PawSox Notebook: Feelin' Not So Hot Hot Hot

Ryan L. Fox

Welcome PawSox fans of all ages to WBOB’s PawSox Notebook. The last time the Pawtucket Red Sox were at the .500 mark was back on May 11 when they beat the Syracuse Chiefs 12-2 to go 16-16 (.500) at the time. This past week, not only were they able to match at .500 but were able to go over it for the first time since May 8. Unfortunately things didn’t go as planned. While temperatures were starting to heat up as June started to turn into July, the team ended up going on a 5-game losing streak that not only sunk them in the standings but might have jeopardized their playoff chances.

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What’s Been Going On Lately
June 24 – June 30
The PawSox began week finishing up their 3-game weekend series against the Syracuse Chiefs on Sunday.
 
The PawSox first got on the board in the bottom 3rd inning due to C Oscar Hernandez’s first home run of the reason to make it 1-0. An RBI sac fly by 3B Mike Olt extended the lead to 2-0 after 4 innings. In the bottom 6th inning, the PawSox were able to pull away with 3 runs including 2 off a home run by 1B Adam Lind to go up 5-0. They added 3 more runs for the remainder of the game, including an RBI single by 2B Deiner Lopez in his PawSox debut that game. The Chiefs were able to get on the scoreboard in the top 8th inning thanks to solo home run by RF Moses Sierra to make it 8-1 but that was where the score stood for the remainder of the game. PawSox starter LHP Jalen Beeks went 7 strong innings, giving up just 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 7 Chiefs batters and allowing no runs to notch his 5th win of the season.
 
The next day, the team was up in Buffalo, New York, to take on the Buffalo Bisons at Coca-Cola Field.
 
The PawSox scored first thanks in part to an RBI sac fly by 1B Adam Lind to go up 1-0 early in the game. In the bottom 5th inning, the Bisons were able to score two runs off of PawSox starter LHP Josh D. Smith thanks to a 2-RBI triple by CF Roemon Fields as they lead 2-1. But then in the top 8th inning, the PawSox were able to rally with a 2-run home run by Lind to regain the lead 3-2. The Bisons’ best chance to tie the game came in the bottom 8th but pinch-runner Tim Lopes was thrown out at third by C Dan Butler for the final out of the inning. PawSox RHP Ryan Brasier then came in the 9th inning to lockdown the inning for his 11th save of the season as the PawSox won 3-2, putting them over .500 for the first time since May 8 this year.
 
Unfortunately the good times didn’t last that long.
 
The following game on Tuesday, the Bisons scored the first run of the game thanks in part to an RBI single by SS Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to go up 1-0. The PawSox were able to tie the game at 1-1 in the top 5th inning thanks in part to a solo home run by 2B Deiner Lopez. But then in the following bottom 5th inning, Bisons RF Anthony Alford knocked a 2-run home run off of PawSox LHP Williams Jerez as his team regained the lead 3-1. For the remainder of the game, both teams could only muster 5 combined hits as the Bisons came out on top 3-1.
 
The two teams then met again on Wednesday. Like in their two victories earlier in the week, the PawSox scored first in the top 4th inning thanks in part to a solo home run by DH Adam Lind to go up 1-0. The Bisons were able to tie the game in the bottom 4th inning thanks to a 2-out RBI single by C Reese McGuire. The Bisons then got 2 runs in the bottom 7th inning thanks to RBI singles by 3B Darnell Sweeny and CF Roemon Fields as they regained the lead 3-1. The PawSox could only manage just one hit after that as the Bisons took the third game of the series by the final score of 3-1 to drop the PawSox back to .500.
 
In the series finale on Thursday, the Bisons unleashed a stampede over the PawSox and starter RHP Chandler Shepherd. They got the ball rolling in the bottom 3rd inning thanks to a 2-run home run by 1B Rowdy Tellez to go up 2-0. Then in the bottom 5th inning, they rallied off 4 runs with 2 off of those runs coming off a 2-RBI single by 2B Richard Urena with 2 outs in the inning. The PawSox were able to get on the scoreboard thanks to an RBI single by 2B Ivan De Jesus Jr. in the top 6th inning to make it 6-1 but that was the only score they could mustered. The Bisons tacked on two more runs in the bottom 8th inning to win by the final score of 8-1, dropping the PawSox back under .500.
 
