Cup of Coffee: Perales fans 12, Mayer homers, WooSox score 20
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The Sox blasted six home runs and scored in every inning except the second in this rout. Enmanuel Valdez continued to mash for Worcester, going 2 for 4 with two home runs, two walks, and four runs scored. Eddy Alvarez had a monster game as well with three hits, including two home runs and six RBI. Nathan Hickey and Nick Sogard hit the other long balls for the WooSox. Hickey also singled and walked twice. Tyler Heineman was the third Sox player to reach four times, as he singled twice and walked twice. Niko Kavadas also singled, walked twice, and scored three times.
Josh Winckowski made his second appearance and first start since being sent down to Worcester. He tossed the first four innings and allowed two runs (one earned) with four strikeouts and no walks. Chase Shugart picked up the win, striking out three and allowing just a solo shot in two innings of work. Bailey Horn struck out two in two scoreless frames, and Luis Guerrero finished it out, striking out three in his lone inning.
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Angel Bastardo labored through five innings, surrendering five earned runs on eight hits. He did strike out four and did not issue a free pass. Cody Scroggins was tagged with the loss, allowing three runs in two innings. Matthew Lugo belted his ninth home run of the year as part of his 1-for-2 night that also included a walk. Eddinson Paulino also went 2 for 3 with two RBI and two runs scored. Kyle Teel doubled for the eighth time, Marcelo Mayer singled, and Roman Anthony swiped his fifth base.
Chih-Jung Liu was awesome in three innings of work to begin this one, as he did not allow a run on one hit. Eight of the nine outs he recorded were via the strikeout. Robert Kwiatkowski grabbed the win with three scoreless innings with three strikeouts and no walks. Marcelo Mayer went 2 for 4 with his fourth home run of the season, raising his OPS to .834 on the year. Nick Decker homered for the third time this year, while Phillip Sikes and Mickey Gasper each went 2 for 3 with a double.
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Miguel Ugueto had a monster night, falling just a double shy of the cycle. It was the first time he had homered or tripled all year, and he also walked and scored four runs. Caden Rose and Bryan Gonzalez each singled and went deep, with Rose's being a three-run shot. Gonzalez now has eight home runs on the year. Luis Ravelo also went 2 for 5 with a walk and two RBI. Even on a 15-run night for the offense, Luis Perales managed to be the star of the night. The 21-year old right-hander fired five shutout innings with 12 strikeouts. He only gave up one hit, two walks, and generated an impressive 26 swing-and-misses. Reidis Sena also pitched well in relief with three strikeouts in 1 2/3 scoreless frames.
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Freili Encarnacion came through in the clutch, delivering a two-run walk-off double in the bottom of the 10th innings. He went 2 for 4 and drove in three. The game-winning double came after Jhostynxon Garcia's RBI triple to pull Salem within one. Antonio Anderson also went 2 for 5 with his first long ball of the season. Jojo Ingrassia had himself a nice outing, going the first four innings and allowing no runs no just two hits. The lefty struck out four and walked one. Jedixson Paez followed Ingrassia with four innings of his own, allowing two runs on six hits. Nathanael Cruz picked up the win, going the final two innings. He struck out three and walked none while allowing one earned run.
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Yoeilin Cespedes delivered the big blow in this one, belting a go-ahead grand slam in the seventh inning. It was the first long ball of the year for the system's fifth ranked prospect, who now has a .953 OPS in eight games so far in 2024. Gerardo Rodriguez followed Cespedes' slam with a pinch-hit home run, which proved to be the difference in the game. Raimundo De Los Santos had a productive day out of the leadoff spot, as he walked twice, stole his ninth bag of the year, and scored two runs. Yordanny Monegro started and surrendered two runs over three innings with three strikeouts and three walks. Zach Bryant made his first appearance in a game since 2022 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He threw one inning and did not allow a run. Yeferson Vargas was credited with the win, throwing the final three innings. He allowed three runs (one earned) with four strikeouts and just one walk.
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Player of the Day: Despite two teams scoring 15 or more runs, the honor goes to Luis Perales. The eighth ranked prospect in the system tied a career-high with 12 strikeouts. It's the fourth time in his career that he has reached double digits in terms of strikeouts, doing it three times last year. He now has a 3.42 ERA in seven starts this year with 46 strikeouts and 10 walks in 26 1/3 frames.
Photo Credit: Luis Perales by Kelly O'Connor