Tyler Uberstine pitched six strong innings in an outing against Scranton (Yankees AAA) that brought his see-sawing ERA since being promoted to Worcester back down to four on the nose. He struck out eight and allowed two runs on six hits. Isaiah Campbell threatened to give a 7-2 lead back but ultimately held it together. The lineup hit very well for a team that almost got no-hit earlier in the week, but that’s life and that’s baseball. Tyler McDonough, who’s been raking of late, grabbed a triple and Nathan Hickey had two doubles for 3 RBIs, including one in a fifth inning that also saw a Max Ferguson 2-RBI knock to make this game 7-1 and put it out of reach.
Any time you have the second baseman (Drew Ehrhard) on the mound for the top of the ninth, it’s not a good sign. The starter, Blake Wehunt, was taken for a ride and didn’t make it out of the first before getting taken yard by two SeaWolves (Tigers AA) which forced Chad Epperson to get a bit crafty with an already thin bullpen to finish this one. Jack Anderson did his job, holding the Sea Dogs’ aquatic foes (I guess SeaWolves are semi-marine?) to one run while getting 13 outs in relief. Still, the damage was done before the game began, as the score was 7-0 after the first, and, despite nine hits, the only run Portland managed was via an Allan Castro double in the third.
July’s 75th overall pick, Henry Godbout, continues his strong first season in professional baseball, an abbreviated one at that, picking up two hits including a double. Johanfran Garcia also kept this train moving in the top of the ninth with a two-RBI double with two outs to pull the Drive within one of the Dash (White Sox High-A), and would be driven in to represent the tying run via a Mason White knock. The tenth was all Greenville thanks to the Manfred runner, which Noah Dean kept in check in slamming the door closed.
After a good start, Ben Hansen ran into some… okay… a lot of trouble in the fifth, and that kind of set the tone for this one going forward. All told, Salem would give the Woodpeckers (Astros A) sixteen hits, including seven with runners in scoring position. Salem did not have the same luck under those conditions, stranding thirteen on the night, but they did get some contributions from some exciting young guys, such as two knocks from D’Angelo Ortiz, three from Enddy Azocar, and Skylar King’s first professional home run to put Salem up 5-2 in the fourth before disaster struck.
Due to A-level seasons ending earlier than AAA and AA, it’s my last time this season covering Greenville and Salem (unless the Drive win out this weekend and clinch the final postseason berth). I must say, despite some late additions by 2025 draft picks, the lower levels of the system kind of lack offensive power outside of Yoelin Cespedes. The lower levels of the farm do have tons of speed, though, and that’s something to get excited about, even as guys like Franklin Arias make their way to Portland. Defensive versatility is another strong suit, which has always been a strength of this organization. Another slightly concerning thing is that Salem holds the worst run differential in the league, which doesn’t speak particularly well to their pitching. Most guys that started 2025 with some promise in Greenville are either in Portland, or (coughs while saying Payton Tolle) in the bigs now. Such is the way for exciting prospects. The important thing, though, is this is largely inconsequential baseball however consequential it may feel to watch trade pieces struggle to mature as quickly as, say, the pieces we traded for them. Just my 0.02, though!
Have a great weekend, and I’ll see you with Worcester and Portland’s lines on Tuesday!
