Cup of Coffee: Arias stays hot, Riemer collects first hits in FCL Sox sweep
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7/16 Cup of Coffee: While many eyes were on the second day of the draft and the Home Run Derby festivities, Franklin Arias was leading a sweep of the complex leagues. Arias continued his hot play, picking up five hits and two doubles in a doubleheader sweep with playoff implications. The DSL squads also both picked up wins, led by homers from Edwin (DSL Red) and Josue (DSL Blue) Brito.
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The FCL Sox continue to get outstanding pitching down the stretch. Starter Deybi Salcedo went four no-hit innings, walking and striking out three apiece. Denis Reguillo gave up two runs in three innings to get credit for the win. Justin Riemer was 0 for 5 to start both his rehab assignment and his professional career, but had a monster day at the plate to lead the offense. The 2023 fourth-round compensation pick was 2 for 2 with two walks, a steal, an RBI, and a run scored. Franklin Arias picked up his 14th double of the season during his 1-for-4 effort.
Arias led the way in the nightcap as the offense exploded for 13 hits in the seven-inning contest. The 18-year-old shortstop was 4 for 4 with another double, two steals, a walk, an RBI, and two runs scored. Kleyver Salazar joined the fun, going 2 for 4 with a walk, two runs, and three RBI, while Raimundo De Los Santos doubled and walked in a two-hit effort. Stijn Van Der Schaaf allowed one run on one hit in three innings in his start, striking out four against three walks. Willian Colmenares went the final two innings for the win, giving up one run on two hits.
The sweep, along with a loss by the FCL Pirates, put the Sox into second place in both the South Division and the wild card standings. They sit two games back of the FCL Rays in the division race, while the FCL Yankees maintain a one-game lead for that wild card.
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Team Red continues to roll, winning their fourth straight contest and 12th in 14 games. Edwin Brito blasted a two-run homer in the eighth as part of a 2-for-4 effort. He's now hit safely in five straight games and has homered in three of his last four games. Christopher Alvarado picked up three hits, while Anderson Fermin scored three runs out of the leadoff slot. Starter Jose Martinez was effective, giving up just one run on three hits in four innings, walking one, and striking out four. Yander Bonaci struck out four of the six batters he faced in two perfect innings of relief, earning the winning decision.
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It was a painful win for the Blue squad, getting hit by seven pitches as they ended a three-game losing streak. Josue Brito (no relation to Edwin) led the offense, going 2 for 3 with a home run, double, hit batsman, two runs scored, and two RBI. Yoelvin Chirino gave up two hits in four scoreless innings. Felix Belisario struck out three in three scoreless frames to get the win.
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Player of the Day: With his five hit, two-double performance in Monday's twinbill, Franklin Arias his hitting streak to seven games during which he is 14 for 23 with six extra-base hits. His run of dominance now stretches beyond a month: in 29 games (going back to June 3), Arias is hitting .418/.504/.694 with 13 doubles, four home runs, and a perfect 18-for-18 on stolen base attempts. Originally signed as an International Free Agent out of Venezuela in January 2023 to a $525,000 bonus, he is currently ranked 14th in the Red Sox system.