Author Archives: William Hyland

Harrisburg Senators Win Series on Sunday

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Portland, Maine – The Harrisburg Senators (32-41) led wire-to-wire and defeated the Sea

Harrisburg Senators Dogs (32-39) 11-4 in the rubber match of the series on Sunday afternoon at Hadlock Field.

 

Harrisburg scored in the top of the first for the second straight night. Darian Sandford led off the game with a walk, then Alec Keller doubled and Jose Marmolejos singled to score Sandford.  Raudy Reed followed with a sac fly to put the Senators up 2-0.
Elih Villanueva (1-3) received the loss and allowed five earned runs on seven hits in 3.1
innings.
Taylor Hill (3-1) allowed three runs (two earned) on eight hits in six innings to pick up the victory for Harrisburg. RC Orlan worked a scoreless seventh while Brady Dragmire pitched the final two innings and allowed a run on a single in the ninth by Danny Bethea.
The Senators had 15 hits in the ballgame, including a three-run homer by Mario Lisson off of Jacob Dahlstrand and a two-run shot by Drew Ward off of Jake Cosart. Five Senators finished with multi-hit games.
Michael Chavis went 2-for-3 or Portland with a double and a home run, his second of the season. Henry Urrutia had three hits and an RBI, Rafael Devers finished 1-for-2 with a single and three walks.

The Road Ahead

The Sea Dogs’ homestand continues as the N.H. Fisher Cats come to Portland for a four-game series beginning Monday night. LHP Trey Ball (1-6, 5.60) makes his 13th start of the season for Portland. Tickets are available at seadogs.com or 207-879-9500.
Eduardo Rodriguez will rehab with the team on Thursday.
Listen live on the U.S. Cellular Sea Dogs Radio Network beginning at 6:45 PM and watch on MiLB.TV starting at 6:55 PM.

Michael Chavis Promoted to Double-A Portland

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According to sources from The Boston Globe and SoxProspects.com, Red Sox infield prospect Michael Chavis is being promoted to Double-A Portland. Infielder Chad de la Guerra is also being promoted to the Sea Dogs, who begin a homestand Friday.

In Salem, Chavis was hitting .318 with 17 home runs, 17 doubles, and 55 RBI in 59 games. De la Guerra was hitting .294 with 5 homers and 36 RBI.

Michael Chavis

Both will join a Portland infield that already includes top prospect Rafael Devers, Nick Longhi, Tzu-Wei Lin, and journeyman Mike Olt. Many speculate that this move is a precursor to the promotion of Devers (.297, 14 HR) to Triple-A Pawtucket. However, it remains to be seen what the Red Sox plan to do with their top talent.

Chavis and Devers could end up splitting some time short term, much like they did in 2015 with Greenville. There is no question that these two are special players, but their long-term development is ultimately the most important goal.

Prospects on the Move

This move follows what has already been a dynamic spring for the Red Sox farm system. So far, the Sea Dogs alone have seen the likes of Jalen Beeks, Ty Buttrey, Aneury Tavarez, Jamie Callahan, Austin Maddox, and Heiker Meneses move up to Triple-A and beyond. Likewise, Travis Lakins, Josh Tobias, Bobby Poyner, and now Chavis have left Salem for the Pine Tree State. Sam Travis made is major league debut as well.

These moves are also in the foreground of what could be an interesting trade season for the big league club. While it’s unlikely the Red Sox would trade someone like Devers or Jay Groome, other prospects could be on the move.

Despite all the ambiguity, one thing is certain. Michael Chavis, Chad de la Guerra, Rafael Devers, and others have performed exceptionally this season. And as many Red Sox fans worried about the longevity of the farm system, a renaissance has been born.

Home Runs Fuel IronPigs in 5-0 Win

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PAWTUCKET, R.I. — The IronPigs impressive horde of home run hitters drilled a trio of solo shots en route to a 5-0 win over the Pawtucket Red Sox on a rainy Monday night IronPigsat McCoy Stadium. The PawSox (34-33) were held to just five hits. Including three singles from designated hitter Allen Craig and dropped the opener of the three-game set with the IronPigs (46-24). Lehigh Valley began the night with the third-best record in all of full-season Minor League Baseball.

