PawSox Notebook: Starting Strong, Finishing Weak

Ryan L. Fox

Welcome PawSox fans of all ages to WBOB’s PawSox Notebook. As the old saying goes, it’s not how you start off but rather how you finish. What started off as a promising week for the PawSox with a winning their first 3 out of 5 games suddenly turned into a fiasco that could only equate as walking down a flight of stairs to the halfway point and then falling down the rest of the way.

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What’s Been Going On Lately
June 2 – June 9
The PawSox continued their weekend series against the Durham Bulls down in Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham, North Carolina.
 
Trying to make up for their loss in the series opener, the PawSox and Bulls squared off in the second game of the series on June 2. The PawSox jumped out to 2-1 lead after 4 innings thanks in part to a solo home run by CF Rusney Castillo in the top of the 4th inning. Later on that same inning, the PawSox committed a double steal later where 1B Mike Ohlman stole home and LF Anuery Tavarez stole second. However the Bulls surged ahead in the bottom of the 7th inning, scoring 3 runs off of rehabbing RedSox RHP Austin Maddox, and then added another run in the following inning. The PawSox got a run in the top of the 9th inning with an RBI by 2B Mike Miller but SS Tzu-Wei Lin grounded out for the final out of the game to give the Bulls a 5-3 win.
 
The two teams then took to the park for the series finale on June 3. For the PawSox RF Cole Sturgeon, it was his time to shine. Sturgeon got the ball rolling with a solo home run in the top of the 1st inning to give his team an early 1-0 lead. The Bulls were able to tie things up the following inning but then in the top of the 5th, the PawSox then got RBIs by both SS Tzu-Wei Lin and CF Rusney Castillo to help their team regain the lead with a 3-1 score. The Bulls tried to claw their way back with a run in the bottom of the 7th but in the top of the 9th, Sturgeon hit his second home of the game as the PawSox won 4-2.
 
After having June 4 off for rest and to travel back to McCoy, the PawSox resumed action the following day as they welcomed in the Louisville Bats for a 3-game midweek series.
 
The first game was on Tuesday, June 5. It was a seesaw affair throughout the entire game. After getting down 3-1 towards the start of the bottom of the 6th inning, the PawSox rallied to tie the game at 3-3 thanks to a two-run homerun by 1B Adam Lind. After both teams scored a run in the 8th inning, it was 4-4 going into the 9th inning. There, the PawSox bullpen imploded as the Bats scored 3 runs, including a home run by C Chadwick Tromp as the Bats win the game 7-4.
 
The following Wednesday night game on June 6 saw things a little differently. The PawSox got on the scoreboard first with a 4-run bottom 2nd inning as C Dan Butler contributed 3 of those 4 runs with a home run to right field. From then on it was the PawSox show as they added 4 more runs the rest of the game to trounce the Bats by the final score of 8-1.
 
In the rubber match of the series, it was against the PawSox offense that led the way for them. The team got home run contributions from SS Ivan DeJesus Jr, 1B Mike Ohlmam, and CF Rusney Castillo while SP Chandler Shepherd pitched a strong outing, holding the Bats to just 1 run in 6 innings of work while striking out 4 batters in a 5-1 victory.
 
After their series with the Bats, the team then welcomed in the Indianapolis Indians to McCoy for a 3-game weekend series. It was the first time in the 2018 campaign that these two teams met.
 
Unfortunately the success that the offensive success the PawSox had in their against the Bats did not transfer over into their series with the Indians.
 
The first game of the series on Friday, June 8, the Indians jumped out to an early 2-0 lead after 2 innings of play thanks in part to RBIs by 3B Pablo Reyes and 2B Kevin Kramer off of PawSox starter RHP Teddy Stankiewicz, who was called up from Double-A Portland earlier that day. The Bats continued their dominance of Stankiewicz as they tacked on 4 more runs due in part to a grand slam by SS Max Moroff to make it 6-0. The PawSox could only manage just one run in the bottom of the 5th inning thanks to an RBI walk by CF Rusney Castillo as the Indians ended up winning the first game of the series by the final score of 8-1.
 
In the following Saturday game on June 9, the PawSox did not fare any better. The Indians jumped out to an early 7-0 after 3 innings, including pummeling recently signed PawSox starter RHP Josh Smith for 5 runs in 2.2 innings of work (PawSox LHP Williams Jerez, who came in to finish the 3rd inning, also got tagged with 2 runs). An RBI single by 1B Adam Lind in the bottom of the 7th inning helped stave off the shutout for the PawSox but that’s all they were able to manage as the Indians took the second game of the weekend series with the final score of 7-1.
 
Where They Stand
As of right now, the PawSox are in 5th place in the International League North with a record of 27-32 (.458). They are 6.5 games back the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, who are sitting at 34-26 (.567). They are sporting a 15-16 record at home while 12-16 on the road and have gone 5-5 in their last 10 games.
 