After their midweek series against the Bisons, the PawSox then traveled south to Moosic, Pennsylvania for a 3-game weekend series against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders to end the month of June.
 
The first game was on Friday as the two teams squared off in PNC Field. The RailRiders got on the scoreboard in bottom 2nd inning off of PawSox starter LHP Jaleen Beeks. RailRiders C Wilkin Castillo and CF Clint Fraizer each got 2-RBI hits in the inning while RF Billy McKinney added his own RBI double as they helped give their team an early 5-0 lead. The PawSox were able to get on the scoreboard in the top 4th inning thanks to 3B Mike Olt’s 10th home run of the year to make it 5-1. But the RailRiders were able to push the lead to 7-1 in the bottom 5th inning thanks to a 2-run home run by SS Rey Navarro.
 
The PawSox tried to rally late in the game. A run in the top 6th inning and then two runs in the top 8th inning made it 7-4 heading into the top 9th inning. However against RailRiders RHP Cale Coshow, the PawSox went down 1-2-3 as they lost their 3rd straight game on the final score of 7-4.
 
On Saturday night, the two teams met for the final game of the month of June. The RailRiders got onto the scoreboard first with RBIs from RF Brian McKinney and SS Rey Navarro to take an early 2-0 lead. The PawSox scored their first run of the game in the top 3rd inning thanks to an RBI by CF Rusney Castillo to make it 2-1. The RailRiders then tacked on 2 more runs in the bottom 5th inning, including a home run by LF Zack Zehner, to push their lead to 4-1.
 
The PawSox opened up the top 6th inning with a solo home run by DH Mike Ohlman and got RBIs from RF Ramon Flores and SS Mike Miller to tie the game up at 4-4. Then in the top 7th inning, Ohlman knocked out a 2-run home run to give his team a late 6-4 lead. The PawSox bullpen held its ground in the in the bottom 7th and 8th innings against the RailRiders. But then in the bottom 9th inning with two outs and a man at first, Navarro hit a 2-run home run off of PawSox LHP Kyle Martin to tie the game and send it into extra innings. Then in the bottom 10th inning, C Francisco Diaz drove in the winning run from third to complete the comeback and give the RailRiders a 7-6 win in extra innings.
 
Where They Stand
After their 5-game losing streak this week, the PawSox dropped to 4th place in the International League North with a record of 38-42 (.475). They are currently 9.0 games back the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, who are sitting at 47-333 (.588). The PawSox are sporting a 21-18 record at home while 17-24 on the road and have gone 4-6 in their last 10 games.
 
 In the Wild Card Standings, the PawSox are 5.5 games behind the Indianapolis Indians, who have a 43-36 (.544) record.
 
Just the Stats Jack
The following statistics are from players currently playing on the PawSox Triple-A squad as of 4/21. This excludes players who were called up, traded, currently on the disabled list, or currently on the temporary inactive list.
 
At the Plate
(*=min. 130 at-bats)
- 1B/3B Mike Olt leads the team in walks drawn (42), strikeouts (70), on-base percentage (OBP) (.380)*, and on-base plus slugging (OPS) (.843)*. He is tied with teammate C/1B Mike Ohlman for team lead in home runs (10). Olt is also tied with teammate CF Rusney Castillo for team lead in extra base hits (23)
- Castillo leads the team in games played (74), at-bats (306), runs scored (38), hits (94), extra base hits (23), RBIs (36), total bases (125), and batting average (.307)*. He is also tied with teammate OF Aneury Tavarez for team lead in stolen bases (7)
- Ohlman leads the team in slugging percentage (SLG) (.473)
 
Start You Pitchers
(*= min. 55.0 IP)
- SP William Cuevas leads all starters in innings pitched (86.1) and walks allowed (25). He is tied with teammate SP Chandler Shepherd in leading all starters in game starts (15) hit batsmen (4), and no decisions (5). Both Cuevas and Shepherd are tied with teammate SP Josh D. Smith in leading all starters in no decisions (5). Cuevas is also tied with teammate SP Jaleen Beeks in leading all starters in wins (5)
- Smith leads all starters in game appearances (16), ERA (2.75)*, and hit batsmen (6).
- Beeks leads all starters in strikeouts (102), WHIP (1.09)*, strikeouts per 9 innings (11.9)*, and opposing batting average (.213)*
- Shepherd leads all starters in losses (6)
 
