He logged yet another extra-base hit as Worcester smokes Rochester.
The bullpen may have soiled the game for the Red Sox in a pre-Marathon Monday bout, but relief pitching wasn’t very consequential in the farm’s games… especially not for Worcester, where some thunderous bats continued their hot streak, giving possible implications to some perhaps dire replacements… but the question becomes, when, how and, to a lesser degree, why? Let’s get into it.
Worcester: W, 7-0 (BOX SCORE)
A few weeks ago, I noted that Mark Kolozsvary had the decently rare distinction of being a player with MLB experience (even if only two weeks) who was logging at-bats at Double-A. Well, even with Yasmani Grandal’s minor-league deal, Kolozsvary was promoted back up to Worcester, and put this game – and the series – entirely out of reach of the Red Wings (Nationals AAA) with a sixth-inning grand slam. The other two of the six runs that frame came from a home run of Marcelo Mayer’s. Mayer finishes out the week with 13 RBIs in six games. And, not to be outshone, Vaughn Grissom finishes the week with 10 extra-base hits. Shane Drohan still lacks longevity to be a solid option in the Boston rotation, but had the first four innings of this shutout and keeps his ERA and WHIP under 1 on the season.
Portland: L, 1-3 (BOX SCORE)
At long last, Password Garcia has his first home run of the 2025 season. Sadly, it came on a night where Portland managed just two other total bases, including one more from Garcia, and couldn’t do a single thing with the eight walks they drew.
Lucas Giolito made what may or may not have been his last rehab outing. Like Brayan Bello earlier in the week, it went ok despite him being hit with the decision loss. He did give up what would end up being the go-ahead home run to Yard Goats (Rockies AA) leadoff hitter Cole Carrigg, and the Yard Goats got to him for six hits in five innings, bu he struck out four, got through five solid innings with just 65 pitches, 47 of which were strikes, and walked none.
Giolito actually wasn’t the best Sea Dogs pitcher of the night, though: Connelly Early continued his fantastic 2025 campaign by taking a relatively low-leverage outing and striking out six in the final three frames. It’s a shame the offense couldn’t help him out.
Greenville: W, 8-7 (BOX SCORE)
A few newly claimed prospects came up huge in some clutch moments in this Sunday afternoon contest against the Dash (White Sox High-A). Yophery Rodriguez’s on-base streak improved to 13 games, Darvin Garcia ultimately held on in a six-out save situation to stave off a ninth-inning Winston-Salem rally, and Nazzan Zanetello (who’s new enough through the draft, I guess?) created a run by stealing second and taking third on a throwing error that wouldn’t have happened had it not been for prowess on the aforementioned steal. That run would make all the difference.
Salem: L, 2-5 (BOX SCORE)
There is now one game in which Franklin Arias has not recorded a hit in 2025. He has an on-base percentage of .435. Is that good? Sadly, Salem couldn’t get much else going at the plate outside from twin hits from Freili Encarnacion, who’s getting some rare playing time at first base, a symbol that they may be ready to try the 20-year-old up in Greenville shortly, as High-A isn’t getting much production out of the position. Elsewhere, Matt McShane had his weakest outing of the season, but still kept things mostly contained during his seven outs of work, allowing just one run on a night that the Hillcats (Rays A) were touching Salem’s pitching staff up.
Have a happy Marathon Monday!