 

Pitching Performances

PawSox starter Shawn Haviland (L, 3-5) worked six-plus innings and yielded five runs on seven hits with six strikeouts. Lefty Josh Smith, in his second appearance since being promoted from Double-A Portland, added three shutout stanzas.

Lehigh Valley starter and former No. 1 overall pick Mark Appel (W, 5-3) delivered 8.1 shutout innings in the longest outing of his professional career, which now spans 75 starts. The 25-year old fanned eight, walked three and gave up five hits before leaving after 119 pitches with a 5-0 lead and runners at the corners with one out in the bottom of the ninth.

Additionally, IronPigs slugging first baseman Rhys Hoskins hit a pair of solo home runs, moving into the International League lead with his 16th and 17th long balls.

Lehigh Valley leadoff man Cam Perkins ripped a solo shot to left field to begin the ballgame, and Hoskins started the second with a blast to center to make it 2-0.

Following zeroes over the next four frames, Hoskins led off the seventh by vaulting the third pitch he saw to left field to extend the gap to 3-0. Then, after a trio of consecutive singles, IronPigs No. 9 hitter Angelo Mora and Perkins lofted sacrifice flies to make it 5-0.

The Road Ahead for the PawSox and IronPigs

Pawtucket continued its three-game series against Lehigh Valley on Tuesday at McCoy Stadium at 7:05 p.m. Jalen Beeks squared off against Jake Thompson.

Radio coverage on of PawSox games can always be found on WHJJ (920 AM) and throughout the PawSox Radio Network beginning with the PawSox Pre-Game Show.

Devers, Longhi Homer, Sea Dogs Beat Erie

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Erie, PA – A one-hour thirty-seven-minute rain delay didn’t hold back the Portland offense, as they defeated the Erie SeaWolves behind home runs from Rafael Devers and Nick Longhi.
Portland had a 6-3 lead in the bottom of the third inning when play was stopped due to rain. Teddy Stankiewicz (ND) did return to the game, working just 2.2 innings.
Nick Longhi
LHP Jake Drehoff (W, 1-0) pitched a career-high 4.1 innings on two hits, two runs and seven strikeouts (career-high).  Drehoff allowed a two-run homer to Grayson Greiner, the first batter he faced, but retired the final nine hitters.
The Sea Dogs batted around for the second time on the trip, picking up seven hits against Artie Lewicki (L, 4-3) in the second. Henry Urrutia knocked in the first run of the series with a single. During a run of five straight hits, Jake Romanski, Jake DePew and Danny Mars picked up RBIs. Tzu-Wei Lin delivered a sacrifice fly and Rafael Devers capped off the scoring with a triple.
Erie scored five times in the third off Stankiewicz and Drehoff, but that would be as close as they would get.
Portland scored three in the fifth inning, receiving a two-run double by Josh Tobias. Nick Longhi and Devers each homered late in the game. Longhi has homered in consecutive games and Devers has hit a home run in four of his last six starts.
RHP Jake Cosart closed out the win with two scoreless innings.
Portland received an RBI and hit from eight of nine starters. Mars had three hits for the second straight game.

The Road Ahead for Longhi and Friends

The Sea Dogs and Erie SeaWolves (Tigers affiliate) continue their three-game series on Tuesday night at UPMC Park. RHP Elih Villanueva (1-1, 11.57) makes his 3rd start of the year for Portland. Erie’s A.J. Ladwig (3-1, 4.17) makes his eighth start of the year. First pitch from Erie, Pennsylvania is scheduled for 7:05 PM.
Listen live on the U.S. Cellular Sea Dogs Radio Network beginning at 6:50 PM and watch on MiLB.TV starting at 7:00 PM.
Tickets for Portland’s next homestand on June 23-29 are available at seadogs.com or 207-879-9500.
Press Release courtesy of the Portland Sea Dogs. 

