Worcester Red Sox 3, Norfolk Tides 1 (BOX)
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John Holobetz made his Triple-A debut on Thursday and did not disappoint. Holobetz, ranked #13 at Sox Prospects, threw 5 ⅔ innings, allowing one run on four hits, striking out six, and did not walk a batter to get the win over the Tides (BAL). Tommy Kahnle picked up his sixth save, getting four outs to close the game.
Offensively for the Woo Sox, Kristian Campbell continued his recent surge. He was 2-for-3 with a walk, including an RBI single in the 4th inning to increase the lead to 2-0. Over his past 16 games, Campbell is slashing .375/.508/.583, with two home runs, nine RBI, and 13 runs, along with three stolen bases.
Franklin Arias was on base three times, with a single and two walks.
Worcester has not yet named a starter for Friday at 6:35 ET.
Portland Sea Dogs 5, Harrisburg Senators 4 (BOX)
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The Senators (WAS) led on Thursday night 4-3 entering the bottom of the ninth, before several quick punches from the Sea Dogs ended the ballgame with nobody out. Will Turner walked, Brooks Brannon singled, followed by a throwing error on a pickoff attempt by the pitcher to tie the game. Ahbram Liendo snuck a ground ball past the drawn-in infield for the walk-off single.
This capped a huge day for Liendo, who went 3-for-4 with his sixth home run, two RBI and two runs scored. Tyler McDonough hit his fifth home run as well, part of a two-hit day.
On the mound, Dalton Rogers struggled, allowing ten baserunners in 3 ⅓ innings. Tyler Davis threw two shutout innings to finish the game and get the win.
Anthony Eyanson (4-0, 1.45) will get the ball for the Sea Dogs on Friday at 6:00 ET.
Greenville Drive 16, Asheville Tourists 12 (Game 1) BOX
Greenville Drive 6, Asheville Tourists 1 (Game 2) BOX
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The Drive scored 22 runs in the first ten innings of their doubleheader sweep against the Tourists (HOU) on Thursday. The line score of Game One resembles a seven-inning slow-pitch softball game, with Yophery Rodriguez drinking the most post-game beers.
Trailing 7-1 in the fourth inning of Game One, Greenville put up an eight-spot on a succession of hits without a home run. Nazzan Zanetello added a home run in the fifth, before the Drive added five more in the sixth inning.
Rodriguez was the story, going 5-for-5 with two runs and a double (he didn’t stop in the second game, either). Enddy Azocar, Justin Gonzales, and Luke Heyman all had three hits. The team had 20 hits total. Did I mention this was only a seven-inning game? Don’t worry about the Drive pitching in this one … nothing to see here.
In Game Two, the Drive stayed hot early, scoring three runs in each of the first and third innings. Yophery Rodriguez went 2-for-4 and knocked in two runs, giving him seven hits on the day! Marcus Phillips started on the mound, and while he didn’t allow a hit over four innings, he walked six batters and struck out five. Griffin Kilander threw the final three innings to get his second win.
The Drive will send Devin Futrell (4-1, 4.59) to the hill on Friday at 6:35 ET.
Salem RidgeYaks 6, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 2 (BOX)
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Brady Tygart got the start and shut down Kannapolis (CWS) on Thursday, allowing one run over five innings for his third win. Andrews Opata homered in the third inning to give the RidgeYaks an early lead. They broke the game open in the fifth inning with four runs, including a two-RBI single from Adonys Guzman, part of a two-hit day. Skylar King added three hits, along with two from Louis Andujar.
Salem’s starter is TBD on Friday night at 7:00 ET.