 In the Wild Card Standings, the PawSox are 5.5 games behind the Norfolk Tides, who have a 32-26 (.552) 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. 85 at-bats)
- 1B/3B Mike Olt leads the team in home runs (7), walks drawn (33), on-base percentage (OBP) (.385)*, slugging (SLG) (.464), and on-base plus slugging (OPS) (.849)*
- OF Rusney Castillo leads the team in games played (55), at-bats (231), runs scored (26), hits (73), extra base hits (22), RBIs (29), total bases (75) batting average (.316)*, total bases (75), and RBIs (24).
- OF Aneury Tavarez leads the team in stolen bases (7) and in strikeouts (51)
 
Start You Pitchers
(*= min. 55.0 IP)
- SP Chandler Shepherd leads all starters in wins (4) and losses (4)). He is tied with teammate SP William Cuevas in leading all starters in game appearances (11) and games started (11)
- Cuevas leads all starters in no-decisions (5), innings pitched (61.0), hit batsmen (4), and walks given up (19)
- SP Jalen Beeks leads all starters in ERA (2.56)*, innings strikeouts (80), strikeouts per 9 innings (12.8)*, opposing batting average (.197)*, and WHIP (0.98)*.
 
Outta Da Pen
(*= min. 15 appearances)
- RHP Kyle Martin leads the bullpen in wins (3) and walks allowed (16). He is also tied with teammate RHP Ryan Brasier for bullpen lead in innings pitched (29.0)
- Braiser leads the bullpen in losses (4), games finished (20) and saves (6). He is also tied with teammate LHP Robby Scott for bullpen lead in game appearances (22)
- Scott leads the bullpen in in ERA (1.61)*, WHIP (0.94)*, opposing batting average (.181)*, and holds (4)
- RHP Ty Buttrey leads the bullpen in hit batsmen (2), strikeouts (43), and strikeouts per 9 innings (14.8)
 
Player Movement
The following team transaction took place from June 2 to June 10
June 2, 2018
- Sent 1B/OF Sam Travis and LHP Bobby Poyner to Boston (MLB)
- Signed free agent 1B Adam Lind
- Received RHP Austin Maddox from Portland (AA) to continue his MLB injury rehab assignment
 
June 5, 2018
- Received RHP Tyler Thornburg from Boston (MLB) to begin an MLB 30-day injury rehab assignment
- Received LHP Josh Smith from Portland (AA)
- Sent RHP Austin Maddox to Boston (MLB) after completing his MLB injury rehab assignment but will still remain on the disabled list.
- Sent RHP Brandon Workman to Boston (MLB)
 
June 6, 2018
- Sent LHP Jalen Beeks to Boston (MLB)
 
June 8, 2018
- Sent RHP Justin Haley to Boston (MLB)
- Received RHP Teddy Stankiewicz from Portland (AA)
- Received LHP Bobby Poyner from Boston (MLB)
- Received RHP Josh Smith from Lowell (Short Season-A) after he was signed by Boston Red Sox (MLB) during late-May
 
Rehab Watch
Currently With Pawtucket
As of right now, there is one Boston Red Sox players rehabbing down in Pawtucket at this moment.
 
RHP Tyler Thornburg is back with the PawSox for his 2nd rehab assignment. He original joined the team back on April 30 for a rehab assignment after he was recovering from right shoulder thoracic outlet surgery. He appeared in three games before getting transferred to Portland (Double-A) on May 7. Thornburg was then transferred back in to the PawSox on May 16 and played in 4 more games with the team before getting recalled back to Boston on May 24.
 
Thornburg actually stayed on the disabled list during his time back with the Red Sox before being sent back down to Pawtucket for another rehab assignment on June 5.
 
Since then Thornburg has appeared in two games (June 5 vs. Louisville & June 8 vs. Indianapolis) where he has pitched 2.0 innings in relief combined, throwing 1 strikeout, while giving up 1 hit on a total of 25 pitches with 19 for strikes.
 
Previously Rehab Stints with Pawtucket
- 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)
- 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 finish up their weekend series against Indianapolis Indians with the final on Sunday, June 100, at 1:35 p.m. EST.
 
After which, the team will then begin a 7-game road trip from June 11 to June 17.
 
From June 11 to June 13, the team travel to Syracuse, New York, to take on the Syracuse Chiefs (the Triple-A Affiliate of the Washington Nationals) for the first meeting of the season between the two teams. Last year, the PawSox won the season series against the Chiefs with a final record of 15-5. This also included going an impressive 9-1 at NBT Bank Stadium.
 
After the series with the Chiefs, the PawSox will head down south to Allentown, Pennsylvania, for a 4-game weekend series against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs from June 14 to June 17. Currently the PawSox are 0-3 at Coca-Cola Park this season as they were swept in a 3-game series back on May 7-9.

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