PawSox Notebook: The Final Month

Ryan L. Fox

​​Welcome PawSox fans of all ages to WBOB’s PawSox Notebook. We have now entered the final full month of the 2018 IL Season and the Pawtucket Red Sox are in the heat of things. With the postseason on the horizon, team still treading water in hopes of vying for a playoff spot either through winning the division title or getting that coveted wildcard spot.

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What’s Been Going On Lately
July 30 – August 5
After taking 2 out of 3 at home against the Charlotte Knights, the PawSox began the week on Monday by traveling north to Syracuse, New York for a 4-game midweek series against their IL North Divisional rivals, the Syracuse Chiefs. However they would be going into Syracuse a little shorthanded as PawSox relievers RHP Ty Buttrey and LHP Williams Jerez were shipped out to Los Angeles in exchange for 2B Ian Kinsler, who ended up playing in Boston that very day.
 
During the first game of the series, the PawSox jumped out to an earlier lead in the top 2nd inning. RBI singles by both RF Cole Sturgeon and LF Aneury Tavarez followed by a 2 RBI double by 2B Brandon Phillips made it 4-0. Next batter later, CF Rusney Castillo hit a 2-run shot to right field to make it 6-0. An RBI double by C Oscar Hernandez the following inning made it what appeared to be an insurmountable lead 7-0 after 3 innings of play. However the Chiefs chipped away by scoring 1 run in each of the next 4 innings to make it 7-4. Then in the bottom 8th inning, facing 2 outs in the inning, Chiefs 2B Jacob Wilson knocked in a RBI double and then RF Yadiel Hernandez knocked in a 2 RBI single to tie the game at 7-7.
 
The game ended up going into extra innings as the PawSox scored first in the extra frame thanks to another RBI by Hernandez to make it 8-7 in the top 10th inning. However the Chiefs scored in the bottom half of that inning thanks to CF Victor Robles scoring on a wild pitch by PawSox RHP Francisco Rodriguez to tie it up at 8-8. After a scoreless 11th inning, the game went to the 12th inning. There, Castillo knocked in an RBI single and teammate DH Adam Lind hit a sac fly RBI to center to give their team the 10-8 lead. But like in the bottom 10th inning, the Chiefs tied the ballgame in the bottom 12th inning thanks to an RBI sac fly by Wilson and then an RBI double by 1B Jose Marmolejos to make it 10-10.
 
By the 13th inning, both teams reverted to using positional players to pitch. For the Chiefs, SS Bengie Gonzalez pitched the top 13th inning as he got the 3 PawSox batters he faced to either fly out or line out. Then in the bottom 13th inning, the PawSox went with RF Cole Sturgeon to pitch the inning. However on the first play, with backup SS Irving Falu starting on second base, Gonzalez reached base on a fielder’s choice. However PawSox SS Ivan De Jesus Jr. overthrew the first baseman, allowing Falu to score to give the Chiefs the 11-10 marathon victory.
 
The next game on Tuesday night saw less of an offensive explosion and marathon. After 4 innings of no runs scored, the Chiefs jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom 5th inning thanks to an RBI Fielder’s Choice by CF Victor Robles and then a 2 RBI single by 2B Irving Falu. The Chiefs almost scored another run after Falu’s at-bat but 3B Jacob Wilson was thrown out at home. It wasn’t until the top 8th inning where PawSox DH Adam Lind scored the first PawSox on a solo home run off of Chiefs RHP David Goforth to make it 3-1. An RBI by SS Mike Miller made it 3-2 but that’s as close as the PawSox could get as they ended up losing on the final score of 3-2.
 
The two teams met again on Wednesday for the third game of the series. The PawSox got on the scoreboard first thanks to an RBI single by 1B Sam Travis for the early 1-0 lead. The Chiefs were able to tie game in the bottom 2nd inning on a sac fly RBI by RF Alejandro De Aza to make it 1-1. It wasn’t until the 7th inning that the tie was broken. The one who did it was PawSox DH Aneury Tavarez as he hit a solo home run off of Chiefs starter RHP Kyle McGowin to give his team a 2-1 lead. An RBI double by 3B Tony Renda made it 3-1 in favor of the visitors after 8 innings. Then in the top 9th inning, the PawSox offense exploded. The team scored 5 runs in the inning off of 7 hits as the entire lineup batted around for the inning off of 2 Chiefs relievers. The Chiefs couldn’t muster a comeback off of PawSox LHP Robby Scott as the PawSox got the 8-1 victory.
 
