoring Anderson and Ronny Hernandez. The Drive’s final run came in the eighth as Owen Hull scored on a Gerardo Rodriguez groundout. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series vs. Wilson Warbirds (Milwaukee Brewers): 3-3 Season Record: 52-66 After putting up 15 runs on Saturday, Salem was on the other side of the scoreboard on Sunday, losing 17-8. Jose Bello’s struggles continued on Sunday as he turned in a disastrous start. The only piece of the Rafael Devers return still in the Red Sox organization, the young starter had a 2.55 ERA through the end of July. However, the month of August brought around persistent struggles for Bello, who limped through a four and ⅓-inning start on Sunday. His ERA rose to 4.34 after he let up five runs on nine hits. Bello allowed two walks as he struck out five. Caden Vire took over in the fifth and promptly let up four more runs as he issued four walks. He struck out just one as he closed the inning. Nicolas Judice took the mound next, but the struggles didn’t end with him. He allowed five more runs on two hits and issued three more walks in just ⅔ of an inning. Harry Blum entered to finish the frame and turned in Salem’s strongest appearance of the day. He issued three walks and allowed three hits in a shutout two and ⅓-inning outing. He struck out five before Anderson Fermin closed the game for the second day in a row. Fermin allowed three runs on four hits and issued one walk as Wilson won with ease. The Yaks put up a fight on offense, but couldn’t contend with the 17-run onslaught by Wilson. Down by five in the fifth, Adonys Guzman got the Yaks on the board with a ground ball single as Louis Andujar scored. In the sixth, down a whopping 13 runs, Andujar drew a bases-loaded walk that scored Kleyver Salazar. Andrews Opata drew another walk later in the inning as Colton Coates scored. In the ninth, Andruw Musett scored Starlyn Nunez on a double to left field before Coates reached on a fielding error, scoring Musett and Wills Maginnis. Salem showed flashes of life in the ninth as Salazar and Coates both scored on wild pitches, cutting the deficit to nine. Unfortunately for Salem, they were unable to pull off the miraculous comeback, losing 17-8. View full article

Let’s take a look at Saturday’s Boston Red Sox affiliate team action. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series @ Syracuse Mets (New York Mets): 1-4 Season Record: 63-57 The WooSox lost their third straight despite a shutout day from the bullpen. John Holobetz got the start on Saturday evening and turned in a less-than-ideal outing. Across four frames, Holobetz allowed three runs on seven hits. He issued one walk and punched out four before exiting the ballgame. Osvaldo Berrios entered in the fifth, looking to minimize Syracuse’s lead. Berrios succeeded, turning in a shutout, two-frame appearance. He let up one hit and struck out a pair before Tyler Samaniego took the seventh inning. Samaniego was just as dominant as Berrios, allowing one hit and striking out another. John Brebbia took the eighth and final frame of Saturday’s contest, and closed the loss in perfect fashion. Brebbia struck out two of the three batters he faced, capping off a successful bullpen outing despite the loss. The WooSox were able to muster just eight baserunners on Saturday, and went an abysmal 0-for-8 with RISP. Trevor Story and Tsung-Che Cheng recorded a single each as Brett Harris went 2-for-4 with a double. Allan Castro recorded a double as well. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. Reading Fighting Phils (Philadelphia Phillies): 2-3 Season Record: 60-58 Portland conceded three late runs that gave Reading just enough to win Saturday’s ballgame. Michael Sansone spun an excellent start on Saturday, shoving six frames of one-run work. He let up two hits and walked three, but struck out six as he slowed the Phils’ offense. The excellent start was succeeded by a solid relief effort from Joe Vogatsky. Over two innings, Vogatsky allowed one run on one hit and issued three walks. He punched out a pair before Reidis Sena entered in the ninth. Sena looked to give Portland’s offense a chance for a walk-off win, but dropped the ball. He allowed three runs in just ⅔ of an inning as Reading took a late lead. Sena issued two walks and struck out one before Griffin Kilander was called in to finish the frame. Kilander struck out the only batter he faced, and Portland’s offense wasn’t able to rectify Sena’s disaster class. Despite the loss, the Sea Dogs remained competitive throughout most of the game. Three hits from Mason White led the way as he and Johanfran Garcia had an RBI each. Garcia struck first for Portland, driving Justin Gonzales home on a groundout to third. In the eighth, White tied the game in hopes of sparking a late rally. He drove home Miguel Bleis on a single to right field and gave the Sea Dogs a late opportunity. However, the bats came up short in the ninth as Portland lost in a heartbreaker. High-A Greenville Drive