Red Sox Minor Lines: Joe Davis helps win a slugfest for Salem

Worcester L 4-8

Jarren Duran, CF: 0-4, 1 BB

Jonathan Araúz, 2B: 0-4, 1 BB, 1 R, 1 K

Franchy Cordero, LF: 2-4, 1 K

Yairo Muñoz, 1B: 0-4

Jeter Downs, SS: 0-3, 1 RBI, 2 K, 1 E

Chris Hermann, C: 2-4, 1 3B, 1 HR, 2 R, 1 RBI, 2 K

Chad De La Guerra, DH: 2-3, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 BB, 1 R, 2 RBI

Daniel Gossett (SP;L): 6 IP, 11 H, 7 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K (98 pitches)

Austin Bruce: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K (27 pitches)

Kaleb Ort: 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 K (28 pitches)

It has been a tough go of it for Worcester this week, and particularly over these last few games as this makes five straight losses to end this week. There were a couple of strong games at the end of this lineup, though, with Hermann and De La Guerra. For the former, he’s already missed out on a chance to make the big-league squad with this recent Kevin Plawecki injury. He still has plenty to play for, however, with both another chance at a call-up for the Red Sox and an opt-out he has coming up in July. Right now he’s auditioning for the league, and he’s doing well with a .902 OPS. As for De La Guerra, he’s somebody I saw as a deep sleeper coming into the season but he has missed most of the season with a hamstring injury. He’s just starting to work his way back, so keep an eye on him on this infield for the next few weeks.

Portland W 5-1

Jeisson Rosario, CF: 1-2, 1 BB, 1 R, 1 SB

Triston Casas, 1B: 1-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 K

Pedro Castellanos, LF: 2-4, 1 HR, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 K

Hudson Potts, 3B: 1-4, 1 HR, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 K

Ronaldo Hernández, C: 0-3, 3 K

Devlin Granberg, DH: 1-3, 1 K

Enmanuel De Jesus (SP): 3.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K (44 pitches)

Zack Kelly (W): 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K (34 pitches)

Jose Adames: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K (23 pitches)

We haven’t really spent too much time talking about this Portland bullpen outside of Durbin Feltman, but there are a few more interesting seasons happening there, including a pair that pitched today. Kelly was a minor-league signing from this past winter, and he has spent the entire season down in Portland. The righty has tossed a total of 18 ²⁄₃ innings in this season, tossing one or two innings per outing, and he has 30 strikeouts to go with 12 walks. Control has been a little bit of an issue — he’s also hit five batters — but the stuff looks very real. Adames, meanwhile, has largely handled the save situations for Portland, and he’s pitched to a 2.37 ERA over 19 innings with 26 strikeouts and eight walks. There’s not a ton of room on Worcester’s staff at the moment, but one or both of these guys could be looking at a promotion if a spot does open up.

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Greenville L 5-9

Nick Sogard, 3B: 1-5, 1 HR, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 K, 1 E

Cameron Cannon, 2B: 1-4, 1 2B

Tyler Dearden, LF: 1-4, 1 HR, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 K

Tyreque Reed, 1B: 1-4, 1 HR, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 K

Dominic D’Alessandro, DH: 2-4, 2 K

Elih Marrero, C: 2-4, 1 RBI, 1 SB

Grant Gambrell (SP; L): 4.1 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 9 K (87 pitches)

Brendan Cellucci: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (16 pitches)

Alex Scherff: 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 1 K (22 pitches)

This was a weird day for Gambrell, who only recently joined the Red Sox organization as a player to be named later in the Andrew Benintendi trade. On the one hand, the stuff was apparently lights out, striking out nine over just 4 ²⁄₃ innings, which is a striking ratio. On the other hand, he was hit around to the tune of six runs and couldn't make it through five. The righty has now made three starts just joining the organization, with this being his second time allowing at least five runs, but also showing off the best stuff he’s shown by far. Prior to this, Gambrell had struck out three batters combined over his other two starts with the organization. Right now, the focus should be on the hits he’s allowing — he’s given up 15 in his last two starts — but harnessing the stuff from this outing should be on the to-do list as well.

Salem W 11-10

Gilberto Jimenez, RF: 2-5, 2 R, 1 K

Matthew Lugo, SS: 2-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 K, 1 E

Jaxx Groshans, C: 1-5, 1 R, 1 RBi, 3 K

Joe Davis, 1B: 3-5, 1 2B, 2 HR, 2 R, 6 RBI

Ceddanne Rafaela, 2B: 1-5, 1 R, 4 K

Eduardo Lopez, CF: 1-4, 1 BB, 1 RBI, 2 K

Ryan Zeferjahn (SP): 3 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 4 K (47 pitches)

This was a big day for the Salem offense, and Davis in particular is killing things in the middle of that group. A senior sign from the 2019 draft class, the 24-year-old is a little bit older than you’d typically like to see at this level, but he’s more than keeping his head above water. The two homers on the day gave him six for the season, with this being his second multi-homer game in the month of June. He’s really been on fire for this entire month, hitting .301/.320/.575 since June 1. After Devlin Granberg’s recent promotion to Portland, there could be room for a first baseman/DH in Greenville.

Player of the Day: Joe Davis

Player of the Day Chart