Red Sox minor lines: Michael Chavis surges back

Pawtucket L 1-3

Deven Marrero: 0-4, K

Henry Owens: 5.2 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 1 HR
Anthony Varvaro: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K

Progress from Henry Owens, particularly when you consider that he didn't have those walks with two outs in the sixth. Too little, too late to take that fifth starter's spot from Elias, one presumes. But progress all the same.

Portland L 1-4

Andrew Benintendi: 0-3, BB, K

Justin Haley: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K

No injury pulling Haley out of this one early, as far as I can tell. Just a matter of pitch count. Not the most efficient of nights for all that he was stingy.

Salem L 1-2

Yoan Moncada: 0-3, BB
Mauricio Dubon: 1-4, K, SB
Nick Longhi: 1-4, HR
Rafael Devers: 0-4, K
Joseph Monge: 1-4, K, SB

Devers is just infuriatingly hot-and-cold in 2016. That's all there is to it. No rhyme, no reason. 5-for-5 one day, then 0-for-8 the next two.

Greenville L 2-4

Michael Chavis: 3-4, 3B
Kyri Washington: 0-3, BB, K
Luis Alexander Basabe: 1-4, 2 K

Anderson Espinoza: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K

First big burst from Michael Chavis since his return last week. He left as one of the hottest hitters in Greenville, and while he hasn't come back spitting fire, this game pretty much picks him right back up to pre-injury levels. Also has only one strikeout in four games to go with a walk, which is very much the sort of thing to watch for with him. The hope was he'd be in Salem by now, but after missing a month and a half, a more reasonable goal seems to be Salem before the season ends.

And of course, a great start from Anderson Espinoza. Any given one of these is neither terribly surprising nor noteworthy. Putting together three or four of these in a row, on the other hand, would be. Consistency and the ability to beat all comers at this low level are the indicators he might be ready to move up.