Cup of Coffee: Cohen shoves, Garcia homers, Jimenez shines in rehab in FCL
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It was a tough night for the bats in Buffalo, as the WooSox lineup managed just three hits and did not advance a runner as far as second base. Ceddanne Rafaela, Daniel Palka, and Stephen Scott each singled. Rio Gomez took the loss, allowing three runs on six hits in 3 2/3. Quite a bit of speculation before game time revolved around Rafaela's move from center field in the original lineup to shortstop. The switch aligned both with the opt-out date for Niko Goodrum as well as with a seeming opening at the major league level.
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Hits were even harder to come by in the Double-A contest. Nathan Hickey had both of Portland's knocks, both singles, and also drew one of the two walks. Yu Chang made his second rehab appearance and first in the field, playing shortstop and batting leadoff. Hunter Dobbins got the start, surrendering three runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. Dylan Spacke scattered three hits across 2 2/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen.
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Blaze Jordan got back on track after going uncharacteristically hitless in his previous two games. The third baseman went 2 for 4 to register his 24th multi-hit game of the season and eighth in his last 14. Eddinson Paulino picked up a double, his seventh extra-base hit in the his last eight contests. Karson Simas doubled as part of his two-hit effort, and Tyler Miller drove in a pair while going 2 for 4. Angel Bastardo went five solid innings, surrendering just one run on three hits, striking out seven and walking two. The 21-year-old has 90 strikeouts in 68 1/3 innings on the year.
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SoxProspects.com Executive Editor Chris Hatfield waited out the two hour rain delay to report back from Fredericksburg. Brooks Brannon greeted him with an impressive three-run homer in the top of the first, but it was largely Fredericksburg from then out. Albert Feliz added a pair of doubles for Salem. Starter Jose Ramirez saw his control abandon him in the fourth, as three walks led to a four-run inning. Overall, Ramirez allowed five runs on three hits in 3 2/3 frames.
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The calendar flipped to July, but Johanfran Garcia showed no signs of missing a beat. After a .344/.447/.578 introduction, Garcia delivered a two-run homer and a walk as part of his 1-for-3 effort. Gilbert Jimenez continued his rehab with a second straight 3-for-4 day, blasting two home runs, driving in four, and stealing a base. Johnfrank Salazar was 2 for 4 to raise his average to .368. Starter Luis Cohen was excellent, giving up just one hit in four shutout innings, striking out four and walking two. Royman Blanco pitched a scoreless fifth to earn the win. Jeremy Wu-Yelland threw a perfect sixth but gave up a single, two walks, and a grand slam before getting lifted. Simon Pacheco quickly settled things down to get the save.
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Team Blue stumbled to a fifth straight loss despite the continued excellence of Yoeilin Cespedes. Cespedes had his ninth multi-hit effort in 18 games, going 2 for 4 with a walk and a run scored. Starlyn Nunez doubled as part of a two-hit day. Ricardo Rodriguez took the loss, giving up an unearned run on two hits in four innings, striking out four and walking three.
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Shortstop play has been a major positive during the Dominican Summer League season, with Cespedes joined by Franklin Arias in terrorizing the league. Arias helped key a two-run seventh-inning rally with an RBI in the seventh. He also singled to extend his hitting streak to seven games, during which he is 12 for 26 (.462). Nathanael German was 1 for 3 with a walk, RBI, and run scored out of the leadoff spot. Juan Henriquez allowed two runs on two hits across four innings, striking out six against three walks. Oscar Sanchez got credit for the win in relief.
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Player of the Day: Luis Cohen had been one of the organization's standouts in the DSL in 2022, but he had allowed seven runs in six innings in his first two FCL starts. The 20-year-old righty was excellent Saturday to help lead the organization's only stateside win. Cohen gave up just one hit in four scoreless frames, slashing over four runs off his ERA.
Photo Credit: Gilberto Jimenez by Kelly O'Connor