Cup of Coffee: Mayer doubles thrice; Cespedes mades FCL debut
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Worcester had 15 baserunners but had trouble converting them to runs, going just 2 for 9 with runners in scoring position. Dalton Guthrie was 1 for 3 with a single, walk, run scored, RBI, and stolen base. Nick Sogard reached via walk three times, while Niko Kavadas doubled for the team's only extra-base hit. Kavadas is now riding a six-game hitting streak. Jason Alexander took the loss, allowing five runs (two earned) in four innings. Lucas Luetge followed, striking out three in two scoreless innings of relief. Luis Guerrero surrendered a run on three hits in his two innings of work, striking out two without issuing a walk.
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The Sea Dogs fell despite a big evening from Marcelo Mayer. The organization's second-ranked prospect ripped three doubles in four at-bats, adding a walk, RBI and run scored. Nick Yorke and Kyle Teel both chipped in with two hits and a walk apiece. Angel Bastardo had cruised through five scoreless innings, striking out 10 and allowing just two hits. However, he surrendered a walk, double, and another walk in the sixth inning and all three bequeathed runners came on to score, giving him a line of three runs allowed in the five frames.
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The Drive resumed their Wednesday night contest that was suspended in the bottom of the first inning before the regularly scheduled event, creating a de facto doubleheader. After Hayden Mullins allowed an unearned run in the first on Wednesday, Bryce Bonnin took over when the game resumed. The 2020 third-round pick of the Reds gave up a pair of runs in two innings, striking out three and walking two. Nathan Landry went three scoreless innings of relief, striking out two, walking one, and giving up three hits. Cade Feeney struck out four in three innings without allowing a walk, surrendering one run on three hits. After scoring a pair of runs on four hits in the first inning Wednesday, the bats were silenced by a quartet of Hickory hurlers. Bryan Gonzalez doubled for one of the team's two additional hits. Kristian Campbell had also doubled, scoring a run.
Some excellent pitching and a pair of home runs propelled the Drive to a split. Luis Perales allowed a home run to the first batter he faced but settled in quickly. He finished with two runs allowed on four hits in four innings. He struck out eight while walking one, and he now has an impressive 29 strikeouts against just six walks in 17 innings on the year. Reidis Sena worked two scoreless innings of relief to get credit for the win, while Caleb Bolden struck out a pair in a perfect seventh to record his fourth save of the year. At the plate, Kristian Campbell went deep for the fourth time in his last eight games. Caden Rose also went deep, launching a two-run shot in the second inning.
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Salem continued its recent strong play, winning for the fifth time in seven contests. Freili Encarnacion was a spark plug, scoring a pair of runs while going 2 for 3 with a walk. Miguel Bleis also reached base three times with a single, walk, and hit batsman, swiping his 10th base of the season. Jhostynxon Garcia delivered a solo home run in the second inning on the day when it was confirmed that his brother Johanfran would miss the rest of the season with a major knee injury.
Jedixson Paez turned in his typically solid outing, allowing two runs on three hits in five innings, walking one while striking out six. Jojo Ingrassia was dominant, firing three hitless innings of relief to get the win and striking out eight of the 10 batters he faced. Ingrassia allowed one walk for his lone baserunner. Nathanael Cruz gave up one unearned run in the ninth to pick up the save.
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It was a big afternoon in Fort Myers, where a trio of rehabbers were joined by a debuting Yoeilin Cespedes in the win. Cespedes played his first official stateside game after an outstanding run the DSL last season. The system's fifth-ranked prospect got the start at DH, going 1 for 5 with three strikeouts. Mikey Romero was 3 for 5 with a double, RBI, and two runs scored. Catcher Andruw Mussett had a big day at the plate, going 2 for 3 with two walks and two RBI. Karim Ayubi doubled and walked twice as part of a 2-for-3 effort.
On the mound, rehabbing right-handers Yordanny Monegro and Chih-Jung Liu had nearly identical outings. Both allowed three hits in three shutout innings without issuing a walk. Starter Monegro struck out four batters, while Liu followed with five punchouts.
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Player of the Day: Marcelo Mayer continues to pile up the doubles. With three more on Thursday night, Mayer now has an organization-leading 12 on the season, ranking him fourth in minor league baseball. He has 20 in 278 Double-A at-bats going back to last year and 61 in 195 career full-season minor league games. Mayer has crushed right-handed pitching this year, going .346/.388/.590 in 85 plate appearances with nearly as many extra-base hits (13) as strikeouts (15).
Photo Credit: Marcelo Mayer by Kelly O'Connor