The Providence Journal
Red Wings 8, PawSox 6
Matt Macri’s two-run, walk-off home run with one out in the 10th inning gave the Rochester Red Wings the win over the PawSox last night at Frontier Field. Macri blasted reliever Jon Switzer’s (3-1) 2-0 pitch over the left-field wall, capping a three-run inning. Jonathan Van Every’s home run in the top half of the 10th gave Pawtucket a 6-5 lead before the Red Wings comeback. The loss snapped Pawtucket’s eight-game winning streak, denying the PawSox’ bid to tie a franchise record with nine consecutive wins.
Pawtucket starter Charlie Zink received a no decision for his second straight start. The knuckleballer allowed five runs on nine hits in six innings of work. Zink walked three and struck out four.
Full Version: Sox Minor League News Links, Sun. June 29, 2008
Kevin Thomas - Early lead wasted by Dogs; Trenton overcomes a 4-1 deficit and solidifies its hold on first place with a 7-4 win.
The Portland Sea Dogs quickly got to Trenton Thunder starter Chase Wright and the shaky defense behind him Saturday night, scoring four runs in the first two innings
But three Trenton relievers stifled the Sea Dogs over the final 61/3 innings, and the Thunder came back to beat Portland 7-4 on a damp, misty night at Hadlock Field.
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Goodson gave one run back in the top of the second, but Portland made it a 4-1 lead in the bottom half on the first of three doubles by Mickey Hall, and singles by Ryan Khoury and Zach Daeges. Khoury had advanced to second base on a throwing error, and then scored on Daeges' single.
Kevin Thomas - Pinckney's release a byproduct of depth in Red Sox system
In this ever-improving Boston Red Sox organization, the competition among minor leaguers is producing both talent and heartbreak.
About 2:30 a.m. on Friday, after the Portland Sea Dogs returned from a trip to Connecticut, Manager Arnie Beyeler summoned third baseman Andrew Pinckney.
Pinckney, 26, thought he might get promoted to Triple-A Pawtucket. Instead, he was released.
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Here are the factors that led to Pinckney's release:
With an emphasis on developing players, the Red Sox farm system is no longer thin. Players must perform or go.
"Six or seven years ago, there may have been more breathing room to keep playing," said Ben Cherington, Boston's vice president of player personnel.
There is less room now. In spring training, third-base prospect Scott White, 24, a third-round draft pick in 2002, was released after too many so-so seasons.
Boston's patience is limited, especially with non-prospects. "We've got a lot of priority players that need to play," Cherington said
Pinckney was drafted in the 34th round, after four years at Division III Emory University. He had a breakout year in 2005 in Class A Greenville (.311, 21 home runs), but his numbers have declined the last three years.
Last year in Portland, he batted .264, with 14 home runs and a .327 on-base percentage. In 56 games this year, he was hitting .269, with five home runs and a .299 on-base percentage.
At age 26, Pinckney needed to put up bigger numbers. He still has a chance to impress another team, though, because he was picked up Saturday by the Toronto Blue Jays and assigned to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.
Kevin Thomas - Working on the edge
Mickey Hall's batting average (.241) is slowly climbing in Portland. He stroked three doubles Saturday night (one blast into the wind missed a homer by a foot) and is batting .357 (10-for-28) in his last 7 games ... Zach Daeges (.310) and Aaron bates (.291) had 2 hits apiece.
In Lancaster, Lars Anderson (.304) went 2-for-3.
In my column on Pinckney, I mention 17-year-old Michael Almanzar as another third base candidate ... Forgot to mention SS/3B Tamico Navarro in Greenville. Navarro, 20, is hitting .290, after going 2-for-3 on Saturday ... starter Felix Doubront recovered from a so-so outings to go 6 innings (3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 7 K).
Lowell reliever Seth Garrison, a 23rd-round pick out of Texas Christian in this year's draft, has a 1.08 ERA in four appearances (8 1/3, 5 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 9 K).
And in the Gulf Coast League, Mr. Almanzar reached base all 5 times with 2 walks and 3 hits, including a triple. he's batting .412.
Willie T. Smith III - Stanley at home with Greenville Drive
Stanley has consistently been a standout at the plate since arriving in Greenville following a brief stint with the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs.
He entered Saturday’s road game against the Asheville Tourists hitting a team-high .370 with seven home runs, seven doubles and 21 RBIs in only 26 games.
He also has a team-best .674 slugging percentage.
“I have always been able to hit with power like this,” Stanley said, matter-of-factly. “Practicing every day with (Drive hitting coach Billy McMillon) is helping me a lot.”
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Stanley got a call from the Red Sox, then quickly signed a free-agent contract on August 15 last year.
He played in only 13 games — eight with the Gulf Coast League Red Sox and Short A Lowell.
Although he struggled in five games at Portland, hitting .143, he has been on fire since joining the Drive.
“He’s got an exciting bat,” Greenville manager Kevin Boles said. “There is a lot of strength there. There is some hand speed. He takes a good approach from at-bat to at-bat. He learns from each at-bat. He’s done a lot of good work in the cage. This kid has some life in that bat. There is no doubt about it.”
In an attempt to garner as much playing time as possible, Stanley has played right and left field, along with first base. He has also been used as a designated hitter.
