Red Sox Minor Lines: Mike Shawaryn shines in rough day on the farm

Pawtucket L 1-7

Eduardo Núñez, 2B: 0-4

Rusney Castillo, RF: 1-4, 1 K

Josh Ockimey, DH: 0-4, 2 K

Sam Travis, 1B: 1-3, 1 2B, 1 R

Bryce Brentz, LF: 1-3, 1 2B, 1 RBI

Gorkys Hernández, CF: 0-3, 1 K, 1 SB

Mike Shawaryn: 8 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K (99 pitches)

Bobby Poyner: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 0 K (10 pitches)

This was an absolutely brutal loss that wasn’t really anywhere close to the blowout that final score may indicate. This game was tied at one after both teams scored in the second inning and remained that way until the ninth. There, Bobby Poyner loaded the bases while recording just one out before Domingo Tapia tried to escape the damage. Instead, the floodgates opened larger due to a Jantzen Witte error that should have ended the inning. That was all very frustrating, as was the PawSox offense which got nothing going. One positive in this game was Shawaryn. The starter was brilliant in this game, getting weak contact all night even if he didn’t dominate with strikeouts.

Portland G1 L 5-12

Marcus Wilson, CF: 0-4, 3 K

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

C.J. Chatham, DH: 3-4, 1 R, 1 K

Bobby Dalbec, 3B: 0-3, 1 BB, 1 R, 1 K

Luke Tendler, LF: 2-4, 1 HR, 1 R, 3 RBI, 1 K

Jerry Downs, 1B: 2-3, 1 2B, 1 R

Jeremy Rivers, SS: 1-3, 1 HR, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 K

Tanner Houck: 5.1 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 3 BB, 4 K (104 pitches)

Zach Schellenger: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K (16 pitches)

Portland G2 W 5-3

Brett Netzer, 2B: 2-4, 2 2B, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 K, 2 E

C.J. Chatham, SS: 2-3 1 BB, 1 R, 1 E

The Sea Dogs got the win in the second game here, but it was sort of a nondescript victory with good-not-great pitching and a well-rounded offense full of singles and walks. The loss, honestly, was much more interesting. Perhaps most interesting was its similarity to Pawtucket’s. Almost at the exact same time the Triple-A club was allowing six runs in the ninth, the Double-A club was allowing seven in a tied game. Schellenger wasn’t charged with any runs, but he inherited two runs and allowed both to score in what’s been a very disappointing start to the year for the righty. Starting was Houck, who came in on a roll but took a step back and was far too hittable on Friday. A split is a split, though.

Salem L 2-12

Jarren Duran, CF: 0-3, 1 BB, 1 R, 1 K

Marco Hernandez, 2B: 2-3, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 R

Pedro Castellanos, 1B: 1-4, 1 2B

Ryan Fitzgerald, SS: 1-1, 2 BB, 2 R, 1 CS

Uh, yikes. Jhonathan Diaz got the start for Salem here and allowed ten runs without even making it out of the third. Offensively, though, they did get some production from the usual suspects even if it only resulted in two runs. Perhaps most amazing though, was that they got no hits from Duran. That dropped the upstart outfield prospect’s batting average below .400 and broke a four-game multi-hit streak. It was also only the fifth hitless game for Duran in 2019.

Greenville L 5-7

Cole Brannen, CF: 1-5, 1 R, 2 K

Brandon Howlett, 3B: 1-2, 3 BB

Jordan Wren, LF: 2-4, 1 HR, 1 BB, 2 R, 1 RBI, 2 K, 1 SB

Triston Casas, 1B: 1-4, 1 K

Thad Ward: 4.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 5 BB, 8 K (90 pitches)

This game was lost by the Drive in the sixth inning when, trailing by just a run, a 3-2 game turned into a 6-2 game thanks to a rough day out of the bullpen for Brendan Nail. Before him, though, Ward wasn’t all that much better. The 2018 fifth round pick did show off some impressive strikeout stuff but the lack of control is almost always going to come back and bite a pitcher and it forced the Drive to turn to their bullpen earlier than they would have wanted. On offense, it was a good day for Wren and Howlett, with the latter continuing to break out of that prolonged slump that began his year.

Player of the Day: This was an easy one, despite good days from Wren and Fitzgerald. Mike Shawaryn was the clear winner here, even if he wasn’t the winner in his own game. That was the fault of his teammates, not him as the righty didn’t allow an earned run over eight innings of work. The Red Sox seem content with Hector Velázquez and his two- or three-inning starts right now, but Shawaryn is someone to keep watching as he should get his shot in the majors at some point this year.