Akron RubberDucks Beat the Sea Dogs 5-3

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Akron, Ohio – The Akron RubberDucks (31-31) received back-to-back homers with two outs in the eighth inning, and defeated the Portland Sea Dogs (29-33), 5-3, Friday night in front of a sellout crowd of 7,815 fans at Canal Park.
Eric Haase snapped a 3-3 tie with a solo-homer off losing pitcher Taylor Grover (1-2). Following Haase’s big fly, Tyler Krieger hit an inside-the-park to left-center field.  Grover allowed just those runs on three hits over 3.1 innings pitched.
Akron RubberDucks
Mitch Brown (1-1) allowed the tying run in the eighth inning on a run-scoring single to Mike Olt, but earned the win for Akron.
Portland took an early 2-0 lead against Akron starter Thomas Pannone. In the first, Jeremy Barfield nailed a two-out RBI double. In the second, Deiner Lopez knocked in a run by reaching on a third baseman’s error.
Akron chipped away in the fourth on a run-scoring fielder’s choice by Tyler Krieger. In the fifth, Jacob Dahlstrand yielded a two-run homer to Luigi Rodriguez, giving the RubberDucks a 3-2 lead.
Jake Romanski finished 3-for-4, his first multi-hit game of the season. Rafael Devers went 1-for-4 with a double.

The Road Ahead

The Sea Dogs and Akron RubberDucks (Indians affiliate) continue their three-game series on Saturday night at Canal Park with a 7:05 PM first pitch. RHP Kevin McAvoy (1-4, 5.54) makes his 11th start of the season.  LHP Tanner Tully makes his Double-A debut for Akron.
Listen live on the U.S. Cellular Sea Dogs Radio Network beginning at 6:50 PM and watch on MiLB.TV starting at 7:00 PM.
Tickets for Portland’s next homestand on June 23-29 are available at seadogs.com or 207-879-9500.

Witte, PawSox Comeback To Win 2-1

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PAWTUCKET, R.I. — Jantzen Witte smashed a walk-off home run to power the Pawtucket Red Sox to a 2-1 victory over the Rochester Red Wings in game one of Saturday’s doubleheader at McCoy Stadium.

Held without a hit by Rochester (29-33) through the first six innings of the scheduled seven-inning game, the PawSox (34-29) broke through in the seventh to tie the game and won it in the bottom of the eighth. Pawtucket has now won 18 of its last 23 games, including 10 of its last 12.

PawSox Comeback

Rochester starter Yohan Pino (L, 0-4) faced the minimum through six hitless innings and ended up yielding the two runs on four hits and two walks over 7.2 innings.

PawSox starter Kyle Kendrick scattered seven hits over five innings of one-run ball with a pair of strikeouts. Reliever Noe Ramirez (W, 3-2) then took over and dealt three shutout stanzas with three strikeouts, no walks and just two hits.

Shortstop Engelb Vielma and center fielder Zack Granite led off the fifth with consecutive singles. Right fielder J.B. Shuck then plated Vielma with an RBI groundout to second.

Late Inning PawSox Comeback

Pawtucket finally mounted an offensive threat in the seventh. Center fielder Rusney Castillo led off with a single to short to break up the no-hit bid, but he was promptly erased on a 6-4-3 double play. With the PawSox down to their final out, left fielder Steve Selsky stroked a single to center. Selsky then scored all the way from first when designated hitter and cleanup man Bryce Brentz short-hopped an RBI double off the wall in left-center to tie the game. Pino then stranded a pair of runners to force extra innings.

With two outs and nobody on in the bottom of the eighth, Witte drilled Pino’s 1-0 offering to the left-center berm to send Pawtucket to another victory to begin the doubleheader.

Pawtucket concludes its four-game series against Rochester with another doubleheader Sunday, beginning at 12:35 p.m., at McCoy Stadium. Pawtucket left-handers Henry Owens (4-4, 3.72) and Edgar Olmos (3-1, 2.48) are the scheduled starters. Radio coverage on WHJJ (920 AM) and throughout the PawSox Radio Network begins with the PawSox Pre-Game Show at 12:05 p.m.

The seven-game homestand runs through Wednesday. Good seats are available, and fans can visit the McCoy Stadium box office, which is open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. through 5 p.m., and during all home games. Fans can also call (401) 724-7300 or log on to PawSox.com for tickets.