Outta Da Pen
(*= min. 15 appearances)
- RHP Kyle Martin leads the bullpen in wins (3), walks allowed (22), and innings pitched (43.2).
- Buttrey leads the bullpen in hit batsmen (3), strikeouts (56) and strikeouts per 9 innings (14.0)*, and holds (5)
- LHP Robby Scott leads the bullpen in opposing batting average (.190)*.
- RHP Ryan Braiser leads the bullpen in losses (5), ERA (1.45)*, game appearances (31), games finished (29), saves (11), and WHIP (0.96)*
 
Player Movement
The following team transaction took place from June 23 to June 30
 
June 23, 2018
- Sent SS/Util. Tzu-Wei Lin to Boston (MLB)
- Received LHP Robby Scott from Boston (MLB)
- Received INF/OF Deiner Lopez from Portland (AA)
- Placed SP William Cuevas on the temporary inactive list
 
June 26, 2018
- Sent SP Justin Haley to Boston (MLB)
 
June 27, 2018
- Sent RHP Tyler Thornburg to Portland (AA) to continue his injury rehab
- Received 2B Brandon Phillips from Boston (MLB) after he signed as a free agent before placing in on the temporary inactive list to join the Gulf Coast Red Sox (Rookie) in Fort Myers to get into baseball shape
 
June 30, 2018
- Received RHP Tyler Thornburg from Portland (AA) to continue his injury rehab
                                                                                          
Rehab Watch
Currently With Pawtucket
As of right now, there is only Boston Red Sox players rehabbing down in Pawtucket at this moment.
 
Red Sox RHP Tyler Thornburg rejoined the team on June 30 for his fourth rehab stint with the PawSox this season. He was transferred to Portland (AA) back on June 27 and spent the next couple of days in Double-A. Thornburg made one appearance for the Sea Dogs against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats before getting recalled to Pawtucket.
 
His most recent action was in Saturday’s loss to the RailRiders. He pitched the 6th inning (his only appearance) as he faced only 3 batters, getting 1 out via groundout and the other 2 via flyout, while throwing a total of 12 pitches (8 for strikes) and was awarded a hold, his 5th this season with the PawSox.
 
Up to now, Thornburg has appeared in 15 games, including 1 start, over the course of 4 rehab stints with the PawSox. He has pitched in a total of 12.2 innings where he has allowed 11 hits, 7 runs (6 were earned), hit 1 batter, walked 6 more, and struck out 11 others. He also currently has an ERA of 4.26, a WHIP of 1.34, has held batters to a .216 batting average, has a K/9 of 8.1, and 5 holds to his name.
 
Previously Red Sox Player Rehab Stints with Pawtucket in 2018
- SP Drew Pomeranz (April 8 - April 10)
- SS Xander Bogaerts (April 24 - April 27)
- RHP Tyler Thornburg (April 30 - May 7) (May 16 – May 24) (June 5 – June 27)
- INF/OF Brock Holt (May 7 - May 8)
- 2B Dustin Pedroia (May 14 – May 25)
- RHP Hector Velazquez (May 21 – May 24)
- RHP Austin Maddox (May 18 – May 30) (June 2 – June 5)
 
Upcoming Games
The PawSox will begin the month of July by finish their weekend series against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders with a Sunday matinee game at 1:35 p.m.
 
After which, they will begin the week with a 4-game series against the Rochester Red Wings from July 2 to July 5. They will first head back to McCoy to play a quick 2-game series against the Rochester Red Wings on July 2 & July 3 before finishing the rest of the series on July 4 & July 5 up in Rochester, New York. Currently the PawSox are looking for their first victory of the season Frontier Field as they are currently sporting a 0-3 record there.
 
After their series against the Red Wings, the PawSox will travel back to McCoy for a 3-game weekend home series against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. Currently the PawSox are 4-2 against the RailRiders this year at McCoy.

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