The Lowell Sun
Spinners bats on vacation in Vt.
Last night's game was tied 1-1 before the Lake Monsters belted a pair of 2-run homers and made them stand up.
After Vermont took a 1-0 lead in the first, the Spinners tied it in the top of the fourth when Ricardo Burgos ripped a 1-out double and scored on Kade Keowen's 2-out single.
Lowell loaded the bases in the sixth with no outs on 2 walks and a Keowen single -- but a strikeout and 4-6-3 double play killed the threat for the Spins who stranded 8 runners.
Spinners bats on vacation in Vt.
Last night's game was tied 1-1 before the Lake Monsters belted a pair of 2-run homers and made them stand up.
After Vermont took a 1-0 lead in the first, the Spinners tied it in the top of the fourth when Ricardo Burgos ripped a 1-out double and scored on Kade Keowen's 2-out single.
Lowell loaded the bases in the sixth with no outs on 2 walks and a Keowen single -- but a strikeout and 4-6-3 double play killed the threat for the Spins who stranded 8 runners.
Kevin Gray's On Baseball: End of the road?
MANCHESTER – Jamie Vermilyea was gone, his locker empty, before teammates could say goodbye.
The original Fisher Cat, who threw a perfect game for New Hampshire and pitched for Toronto, lost his velocity and magical sinker in 2008. He was released on Friday and long-gone before batting practice.
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Vermilyea, once a hot prospect, pitched a seven-inning perfect game against New Britain at Gill Stadium, notching the sixth perfect game in Eastern League history. He would retire 41 consecutive batters that season and serve as a key reliever during the championship season. The right-hander eventually climbed to the big leagues for two appearances early last year
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Vermilyea was drafted in the ninth round of 2003 and compiled a 30-21 record (3.60 ERA) in the Jays organization. He made a stint with the Red Sox during 2006 spring training before being returned to Toronto via the Rule 5 draft.
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Sea Dogs third baseman Andrew Pinckney, who always seemed to hammer New Hampshire pitching, was released by the Red Sox and joined the Fisher Cats last night. Pinckney has played two seasons with the Sea Dogs, compiling 19 homers and 99 RBI.
Boston released the 26-year-old after his average dipped to .269 with a .299 on-base percentage.
"We've been pretty thin infield-wise at Double-A all year," Scott said. "He has a proven track record in this league."
Inland Empire Holds on to Beat JetHawks 7-6
A strong start by Tony Bajoczky was spoiled. The right-hander turned in seven strong innings, allowing just three runs, all in the second inning, but left with the game tied. The JetHawks had tied the game in the fourth inning on a bases-loaded two-run single by Chih-Hsien Chiang and a RBI ground out by Reid Engel.
The JetHawks helped the 66ers score their last four runs. Two walks and a hit batter set up two runs in the eighth inning, while a key error in the ninth helped lead to another, putting Lancaster down by three runs going into the bottom of the ninth inning.
Lancaster kept the game interesting. Lars Anderson beat out a grounder for an infield hit, followed by a walk to Jon Still. A come-backer that should have been a double play was botched for an error, loading the bases. Luis Exposito drove a pitch all the way to the wall, but it was caught for a sacrifice fly. Chiang drove in a run with another fly ball, but the JetHawks left the tying runner stranded on first base.
Chiang led Lancaster with two hits and three runs driven in. Anderson also had two hits.
Jason McGill - Tourists can’t connect in loss
One of those hits was a Che-Hsuan Lin homer to lead off the sixth inning for Greenville (5-5).
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Tourists batters struck out nine times, while the defense committed three errors for the second game in a row.
Greenville starter Felix Doubront allowed one run in six innings to go with seven strikeouts. He’s now 3-0 against Asheville this season.
GULF COAST LEAGUE: Red Sox pull out win in 10th
SARASOTA — Wilfred Pichardo hit a two-out triple to break a 10th-inning tie as the Red Sox beat the Orioles 7-5 Saturday at Twin Lakes Park.
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Mike Almanzar went 3-for- 3 and scored three runs for the Red Sox. Tyler Yockey was 3- for-5 with a two-run double in the fifth that made it 4-2.
Don Beideman - A chance at the big leagues
Pete Hissey has loved baseball as far back as he can remember.
The 18-year-old grew up playing shortstop through Junior American Legion ball, even though he throws lefthanded.
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Hissey was taken by the Boston Red Sox in the fourth round of this year's amateur draft. He was the 142d pick overall.
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Although he had not signed with the Red Sox as of last Tuesday, Hissey was scheduled to participate in a showcase workout this Tuesday with other Red Sox draftees at Fenway Park.
If he comes to terms with the Red Sox, he would report to their rookie-level team, the Gulf Coast Red Sox, in Fort Myers, Fla.
"I'm ready to get going," Hissey said as he awaited an offer from the Red Sox. "I'm mentally ready. You have to leave home sometime. I can't live with my parents forever."
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This season, the lefthanded hitter didn't let a band of scouts observing him distract him. He hit .509, with 28 runs scored and 15 runs batted in. He batted leadoff or third for the 11-11 Indians, who reached the District 1 Class AAA semifinals before losing to Marple Newtown.
"He's really an aggressive ballplayer who knows how to play the game," DeDonato said. "He has great instincts, and I think that's what the scouts saw in him."
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