Series vs. Winston-Salem Dash (Chicago White Sox): 2-3 Season Record: 52-64 Despite leading through the first three innings, Greenville lost in Friday’s makeup game. Shea Sprague took over for Dylan Brown when play resumed, allowing two runs through four frames. He let up four hits and walked four more. He struck out four before Brandon Neely took over. Neely’s outing was poor, to say the least as he allowed five runs on three hits in just ⅔ of an inning. He issued a trio of walks before Matt McShane closed the game. McShane earned the loss for his performance, allowing one unearned run on one hit and issuing a pair of walks as the game went to extras. He struck out two in the blown save. Greenville’s bats didn’t skip a beat when play picked back up on Saturday, tallying 12 total hits and driving in seven runs. A three-RBI game from Maximus Martin led the way as Gerardo Rodriguez recorded three hits of his own. In the third, Carlos Gutierrez scored Owen Hull on a double to center before Martin scored Rodriguez on a double in the fifth. Later in the fifth, Ronny Hernandez sent Martin home on a single, giving the Drive a 5-0 lead. In the seventh, Rodriguez tacked on two more with a two-run homer to left center, giving Greenville a six-run lead. Unfortunately for Greenville, the pitching staff surrendered the large lead as it fell in the first game of the day. Matt Duffy got the start in the second game of the evening, turning in a two-and-⅓ appearance. He allowed two runs on two hits and issued one walk. He sat down four on strikes before Barrett Morgan took over. Morgan was nearly perfect as he threw 2⅔ innings of hitless ball. He issued one walk but punched out six of the nine batters he faced, impressing in his first appearance with Greenville. Joey Gartrell entered in the sixth inning and threw two innings. He allowed a pair of runs on three hits and walked one. He struck out another before catcher Hudson White took the final frame of the game. With the bullpen exhausted, White was called in to help in a high-stakes situation. He struggled heavily, allowing four runs (one unearned) on four hits as Winston-Salem took a late lead for the second time on the day. The Drive’s bats were just as lively in the second matchup of the day, tallying ten hits and going 4-for-13 with RISP. Down two in the bottom of the first, Isaiah Jackson launched his 19th homer of the season to center field, cutting the lead in half. One inning later, Stanley Tucker scored Nazzan Zanetello on a line drive single, tying the game. A few innings later, Yophery Rodriguez grounded into a force out, scoring Luke Heyman. Down one, Gutierrez scored Tucker on a double to center, tying the game at four runs apiece. However, the Drive faltered for the second time on the day, losing by a wide margin as the bats went quiet late. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series vs. Wilson Warbirds (Milwaukee Brewers): 3-2 Season Record: 52-65 Consistent offense powered Salem to a 15-9 victory as the bullpen held up late. Sadbiel Delzine rebounded in a strong way from a rough outing his last time around. In three innings, Delzine allowed just one hit as he struck out five batters. The top prospect lowered his ERA to 2.50 following his start. Alex Kranzler took the mound following Delzine, earning his first win of the season. He allowed three runs on two hits and issued a walk, but struck out three before Yermain Ruiz took over. Ruiz’s outing went as poorly as it could have as he allowed six runs on three hits in just ⅔ of an inning. He walked five and struck out two before Wuilliams Rodriguez entered to do some damage control. Wuilliams was exceptional as he threw three scoreless frames. He let up six hits and walked two, but staved off the Warbirds with two strikeouts. Shortstop Anderson Fermin took the final two outs of the game in uneventful fashion, capping off an easy win. The Yaks recorded 15 hits and drove in 15 runs as they absolutely dominated on offense. Every member of the batting order recorded a hit as D’Angelo Ortiz and Colton Coates drove in three runs each. Salem got started early as Josue Brito drove in Kleyver Salazar on a double to right field. Ortiz reached on a fielding error in the second as Andrews Opata crossed home. In the fourth, Andruw Mussett scored Avinson Pinto on a line drive to center before Martin Shelar scored Musett on a single of his own. Coates scored Ortiz and Shelar on a triple to center as Salem took a four-run lead. The Yaks exploded for six runs in the fifth as Andrews Opata scored Brito and Louis Andujar on a double to left. Opata scored on a Pinto single before Pinto scored on a Musett triple. Musett was driven home on a groundout from Ortiz before Coates scored Shelar on a line drive single. In the sixth, Pinto added on one more with a single that scored Opata, bringing the lead to four runs. In the eighth, Ortiz put a bow on the day with a two-RBI single, scoring Andujar and Pinto and bringing Salem to 15 runs. View full article