Red Sox Minor Lines: Wilkelman Gonzalez dominates

Worcester PPD

Portland W 4-3 (F/10)

David Hamilton, 2B: 1-5, 1 K, 1 SB

Christian Koss, SS: 1-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 K, 1 SB

Nick Sogard, 3B: 2-4, 1 2B, 2 R, 1 RBI

Chris Murphy (SP): 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 6 K (69 pitches)

AJ Politi: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K (16 pitches)

Frank German (W): 2 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K (28 pitches)

Pitching has been the story so far this season for Portland, as was expected when this roster was released. Prior to Thursday’s game the Sea Dogs starters had gone 15 scoreless innings over their last three games, but Murphy broke that streak. He still, as can be seen, had a strong game though. What was particularly encouraging about this outing was the lack of walks, which is a rarity for Murphy starts. He always has the stuff to miss bats, but there is a real possibility he ends up in the bullpen because of a lack of control that leads to short outings. These are the types of starts that will keep him in the rotation. And speaking of starters moving to relief, German is off to a hell of a start here in 2022. He struck out the side in the first of his two perfect innings (though he still allowed an unearned run because of extra inning rules) and on the season he has six strikeouts and no walks over four innings without allowing an earned run.

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Greenville W 9-6

Tyler McDonough, CF: 2-5, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 R, 4 RBI, 1 K

Ceddanne Rafaela, SS: 2-5, 1 2B, 1 R, 2 RBI, 2 K

Nick Yorke, 2B: 1-5, 1 R, 1 K

Alex Binelas, 1B: 1-4, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 K

Gilberto Jimenez, DH: 1-5, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 2 K

Tyler Esplin, RF: 3-4, 1 BB, 2 R, 1 K

Antoni Flores, 3B: 2-4, 1 2B, 1 BB, 2 R, 2 K, 2 E

Brian Van Belle (SP): 5 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K (80 pitches)

Jacinto Arredondo (W): 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K (48 pitches)

This Greenville lineup can put up runs in bunches, and they now have 26 runs combined over their last two games. McDonough, though, had gotten off to a bit of a slow start after being selected as a third round pick last summer. With a pair of extra base hits on Thursday, including his first homer of the season, he seemingly got back on track. McDonough looks like a potential future super utility player, lacking a huge ceiling but with the base set of tools that should allow him to move relatively quickly as long as the hit tool plays like it did in this game. Rafaela, meanwhile, is off to one of the hottest starts in the system, with four doubles on the season and a 1.253 OPS.

Salem W 9-4

Eddinson Paulino, 2B: 0-5, 1 BB, 1 R, 2 K

Brainer Bonaci, DH: 1-5, 1 R, 2 K

Marcelo Mayer, SS: 1-3, 1 2B, 2 BB, 2 R, 2 K

Blaze Jordan, 3B: 1-4, 1 2B, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 K

Nathan Hickey, C: 2-4, 2 R, 1 RBI

Tyler Miller, 1B: 1-3, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 R, 2 K

Wilkelman Gonzalez (SP; W): 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 9 K (66 pitches)

Prior to the season, there was a good case for Gonzalez being the most interesting pitcher to monitor in the system given what he showed last season combined with his young age. The 20-year-old is off to a nice start. His first appearance of the season was cut to just two innings due to rain, but he’s now got seven scoreless frames to begin his 2022 campaign, striking out 12 in the process. He’s got a full starter’s arsenal, and it’s just about honing the stuff consistently enough to throw strikes and miss barrels. So far so good in his full-season debut. Hickey also deserves a shoutout here with the 2021 fifth rounder off to a hot start. He’s now got a 1.227 OPS on the young season.

Player of the Day: Wilkelman Gonzalez

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