Red Sox Minor Lines: Professional Debuts in Lowell

Pawtucket L 2-3

Tzu-Wei Lin, SS: 2-5, 2 K, 1 E

Cole Sturgeon, RF: 0-5, 3 K

Rusney Castillo, CF: 2-5, 1 R, 2 K, 1 SB

Adam Lind, DH: 1-5, 1 K

Aneury Tavarez, LF: 2-3, 1 2B, 1 BB

Chandler Shepherd: 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K (76 pitches)

Tyler Thornburg: 0.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 0 K (15 pitches)

Bobby Poyner: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K (22 pitches)

Well, there’s good news and there’s bad news in the pitching lines here. The bad news is that Thornburg looked real bad. He’s largely been fantastic in this second rehab stint and appeared on the verge of a return, but this is a setback. How he comes back from this will be huge for his comeback. The good news is that Shepherd was great again, and he really looks like he’s due for a major-league chance at some point in the near-future should the opportunity arise.

Portland W 5-3

Danny Mars, RF: 2-5, 1 R, 1 K

Chad De La Guerra, SS: 2-4, 1 HR, 1 BB, 1 R, 2 RBI

Josh Ockimey, 1B: 0-3, 1 BB, 1 R, 2 K

Tate Matheny, CF: 1-4, 1 R, 1 K

Luke Tendler, DH: 2-4, 2 RBI, 1 K

Travis Lakins: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K (17 pitches)

Just yesterday I wrote about De La Guerra’s recent struggles and wondering if his 2017 was a fluke. He came back and hit a home run the next day. That’ll show me. Meanwhile, Lakins is looking good out of the ‘pen. He has yet to allow an earned run over his first six outings and has ten strikeouts, though he also has five walks over the first six innings of work.

Salem W 3-2

Santiago Espinal, DH: 1-4, 2 K

Brett Netzer, 2B: 1-4, 1 K

C.J. Chatham, SS: 0-4

Roldani Baldwin, C: 2-4, 2 R, 1 K

Bobby Dalbec, 3B: 1-4, 1 HR, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 K

Tyler Hill, LF: 3-4, 1 RBI

Bryan Mata: 5.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 7 K (97 pitches)

Jake Cosart: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (11 pitches)

It was a second straight encouraging, but not perfect, outing from Mata. He didn’t allow much damage at all and he racked up the strikeouts, but the walks continue to be an issue. At this point, with every Salem pitcher struggling with walks, I have to wonder if it’s less of a concern than the numbers may let on. It may just be the result of working on something as a group. At least that’s what I tell myself to feel better.

Greenville W 4-1

Lorenzo Cedrola, CF: 0-4, 2 K

Marino Campana, RF: 2-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI

Pedro Castellanos, 1B: 1-4, 1 3B, 1 R

Durin O’Linger: 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 5 K (82 pitches)

O’Linger has bounced around the system this year and has had varying results, but the 24-year-old in his first professional season after going undrafted looked real good on Sunday. Plus, his name is cool as hell.

Lowell W 6-3

Jarren Duran, 2B: 3-5, 1 2B, 2 3B, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 K

Cole Brannen, CF: 1-5, 1 R, 2 RBI, 3 K, 2 SB

Kole Cottam, C: 1-4, 1 K

Garrett Benge, 1B: 3-4, 1 BB, 2 RBI

Tyler Esplin, RF: 0-4, 1 BB, 2 K

There were a bunch of professional debuts by 2018 draftees in this game, but Duran certainly stood out the most. The seventh round pick was great at the top of the Spinners lineup in this game, and while obviously we can’t gleam much from one performance it’s a nice little first impression.

Player of the Day: It seems strange to give this to a player on the only team to lose on Sunday, and Duran was right there but I’m giving this one to Chandler Shepherd. He can’t be stopped right now and that continued in his latest outing.