5/7 MiLB Gameday: A Mookie Matinee

[Cuzittt]

Today's Games:

IL:Pawtucket (Rubby de la Rosa) vs. Toledo (Kyle Lobstein) [7:05pm]
EL: Portland (Michael Augliera) @ Reading (Hoby Milner)[11:35am]
CL:Salem (William Cuevas) vs. Wilmington (Yender Caramo) [7:05pm]
SAL: Greenville (Miguel Alcantara) vs. Greensboro (Max Garner) [7:05pm]
NYPL: Lowell - Opening Day - June 13th vs. Vermont
GCL: GCL Sox - Opening Day - June 20th vs GCL Twins
DSL: DSL Sox - Opening Day - May 31st

Notes:

Mookie Betts has reached safely in 58 consecutive regular season games. He has reached safely in 63 consecutive games (including playoffs).

Scoreboard:

Boston Red Sox Minor League Scores

Media:

MiLB TV
MiLB Radio

Local Media:

Pawsox:

Providence Journal
Pawtucket Times

Seadogs: Portland Press Herald

Salem: Roanoke Times

Greenville: Greenville Online

Lowell: Lowell Sun

 

[LeftyTG]

I wonder what percentage of Deven Marrero's AB's have come with runners on base?  Must be nice hitting behind Mookie.

 

[LondonSox]

I was just reading in an article over the weekend that excluding when Marrero led off the inning and when Mookie hit a home run to clear the bases, Mookie has been on base for 44 of Marrero's 80 at bats....
 
My memory is good here's the link
 
http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20140506&content_id=74456520&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_milb&sid=milb
 

 
Not including times when Marrero has led off an inning or Betts preceded his plate appearance with a homer, Betts has been on base for 44 of Marrero's 80 plate appearances.
 

 

[Doctuh]

Mookie leads off with a HR.

 

[foulkehampshire]

He must have the strongest wrists in the minor leagues.

 

[Vegas Sox Fan]

He must have the strongest wrists in the minor leagues.

 
He's making my wrists pretty strong...

 

[Cuzittt]

Seadogs lose 8-3.

Boxscore

Mike Augliera went 5 2/3 innings, allowing 6 runs on 10 hits, striking out 3. Jose Valdez went 2 1/3 innings, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits (1 HR) and a HBP; striking out one.

Henry Ramos went 3/3 with a pair of HRs and a walk. Heiker Meneses went 2/3 with a walk. Derrik Gibson went 2/4 with a CS. Mookie Betts and Carlos Rivero each went 1/4; Betts with a HR. Shannon Wilkerson went 0/2 with a walk. Peter Hissey, Travis Shaw and Matt Spring each went 0/4.

 

[Plympton91]

Henry Ramos.   3/3 w/ 2 HR's.  Like it.

 

[Cuzittt]

Brandon Workman now listed as the starter for Pawtucket.

 

[Rasputin]

Brandon Workman now listed as the starter for Pawtucket.

 
Well that's interesting.

 

[Cesar Crespo]

Henry Ramos.   3/3 w/ 2 HR's.  Like it.

Yeah, I've always been interested in him, especially after he doubled his walk rate in Greenville. He's having a real good year.

 

[someoneanywhere]

Yeah, I've always been interested in him, especially after he doubled his walk rate in Greenville. He's having a real good year.

 
You should be. We all should be. He is one of the best athletes I've seen pass through Greenville, and a kid who is in the most fundamental senses only now learning how to play baseball. For a completely raw player to hold his own as he has suggests the potential of a breakout. Think of Almanzar with more explosiveness and a work ethic. There's still a lot of risk with him, but there's also a lot of upside, and if he pans out he will be one of those guys who becomes the poster-boy for the organization's scouting and player development side. Be interesting to see what they decide to do on him after the season.  

 

[Bob Montgomerys Helmet Hat]

Workman gave up 4 hits in 7 innings.  Unfortunately, all four were solo home runs.

 

[Plympton91]

It was actually 2 hits 1 walk and 5 k's through 7 complete innings, then he came out for the 8th and gave up the 2 homers to the first 2 batters without getting an out. Seems like the PawSox manager was taking lessons from Farrell tonight.

Brutal game for Nava as well. He's still striking out way too much. I wonder if something more than just a slump is wrong.

