Cup of Coffee: Mullins throws immaculate inning, Ehrhard homers for Portland

7/2 Cup of Coffee: On a strange day full of rain and extra-inning affairs, only one Red Sox affiliate played a regular nine-inning game. Hayden Mullins (pictured) threw an immaculate inning and Zach Ehrhard blasted a three-run homer in a Sea Dogs win. Aaron Brooks and Joey Gartrell led Salem to the win, combining for seven shutout innings while Natanael Yuten tripled twice. Both Worcester and Greenville were rained out and will play doubleheaders on Wednesday. Avison Pinto reached base four times in a win for the FCL Red Sox. In the DSL, Jakson Gamboa led the Red team to the win while a strong game for Justin Ogando wasn't enough for the Blue team. 

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The series opener between the WooSox and Mets was rained out and the teams will plan to play a doubleheader on Wednesday. Masataka Yoshida, who is slated to begin a rehab assignment with Worcester, will look to make his season debut on Wednesday. 

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Hayden Mullins turned in a historic performance on Tuesday night, firing an immaculate inning as he struck out the side on nine pitches in the third. It was the first immaculate inning of the season for the Red Sox affiliates and the first since David Sandlin threw one last June. Overall, Mullins delivered five innings and allowed three runs on three hits and a walk while fanning five. Caleb Bolden allowed a run in 1 1/3 innings and  Zach Bryant allowed a run in 1 2/3 innings of relief. Noah Song earned the win with three innings of one-run ball, striking out one batter. Song has pitched to a 3.07 ERA in 14 2/3 innings in Portland this season. 

Not to be outdone by Mullins' immaculate inning, the Sea Dogs lineup exploded with a six-run eleventh inning to seal a thrilling win. Mikey Romero broke the tie with a go-ahead RBI double in the top of the eleventh. He went 2 for 7 with a pair of doubles on the night. Zach Ehrhard powered the Portland offense with a three-run homer in the third inning and he added a double, going 2 for 4 overall. James Tibbs III started in right field and went 3 for 5 with three runs scored. Allan Castro was 2 for 4 with a double and two walks. 

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The Drive and Tourists game was also postponed and the series will open with a doubleheader on Wednesday in Greenville. 

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Salem won their series opener against Lynchburg in a rain-shortened pitching duel. Starting pitcher Steven Brooks tossed four scoreless innings, giving up one hit and walking two while striking out two batters. Joey Gartrell fired three shutout innings of relief, striking out one and allowing four hits and a walk. The Red Sox scored their only run of the game in the third inning when Natanael Yuten ripped a triple and came around to score on an RBI single by third baseman Fraymi De Leon. Yuten added another triple in the seventh inning as part of a 2-for-3 game.   

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The FCL Sox caught a lucky break on Tuesday afternoon, winning the game on a walkoff wild pitch in the tenth inning. Shortstop Avinson Pinto was outstanding out of the leadoff slot, going 3 for 4 with a double, a walk, and an RBI. Edwin Brito was 1 for 4 with an RBI double in the fourth inning. Merlin Bido struggled with his control as he walked four batters but he put together a successful start, allowing two runs and striking out five in 4 1/3 innings. Yermain Ruiz delivered a strong bulk relief appearance, giving up a run on two hits and two walks while fanning five batters in 4 2/3 innings. Wuilliams Rodriguez picked up the win with a scoreless tenth inning. 

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The DSL Blue team almost completed a comeback but remained one run short after an RBI single by Stiven De La Cruz and a two-run single by Enmanuel Figuereo in the seventh inning. First baseman Justin Ogando had an impressive afternoon, reaching base in all three plate appearances as he went  2 for 2 with a walk and two RBI. Fresh off being named the SoxProspects.com Player of the Week for June 23-29, shortstop Hector Ramos was 0 for 2 with two walks and two runs scored. Juan Medina was the starting pitcher and was hit hard, as he allowed six runs (three earned) on four hits and three walks in 2 2/3 innings. Yomar De La Rosa was in and out of trouble but he limited the damage as he allowed five hits and a walk but only one run in 2 1/3 innings of relief. Yariel Valdez allowed one run in one inning. 

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Jakson Gamboa continued his scoreless start to the season, as he added three shutout frames on Tuesday and has now thrown 11 innings without allowing a run. Erickson Ettien followed him with a scoreless inning of relief, walking two. Yohandry Gonzalez gave up one run in two innings. Felix Belisario allowed one run in three hitless innings, striking out two and walking two. The Red team pulled through with the win despite recording only four hits in the content, scoring a pair of runs on wild pitches in the third and walked off the Brewers Blue on a ninth-inning single by Miguel Welch. Welch was 1 for 3 with a walk in the game. 

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Player of the Day: While Mullins' immaculate inning will rightfully grab headlines, Zach Ehrhard's performance at the plate played a huge role in Portland's win on Tuesday. Ehrhard went 2 for 4 with a three-run homer in the third inning and a double in the fifth inning. In 36 games since being promoted to Double-A, Ehrhard has hit .252/.329/.458 with six home runs and 10 stolen bases. Ehrhard was drafted in the fourth round last year and ranks as the 29th prospect in the system.