Red Sox Minor Lines: A wild win in Greenville

Worcester L 2-8

Jarren Duran, CF: 0-5, 1 K

Marcus Wilson, DH: 0-3, 1 BB, 1 K

Franchy Cordero, LF: 1-3, 1 BB, 1 RBI

Yairo Muñoz, 3B: 1-3, 1 BB, 1 RBI

Jeter Downs, 2B: 0-4, 1 K

Connor Wong, C: 0-3, 1 BB, 1 K

Johan Mieses, RF: 2-3, 1 BB, 1 R, 1 K

Jonathan Araúz, SS: 1-4

Daniel Gossett (SP; L): 4.1 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 1 BB, 3 K (77 pitches)

Phillips Valdez: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K (17 pitches)

Brandon Brennan: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (21 pitches)

This was a tough day for the Worcester offense, which really hasn’t had a whole lot of those, especially when playing at home. But there are a couple of guys who have struggled for much of the year, and did so again Wednesday night. One of them is Downs, who we have talked about a few times recently with good games, but he still hasn’t really been able to put things all together. The lackluster performance, along with a few negative whispers from last summer are starting to push his prospect status down. He could use a hot stretch coming up. The same goes for Wong, who was kept off the field or much of the early season with a hamstring injury, and he’s just never been able to get going. He’s now hitting .170/.214/.283, albeit in only 14 games. Fortunately, Alex Verdugo is not following the trend with his fellow trade mates.

Portland W 5-4 (F/10)

Jeisson Rosario, CF: 1-4, 1 RBI

Tate Matheny, RF: 3-4, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 BB, 1 R, 3 RBI, 1 K

Triston Casas, 1B: 0-4, 1 BB, 2 K

Joey Meseses, LF: 2-4, 1 2B, 1 BB

Hudson Potts, 3B: 0-5, 2 K

Ronaldo Hernández, C: 0-5, 1 E

Ryan Fitzgerald, SS: 1-2, 1 HR, 2 BB, 2 R, 1 RBI

Josh Winckowski (SP): 3 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 2 K (55 pitches)

Matthew Kent: 4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K (62 pitches)

Durbin Feltman (W): 2 IP, 0 H, 1 BB, 4 K (31 pitches)

This was a clutch win for Portland, and especially considering a lot of their best players didn’t do anything. The top prospects on offense — Rosario, Casas, Potts, and Hernández — went a combined 1-18, and Winckowski was lackluster on the mound. But organizational depth came through with Matheny and Fitzgerald, neither of whom project as major leaguers, hitting big home runs to give them the victory. We should also shout out Feltman, who has been a little uneven at times this year but is sitting with a solid 3.79 ERA to go with 25 strikeouts and six walks in 19 innings of work on the season.

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Greenville W 6-5

Christian Koss, 2B: 2-5, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 2 K

Cameron Cannon, SS: 1-4

Tyler Esplin, CF: 1-4, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 R, 1 K

Brandon Howlett, 3B: 1-4, 1 BB, 1 R, 2 RBI, 3 K

Luke Bandy, LF: 2-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 K, 1 SB

Brian Van Belle (SP): 4 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 0 BB, 3 K (55 pitches)

Brendan Cellucci: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K (13 pitches)

Generally we don’t talk a ton about the actual games in this space, but rather use the games as a jumping off point to discuss specific players. Here, we’re going to talk about the game. Greenville was trailing 5-0 heading into the bottom of the ninth, but they never quit. They had three straight hits plus a walk to start the inning, and then another single, a walk, a wild pitch, a double, a hit batter later and they had the bases loaded with two outs in a tie game. Howlett was able to work yet another walk, and the miracle comeback was complete. This was a once-a-season kind of win.

Salem W 8-5

Nick Yorke, 2B: 2-3, 1 BB, 2 R, 1 RBI

Gilberto Jimenez, CF: 2-5, 1 R, 1 RBi, 1 K, 1 SB

Matthew Lugo, SS: 0-4, 1 BB, 1 K

Jaxx Groshans, C: 3-4, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 BB, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 PO, 1 E

Nick Northcut, 3B: 0-4, 3 K

Wil Dalton, LF: 2-4, 1 HR, 3 R, 1 RBI

Ryan Zeferjahn: 4 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K (64 pitches)

Groshans is starting to become a guy we should be paying a whole lot of attention to. There were always some questions with his defense from when he got drafted, and to be honest I haven’t heard much in either direction about how his work behind the plate has been. But with the bat in his hand, he’s having a monster season. The former fifth-round pick from back in 2019 is mashing this year, hitting his fifth homer of the season in this game bringing his line up to .316/.442/.537 on the season. The catchers in the upper levels of the organization have not been having a great seasons, but Groshans is providing a bit of light at the position.

Player of the Day: Tate Matheny

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