Cup of Coffee: Sabol's extra-inning heroics power WooSox win

5/7 Cup of Coffee: An extra-inning victory by the WooSox was the Red Sox affiliates' only win on Tuesday night. The Worcester win was highlighted by a two-homer game by Blake Sabol and six excellent innings from Josh Winckowski. Greenville and Salem received strong starts by Eduardo Rivera and Luis Cohen, respectively, but dropped close contests. The Sea Dogs were rained out and will play a doubleheader on Wednesday.

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The WooSox got the week off to a good start, earning a thrilling win with a four-run rally in the tenth inning. After two quick outs to start the inning, the WooSox loaded the bases and then promptly unloaded them on a go-ahead grand slam by Blake Sabol. Sabol had previously hit a solo home run to give the WooSox their first run of the game in the seventh inning as part of a 2-for-5 game. Center fielder Nate Eaton delivered a strong performance, going 3 for 5 with a double. 

While the WooSox bats were not able to get going until late in the game, starting pitcher Josh Winckowski kept the team in the game with six strong innings. He allowed just one unearned run on three hits and no walks, striking out four batters. Bryan Mata got himself into trouble but limited the damage in two innings of relief, allowing one run on four hits and two walks while striking out four. Nick Burdi picked up the win after a scoreless ninth inning and Wyatt Mills allowed two runs (one earned) in the bottom of the tenth to close out the game. 

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The opener of the series between the Sea Dogs and BaySox was postponed on a rainy night in Portland. The teams will play a doubleheader on Wednesday. 

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Starting pitcher Eduardo Rivera took the loss on Tuesday night despite throwing four solid innings against Rome. Rivera allowed two runs (one earned) on just one hit and three walks, punching out six batters. Cooper Adams allowed two runs in 1 2/3 innings of relief. Matt McShane was excellent in 2 1/3 innings to finish the game, allowing just one hit and striking out three batters. 

Right fielder Zach Ehrhard accounted for both of Greenville's runs, ripping an RBI double in the fourth and scoring a run on a fielder's choice in the eighth. Ehrhard, a fourth-round pick in 2024, also picked up his sixth stolen base of the season and is now hitting .303/.465/.395 in 22 games with the Drive. Fifth-ranked prospect Franklin Arias was 3 for 5 with a double out of the leadoff spot. Nelly Taylor and Miguel Bleis were both 2 for 4.

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Freili Encarnacion was the standout performer for Salem's lineup, recording an RBI double in the first inning and a two-run homer in the third. Justin Gonzales, who was promoted to Salem on Tuesday after one game in the FCL, started in center field and went 1 for 4 in his Low-A debut. Starting pitcher Luis Cohen struggled with his control, walking four batters, but still managed to throw five innings of one-run ball. Nicholas Judice turned in a disastrous performance in the sixth inning, recording only one out while walking four batters and allowing two runs. Trennor O'Donnell struck out five batters and allowed two unearned runs in 2 2/3 innings. 

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The FCL Red Sox got off to an early lead after a two-run double by Gerardo Rodriguez in the third inning and an RBI fielder's choice off the bat of Alexander Mambel in the fourth. The Red Sox pitching held strong for the first four innings, as Yermain Ruiz and Tejahari Wilson threw scoreless innings each to start the game. However, they were unable to hang on, as Abis Prado allowed four runs in the fifth inning. Wuilliams Rodriguez allowed another two runs (one earned) to score in the sixth inning as the Red Sox lost their third consecutive game to start the season. 

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Player of the Day: WooSox catcher Blake Sabol was the star of Worcester's exciting extra-inning win, blasting an opposite-field grand slam in the tenth inning. Sabol collected his first two home runs of the season in this game and he is now hitting .219/.342/.469 in nine games in Triple-A. Sabol was sent down to Worcester last week after a brief stint as the Red Sox backup catcher while starting backstop Connor Wong recovered from a broken finger.