 

[derekson]

0-4 w/3 SO tonight for Nava. That makes 15 SO in 38 AAA at bats. Yikes.
 
edit: I actually didn't see the part about Nava in the post above, I was double checking the stats. 

 

[Stan Papi Was Framed]

Asuaje grand slam puts Greenville ahead 10-8.  Margot and Rijo have a couple of hits each

 

[Cuzittt]

Pawsox lose 4-0.

Boxscore

Brandon Workman went 7+ innings, allowing 4 runs on 4 HRs and a walk; striking out 5. Alex Wilson went an inning, giving up a hit and striking out one. Chris Hernandez went an inning, giving up a hit and striking out one.

Alex Hassan went 2/3. Ryan Roberts went 2/4 with a double. Dan Butler went 1/3. Garin Cecchini went 1/4 with a double. Ryan Lavarnway went 0/3 with a walk. Corey Brown went 0/3. Mike McCoy, Daniel Nava and Bryce Brentz each went 0/4.

 

[Cuzittt]

Salem wins 2-1.

Boxscore

William Cuevas went 6 innings, giving up a hit and striking out 3. Madison Younginer went 2 innings, allowing an unearned run on a hit; striking out 3. Kyle Martin went the final inning, striking out one and throwing a WP.

Jonathan Roof went 2/2 with 2 walks and 2 doubles. Matty Johnson went 2/4. Ryan Dent went 1/3 with a double and a walk. Kevin Heller went 1/3, with a walk. Tim Roberson went 1/4 with a double. Aneury Tavarez went 1/4 with a SB. Reed Gragnani went 0/3 with a sacrifice. Kevin Mager and Jayson Hernandez each went 0/3.

 

[Cuzittt]

Drive score 7 in the 8th to win 12-8.

Boxscore

Mario Alcantara went 3 1/3 innings, allowing 4 runs on 5 hits and 3 walks; striking out one. Myles Smith went 3 1/3 innings, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits, 2 walks, a HBP and a WP; striking out 4. Mike Adams went 2 1/3 innings, allowing 2 runs on 3 hits; striking out one.

Jantzen Witte went 3/5 with a double and a HR. Jake Romanski went 3/5. Manuel Margot went 2/4 with a double, walk and SB. Wendell Rijo went 2/5 with a double. Jesus Loya went 1/2 with 3 walks. Bo Greenwell went 1/4 with a double and a walk. Carlos Asuaje went 1/5 with a Grand Slam. Jimmy Rider went 0/3 with 2 walks. Jordan Weems went 0/5.

 

[Cuzittt]

It was actually 2 hits 1 walk and 5 k's through 7 complete innings, then he came out for the 8th and gave up the 2 homers to the first 2 batters without getting an out. Seems like the PawSox manager was taking lessons from Farrell tonight.

Since I was there , I think that is completely off-base. Not the actual numbers... but the insinuation. Workman was absolutely stellar through 7 innings, even with the 2 HRs given up to Mike Hessman (he of 400 minor league HRs.) He was at 79 pitches through 7 and hadn't given up anything remotely scary to anyone other than Hessman. There was no reason to not have him start the 8th. It didn't work out... but that is because sometimes shit doesn't work out.

Brutal game for Nava as well. He's still striking out way too much. I wonder if something more than just a slump is wrong.

He thought he had earned a walk on the first strikeout (he was walking to first)... and I think maybe on the second one as well (was not walking to first though). If there is anything wrong with Nava at the plate, based upon what I saw last night, it is that he isn't swinging the bat and is looking for a walk. I know getting a good pitch is his modus operandi... but sometimes you have to swing the bat.

There wasn't much else to report... it was a nice crisply played game where the Pawsox offense just couldn't score a run. Of course, that will likely happen a lot this year until they promote some people from Portland.

 

[Cuzittt]

STORIES

PAWSOX

Game Story
 

The Pawtucket Red Sox’ bats stayed cold for the second straight night as the Toledo Mud Hens shut out the home team, 4-0, Wednesday at McCoy Stadium.

The Sox managed six hits on the night against three Toledo pitchers. Kyle Lobstein (2-3) picked up the victory. Pawtucket starter Brandon Workman pitched well, allowing just four hits in seven innings-plus. However all four hits were solo home runs, two by 36 year old Mike Hessman who now has 397 home runs in his minor league career.

SEADOGS

Game Story

Henry Ramos had a good day Wednesday against the Reading Fightin Phils; the Portland Sea Dogs didn’t.

