Minor Lines 8/1/24: Another Greenville No-Hitter

Yordanny Monegro and Co. no-hit the Blue Rocks, Enmanuel Valdez goes 5-for-5, and two walk-off wins on the farm.

Worcester Red Sox 9, Buffalo Bisons 8 (Game 1 – BOX)

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After a rainout on Wednesday, the Woo Sox and Bison (TOR) played two seven-inning affairs on Thursday, combining for 30 runs in 14 innings.

Game One was a wild, back-and-forth affair from the start. Starting pitchers Mike Mayers for Buffalo and Jason Alexander for Worcester each gave up five runs (four earned) and were gone by the third inning. Nathan Hickey capped a five-run first with a two-run single to put Worcester up 5-1. In the third, Chase Meidroth also ripped a two-run single to re-take a 7-5 lead.

The star of the show in this one was Enmanuel Valdez, who went 5-5 with two runs to bring his season average at Triple-A up to .250. In the bottom of the seventh, singles by Mark Contreras, Valdez, and Jamie Westbrook (walk-off) broke an 8-8 tie and gave Worcester the win. This was Westbrook’s first game since being demoted from Boston and was his second hit of the game. Justin Hagenman threw three innings, allowing one run for the win.

Buffalo Bisons 8, Worcester Red Sox 5 (Game 2 – BOX)

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Game Two started off nicely and then went downhill in a hurry. Worcester got five runs early off of James “don’t call me Al” Kaprielian, on home runs by Vaughn Grissom (1), Nathan Hickey (11), and Chase Meidroth (6) to take a 5-0 lead after two.

Unfortunately, Zach Penrod’s return from the IL has not gone smoothly, as he allowed six runs in the third, capped by a Will Robertson grand slam for Buffalo. Penrod did strike out seven in three innings. Jorge Benitez couldn’t control the ball in the fourth, which plated two more for the Bisons for an 8-5 win. Wyatt Olds threw three shutout innings to finish the game for Worcester, striking out six.

Triston Casas again played first base on his second rehab game. He went 1-for-3, singling and scoring a run in the first.

On Friday night, Richard Fitts (5-5, 4.90) will take the mound against TBD at 6:45.

Portland Sea Dogs 6, Erie SeaWolves 5 (10 inn.) BOX

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The day started with some unfortunate news as Marcelo Mayer hit the 7-day IL with hip pain. Fortunately, the Sea Dogs pulled out a victory late over Erie (DET) for their seventh straight win to end the day on a better note.

First-inning singles by Alex Binelas and Elih Marrero gave Portland a 2-0 lead. Connelly Early got the start and went 4 2/3 innings, with 3 runs allowed and six strikeouts, leaving with the score 3-to-3, before Drew Ehrhard singled home a run to take a 4-3 lead. Ehrhard also had two doubles on the day.

Jonathan Brand couldn’t close the door, allowing a home run in the ninth. In the tenth, the SeaWolves scored the automatic runner from second off of Brendan Cellucci, who nontheless got the win when the Sea Dogs scored two runs. Blaze Jordan’s single scored Luis Ravelo to walk it off.

Portland has not announced a starter yet for Friday at 6:00 against Carlos Pena (6-4, 3.58)

Greenville Drive 4, Wilmington Blue Rocks 0 (BOX)

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The story of the day on the farm was a combined no-hitter for the Greenville Drive, their second of the year. Yordanny Monegro threw the bulk of the innings, striking out six. Monegro has been on a roll lately, not allowing a run in four straight starts, spanning 19 innings, and striking out 21 batters in that time. Cooper Adams followed him for three, and Isaac Stebens closed it out. It was the second no-hitter for Greenville in less than a month.

All of the Drive’s runs came early on in this 4-0 win over Wilmington (WAS). Home runs from Allan Castro (13) and Eduardo Lopez (6) was all this pitching staff needed. Each of the first eight hitters in the Drive lineup contributed exactly one hit.

Jedixson Paez (3-0, 2.31) will take the ball at 7:05 Friday opposing Jarlin Susana.

Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 15, Salem Red Sox 4 (BOX)

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With all that happened elsewhere on Thursday, we’ll keep it short for Salem. Brooks Brannon homered to put Salem up 4-to-2 in the sixth.

(And then Kannapolis scored the final 13 runs of the game).

Luis Cohen (4-5, 3.93) will toe the rubber for Salem on Friday at 7:00 against Jake Peppers.