In the series finale on Thursday, the PawSox were looking for the split series against the Chiefs. The Chiefs scored first in the bottom 2nd inning thanks to an RBI by DH Jose Marmolejos and then a sac fly RBI by 2B Irving Falu for the 2-0 lead off of PawSox starter LHP Josh D. Smith. The PawSox got their first run in the top 5th inning thanks to an RBI double by RF Cole Sturgeon to make it 2-1. Then in the top 9th inning, 1B Sam Travis hit an RBI single off of Chiefs RHP Chris Smith to tie the game at 2-2 and send it into extra innings.
 
In extra innings, both the PawSox and Chiefs went back and forth against each other. Both teams scored one run in the 10th and 11th innings as they ended up going into the 12th inning tied at 4-4. In the bottom 12th inning, Chiefs C Pedro Severino hit a sac fly ball to left field. It was deep enough for teammate PR/LF Andrew Stevenson to score and give their team the 5-4 victory in extra innings.
 
After their series with the Chiefs, the PawSox head back home to McCoy for a quick 3-game weekend series against the Rochester Red Wings.
 
The first game was on Friday night as the PawSox began the game with a 1-0 lead after 1 inning of play thanks to an RBI single by CF Rusney Castillo. A solo home run by 3B Tony Renda pushed the PawSox lead to 2-0 after 3 innings of play. However in the top 4th inning, the Red Wings LF Willians Astudillo knocked a 3-run home run off of PawSox starter RHP Mike Shawaryn to give his team a 3-2 lead. A wild pitch by PawSox RHP Francisco Rodriguez in the top 7th inning allowed another Red Wings run to score to give them a 4-2 lead.
 
But the PawSox answered back with another RBI single by Castillo to make it 4-3 after 7 innings. Then in the bottom 8th inning, 1B Josh Ockimey hit his first home run as a member of the PawSox off of Red Wings RHP Tyler Duffery to tie things up at 4-4. The in the bottom of the 9th with 2 outs and 2 men on base, PawSox 2B Brandon Phillips hit a game-winning 3-run home run (his first home run as a PawSox) to give his team the walk-off 7-4 victory.
 
On Saturday, the two teams met for the second game of the series. The PawSox exploded for 4 runs in the bottom 2nd inning thanks to a 2 RBI triple by CF Kyle Wren and then a 2-run home run by 2B Jantzen Witte for the early 4-0 lead. For 6 innings, PawSox starter RHP William Cuevas kept the Red Wings off the scoreboard.
 
It wasn’t until the 7th inning where the Red Wings got their first run of the game off of Cuevas on an RBI single by 3B Taylor Motter to make it 4-1. However the PawSox answered that run with 4 more runs in the bottom 8th inning, including a 2 RBI single by Witte to make it 8-1. PawSox RHP Bobby Poyner shut down the Red Wings in the top 9th inning as the PawSox came away with the 8-1 victory.
 
Then on Sunday, the PawSox looked to sweep the weekend series against the Red Wings in a day game at McCoy. The PawSox jumped to an early 3-0 lead in the bottom 1st inning thanks to a 3-run home run by 1B Josh Ockimey, his second of the series. The Red Wings struck back in the top 3rd inning thanks to a 2 RBI double by DH Tyler Austin and then an RBI single by 1B Andy Wilkins to tie the game at 3-3.
 
For the a majority of the game, both teams’ pitching staffs held the offenses to just a few hits but no runs scored. But in the top 9th inning, the Red Wings were able to load the bases with only one out against PawSox RHP Marcus Walden. Red Wings SS Gregorio Petit ended up hitting a single to left field that scored a run to give the Red Wings a 4-3 lead. Two batters later, Red Wings 2B Nick Gordon hit a ball to PawSox Mike Miller. The ball deflected off of Miller into right field, allowing 2 more Red Wings runs to cross the plate to push the late inning lead to 6-3. The PawSox could not answer back in the following bottom 9th inning as they dropped the series finale on the final score of 6-3.
 
Where They Stand
The PawSox are currently in 3rd place in the International League North with a record of 51-60 (.459). They are 30-2z at home while going 21-33 on the road and have gone 5-5 in their last 10 games.
 
The PawSox are now 18.0 games behind the division leading Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, who are sitting at 70-43 (.619) as the elimination number for contention for the IL North Divisional crown is down to 10 games.
 
 In the Wild Card Standings, the PawSox are 8.0 games behind the Norfolk Tides, who have a 59-52 (.532) as the elimination number for the PawSox from the wildcard spot is 21 games.
 