Ramos pounded a pair of long home runs, his first two of the year. Mookie Betts added his fifth of the season, but all three were with the bases empty.

It all went for naught in an 8-3 loss that saw the Sea Dogs give up 14 hits and hit into three double plays.

“We just couldn’t come up with big hits with runners on base,” said Manager Billy McMillon, who saw his team miss a chance at a three-game sweep of the Phils (15-14).

It started off well for the Sea Dogs (19-11), with Betts leading off the game with a homer – as he did in Portland’s opener at Reading five weeks earlier.

Hoby Milner of Reading was in trouble throughout the first three innings, constantly falling behind in counts and giving up five hits.

But other than Betts, no one made him pay.

By the time Ramos hit his first homer the Sea Dogs were trailing 7-1 after the Phils batted around against Mike Augliera and Miguel Celestino in a six-run sixth.

Augliera was in command early, allowing only a bunt single through three innings.

The Phils tied it on Aaron Altherr’s RBI single in the fourth.

It all came apart in the sixth after Carlos Alonso led off with a double. Zach Collier followed with an RBI single and Cam Perkins with an RBI double.

Augliera gave up run-scoring hits to Brock Stassi and Albert Cartwright before Celestino entered. He was greeted by a two-run homer from backup catcher Lars Davis that made it 7-1.

SALEM

Game Story

Zooooom: Over-analyzing his in-game pitching performances hadn’t been working for William Cuevas this season, so he came up with a new approach Wednesday night.

Get the ball. Throw the ball.

Dominate.

Working at a brisk pace, Cuevas fired six shutout innings to lead Salem to a 2-1 victory over Wilmington in front of 2,453 at Salem Memorial Ballpark.

“We were working on it, being aggressive,” said Cuevas, who allowed one hit and fanned three. “Because that’s what I was not doing after the start of the season. That’s helping me, with velocity, the pace of the game. I’m not letting the hitters think too much.”

No brain, no headache: Cuevas, a right-handed holdover from last year’s championship team, entered the game with a 1-4 record and 7.84 ERA. That included a start at Winston-Salem on April 20 in which he gave up eight earned runs in just two-thirds of an inning.

Cuevas and his pitching coach, Kevin Walker, identified the primary problem after his last start.

“Thinking too much about everything,” Cuevas said. “What am I doing bad? What am I doing good? What do I have to keep doing? That’s the tough part of the game when you are doing bad.”

There were no ruminations during this one. Averaging about 12 seconds between pitches, Cuevas and two relievers dispatched the Blue Rocks in two hours flat.

“We were trying to just get the ball and go,” Walker said. “Pick a spot and pick a pitch and throw it to that spot. Once you make that pitch, it’s time to make another one.”

A leg up: Jonathan Roof gave the Sox the lead for good in the third inning, when he ripped his second double of the game to score Matty Johnson.

Roof finished 2 for 2 with two walks and is hitting .296. A right-handed hitter with a leg kick, he’s been working with hitting coach U.L. Washington on getting his front foot down early.

“The leg kick has helped me with timing and rhythm,” he said. “As long as I get my foot down, I can pick up the ball, pick out a good pitch that I want to hit, a pitch that I know I can drive.”

DRIVE

Game Story

Carlos Asuaje smacked a grand slam to highlight a seven-run Greenville rally in the eighth as the Drive beat Greensboro 12-8 Wednesday night.

The contest, played in front of 4,338 fans at Fluor Field, seemed like three games in one. Greenville led by four early and then fell behind by three before the big explosion of runs in the eighth.

The Drive have scored 37 runs in the last three games, winning by scores of 12-2, 13-3, and now 12-8.

Greenville manager Darren Fenster spoke of “the way these guys battle in the box. Today, we actually got a dose of our medicine where we jumped out to an early lead. They take the lead, but obviously, Asuaje gives us the big hit.

“But we don’t even get to that point without a bunch of outstanding at bats previous to that. These guys are really buying into having a chance to win regardless of the score.”

Jesus Loya, Bo Greenwell, and Jimmy Rider all drew walks with one out to load the bases in the eighth. After Jantzen Witte singled in Loya, Asuaje came to the plate. He tapped two fouls down the first-base line and then ripped the grand slam to right field.

“I was a little frustrated by that time,” said Asuaje, who was hitless in his first four at bats. “I just stuck with it and kept my approach the same. It worked out.”