Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 4, Worcester Red Sox 0 (Game 1) BOX
The Dean Roussel Rainout Voodoo Doll struck again, with Worcester’s game getting rained out on Wednesday, and handing off the Thursday doubleheader to me. The Woo Sox mourned the loss of their best remaining hitter, Jhostynxon Garcia, who was promoted to Boston on Thursday, by dropping both games of the doubleheader to the Jumbo Shrimp (MIA)
In Game One, the Woo Sox were shut down by Marlins’ top prospect Robby Snelling, who struck out eight over six innings. Worcester managed just five hits on the day,
although Nick Sogard and Phillip Sikes managed two each.
On the mound, starter Jose De Leon was hit hard once again, dropping to 0-5 with a 7.46 ERA. Chris Murphy and David Sandlin, two candidates for September recalls to the big league club, pitched great in relief with Murphy throwing two shutout innings and Sandlin one.
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 11, Worcester Red Sox 4 (Game 2) BOX
In Game Two, Worcester took an early lead before a catastrophic turn. Trayce Thompson’s RBI single and Kristian Campbell’s RBI groundout gave the Woo Sox a 2-0 lead entering the fifth of this seven-inning affair. Connelly Early had been cruising through four innings before allowing the first five batters of the fifth inning to reach, on four singles and a catcher’s interference. Hobie Harris replaced Early and allowed a grand slam to Victor Mesa Jr, which put the game away.
The Woo Sox did have ten hits on the day, with Mikey Romero, Trayce Thompson, and Corey Rosier each managing two hits.
On Friday night at 6:45, Peyton Tolle (1-1, 4.50) will take the hill. Be sure to split-screen your Red Sox / Yankees with Tolle Day.
Portland Sea Dogs 2, Binghamton Rumble Ponies 0 (BOX)
Sea Dogs pitchers were dominant on Thursday, in a game that entered the sixth inning scoreless against the Rumble Ponies (NYM), a team that entered play with a 73-47 record. Starter Dalton Rogers got through 5 1/3 scoreless with seven strikeouts before handing the ball to Yovanny Cruz. Cruz threw the next 2 2/3, allowing just one hit, and gaining the win.
A Ronaldo Hernandez RBI groundout in the sixth, followed by an Allan Castro RBI single in the seventh was all the scoring that Portland needed in the 2-0 victory. Castro had two hits on the day. Reidis Sena pitched the ninth, striking out two, to gain his fourth save.
Eduardo Rivera (0-3, 3.96) will take the ball for Portland on Friday at 6:00.
Hub City Spartanburgers 3, Greenville Drive 0 (BOX)
A tough performance at the plate for Greenville on Thursday, tallying just one hit in the game. The hit came from Justin Riemer, who also walked twice, reaching base in all three plate appearances.
Much like the Portland game, this one was scoreless entering the seventh inning, thanks to a elite performance from starter Blake Aita, who allowed just two hits in six innings. Reliever Manuel Medina allowed all three runs in relief and was saddled with the loss.
The Drive have not announced a starter for Friday’s game at 7:05.
Carolina Mudcats vs. Salem Red Sox – Suspended (1st inn.)
The MVP of the game was Yhoiker Fajardo, who retired the three batters he faced before it was called due to rain in the middle of the first inning.
Salem will need to find a bulk reliever behind Fajardo’s start from Thursday in Game One at 5:30, before sending Jesus Travieso (1-0, 4.02) to the hill for Game Two.