Just the Stats Jack
The following statistics are from players currently playing on the PawSox Triple-A squad as of 7/29. This excludes players who were called up, traded, currently on the disabled list, or currently on the temporary inactive list.
 
At the Plate
(*=min. 175 at-bats)
- CF Rusney Castillo leads the team in games played (98), at-bats (394), runs scored (51), hits (127), extra base hits (31), RBIs (50), total based (168), stolen bases (11), and batting average (.322)*,
- SS/Util. Tzu Wei-Lin leads the team in on-base percentage (OBP) (.370)*, slugging percentage (.460)*, and on-base plus slugging (OPS) (.830)*
- C/1B Mike Ohlman leads the team in home runs (11)
- INF Ivan De Jesus Jr. leads the team in and walks drawn (31)
- OF Aneury Tavarez leads the team in strikeouts (90)
 
Start You Pitchers
(*= min. 70.0 IP)
- SP William Cuevas leads all starters in wins (8), innings pitched (117.1), strikeouts (102), WHIP (1.13)*, and opposing batting average (.230)*. He is also tied with teammate SP Chandler Shepherd in leading all starters in game starts (20)
-  Shepherd is also tied with teammate SP Justin Haley in leading all starters in losses (7) as well as tied with teammate SP Josh D. Smith in leading all starters in no decisions (7)
- Josh D. Smith leads all starters in ERA (3.38)*, game appearances (22), hit batsmen, walks allowed (35), and strikeouts per 9 innings (9.0)*
 
Outta Da Pen
(*= min. 15 appearances)
- RHP Fernando Rodriguez Jr. leads the bullpen in relief wins (3), relief losses (3), innings pitched (51.2), walks allowed (19), strikeouts (58), and saves (3)
- RHP Marcus Walden leads the bullpen in bullpen starts (5). He is also tied with teammate LHP Robby Scott in leading the bullpen in hit batsmen (2)
- Scott leads the bullpen in ERA (2.01)*, game appearances (38), strikeouts per 9 innings (12.3)*, and games finished (14)
- RHP Bobby Poyner leads the bullpen in WHIP (0.99)*, opposing batting average (.203)*, and holds (7)
 
Player Movement
The following PawSox player transactions took place from July 30 to August 5, 2018
 
July 30, 2018
- Sent RHP Jordan Weems to Portland (AA).
- Reinstated RHP Josh A. Smith from the temporarily inactive list
- Traded RHP Ty Buttrey and LHP Williams Jerez to Los Angeles Angels (MLB) in exchange for 2B Ian Kinsler
 
July 31, 2018
- Sent RHP Brandon Workman to Boston (MLB)
- Received RHP Matthew Gorst & RHP Travis Lakins from Portland (AA)
 
August 1, 2018
- Released 1B Adam Lind
- Received SS/Util Tzu-Wei Lin from Boston (MLB)
 
August 3, 2018
- Sent C Dan Butler to Boston
- Sent OF Cole Sturgeon to Lowell (Short Season A) via paper move.
- Received RHP Mike Shawaryn & 1B Josh Ockimey from Portland (AA)
 
August 4, 2018
- Sent INF Tony Renda selected to Boston (MLB)
- Received 3B/Util. Jantzen Witte from Portland (AA)
 
July 29, 2018
- Sent SS/Util. Tzu-Wei Lin to Boston (MLB)
- Received RHP Jordan Weems from Portland (AA)
                                                                                          
Rehab Watch
Currently With Pawtucket
 
As of right now, there are no Boston Red Sox players rehabbing down in Pawtucket at this moment.
 
Previously Rehab Stints with Pawtucket
- SP Drew Pomeranz (April 8 - April 10) (July 2 – July 24)
- 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 enjoy the upcoming day off on Monday before heading out onto the road.
 
From August 7 to August 9, the PawSox will travel up to Louisville, Kentucky, for a 3-game midweek series against the Louisville Bats. This will be the final meeting of the season between the two teams. Currently, the PawSox lead the overall season series 2-1. Last year, they went 1-2 while playing in Louisville Slugger Field.
 
After their series with the Chiefs, the PawSox will travel to Indianapolis, Indiana for a 3-game weekend series against the Indianapolis Indians from August 10 to August 12. Like against the Bats, this will be the final series between the two teams for the 2018 IL season. Currently, the Rochester Red Wings lead the overall season series 2-1. Last year, the PawSox went 1-2 at Victory Field.

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