Minor Lines 9/19: Greenville Wins Championship; WooSox Eliminated from Postseason Contention

WooSox vs. Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Phillies)

L, 4-3

The WooSox put up a decent fight, taking the lead three times, but they eventually lost the game and were also eliminated from postseason contention.

Worcester scored first, in the top of the first inning, in a nicely choreographed sequence that began with a Corey Rosier double on the very first pitch. Nick Sogard and Enmanuel Valdez followed with walks, and Ronaldo Hernandez’s groundout brought in a run.

The IronPigs tied it up in the bottom of the first, but the WooSox regained the lead in the fourth on Stephen Scott’s solo home run. Lehigh Valley once again tied it up in the bottom of the same inning. After a walk and a double, Kody Clemens (son of old friend – frenemy? – Roger Clemens) drove in the tying run with another productive, run-scoring groundout.

In the seventh, with two runners on, the WooSox were able to bring one in on a wild pitch and take a 3-2 lead.

Once again, in the bottom of the same inning, the IronPigs tied the game – and once again it was groundout that brought in a run.

Unfortunately for the WooSox, the teams finally broke out of their call-and-response pattern in the eighth. The IronPigs scored on a solo home run, and they never relinquished the lead.

Kyle Barraclough pitched four innings, allowing five hits and two runs. He walked seven and struck out five. Kaleb Ort faced three batters, allowing a hit, a walk and nailing a strikeout.

Portland Sea Dogs: season concluded

Greenville Drive vs. Hudson Valley Renegades (Yankees)

SAL Championship Series, Game 2

W, 7-3

The Greenville Drive took Game 2 of the SAL Championship Series, and won the South Atlantic League Championship in the process. It is their second SAL Championship in franchise history.

It was a strong offensive effort, with 13 hits for the Drive. They had put together a run here and there in the third and sixth innings, but Tyler Miller and Kristian Campbell put it away in the seventh. Miller got things going with an RBI single. Campbell followed up by mashing a three-run homer.

Although Hudson Valley scored one more in the top of the ninth, that was all she wrote.

The Drive needed just three pitchers and they all delivered a solid performance. Dalton Rogers pitched three innings, allowing one run on two hits, striking out five and walking two. Zach Penrod, although he gave up Hudson Valley’s only home run, got the win. His final line was 5.0 IP, 3H, 2R, 1BB, 7K. Felix Cepeda pitched one inning, allowing just one hit and striking out two.

Kristian Campbell was 3-4. Eddinson Paulino 2-5 with 2RB and 2K. Nick Decker and Allan Castro were 2-4. Cutter Coffey was the only Drive player without a hit, and he was dismal in the series, hitting .056 with a .112 OPS.

Salem Red Sox: season concluded