Worcester: W, 2-1 (BOX SCORE)
Things shouldn’t have gone in the WooSox’s favor. They started 8-year MLB veteran in John Brebbia, who’s in the waning phases of his career. Their bullpen is thin; given the fatigue the Major League club is putting it through lately; they had to turn to Hobie Harris for three innings. The Bison shouldn’t have had that much trouble scoring runs, but they did, stranding ten. The WooSox also had just one hit with runners in scoring position, but Jason Delay’s grounder into left field was bar none the most important hit of the night, giving them the lead for good and boosting the WooSox’s winning percentage to over 80 percent. Franklin Arias also sported a sacrifice grounder that scored Delay in the WooSox’s other run on the night.
Portland: L, 13-5 (BOX SCORE)
The Sea Dogs have now allowed 29 runs in the last two days to the Rumble Ponies (Mets AA). Overall, it was just a rough start for Jeremy Wu-Yelland, but I’m not sure if too many other pitchers would be able to stop this red-hot Binghamton lineup this week. Joe Vogatsky and Morgan McSweeney also fell victim to this onslaught. The Sea Dogs weren’t completely stagnant offensively, as Yoelin Cespedes is now up in Double-A and introduced himself with a home run, and Nelly Taylor left the yard, as well.
Greenville, Game 1: W, 7-6 (BOX SCORE)
After starting this one in the third up 5-0 in Spartanburg (Astros High-A) the Drive were outscored 6-2, but they were saved by the bell as “Hub City” simply ran out of time. Jake Schaffner had a two hit day after going 2-for-2 Tuesday … er, I mean BEFORE THE DELAY WEDNESDAY. Silly rain postponement logic! Also busy at the plate was Marcelo Mayer acquisition piece Carlos Guiterriez. I think Craig Breslow may have won the trade simply by acquiring Erik Miller, so this outfielder is additionally one to watch.
Greenville, Game 2: (BOX SCORE)
Marcus Phillips did his job in this one, striking out six and allowing just three hits, and even went all but three innings. Let’s not discuss how the game was only seven innings, though… and let’s also not discuss how Isaiah Jackson, the return for Vaughn Grissom, technically hit one of his two home runs last night on Tuesday before the delay. The former Arizona Sun Devil (as pictured!) left the yard in two consecutive games nonetheless, and for the sixth time in five weeks. The Drive did enough to win the game, but still got walked off.
Salem: W, 10-3 (BOX SCORE)
In the decisive win in Delmarva (Orioles A) Franklin Primera had another convincingly good day at the plate. The 19-year-old catcher is slugging .652 in the month of August, and added onto his impressive month with a four-hit night. Primera is known for his power and got a triple Wednesday. And, hey! Remember that ancient trade that sent Alex Verdugo to the Yankees and logged the Red Sox Richard Fitts (so technically Sonny Gray, if you want to be optimistic, or pedantic, unsure which) and Greg Weissert? The other piece of that is back from a lengthy elbow injury. Nicholas Judice got the decision win after Christian Foutch didn’t go five innings, but the 6’8” righty’s fastball touched 100 before his injury and he can go multiple innings. This lands him squarely in the “watch him too” category.