Vidal Brujan continues to hit the ball well against the Red Sox, hitting .541 and recording a hit in all games played against them this season. (Photo: Jim Donten)
The GCL Rays and GCL Red Sox were locked into a great pitching duel through much of the afternoon until both teams combined for ten runs in the final three innings with the Rays walking away with a 6-4 win. With the win, the Rays have pulled out of last place in the division and hold the second longest winning streak in the league at the moment.
The starters for each team really set the tempo with Rays starter Jesus Ortiz and Red Sox starter Hildemaro Requena exchanging zeroes through the first six innings. It wasn’t until the managers went to the bullpen before any team would get a run.
The Red Sox broke the scoreless tie in the tip of the seventh inning. Juan Barriento struck a solo home run to left to give the Red Sox a 1-0 lead.
The Rays countered with a huge eighth inning. They home team batted around in the inning to produce six runs in the process. The inning opened with back to back extra base hits, a double by Vidal Brujan followed by an RBI triple by Jesus Sanchez to tie the game. The triple for Sanchez was his league leading fifth of the season. Sanchez later scored on a single by Michael Brosseau to give the Rays the lead.
The offense continued to put runners on the bases as Jose Tonton was hit by a pitch and Gilbert Marrero drew a walk to load the bases with just one out. Brosseau scored on a passed ball. Then a single by Ryan Caldwell scored both Tonton and Marrero. Caldwell would later score on a single by Deion Tansel to give the Rays a 6-1 lead.
The Red Sox mounted a rally in the top of the ninth. They pushed across three runs before Jayson McKinley got the remaining two outs of the inning to secure the victory.
Anthony Parente earned the win and improved to 2-1. McKinley picked up the save, his first. Devon Fisher was the losing pitcher for the Red Sox.
The series shifts to JetBlue Park for the finale on Thursday.
Box Summary
Hitters
- Vidal Brujan (2B): 3 for 5 with a double and a run scored
- Jesus Sanchez (CF): 1 for 4 with a triple, RBI and a run scored
- Michael Brosseau (3B): 1 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored
- Jonathon Arrowood (DH): 0 for 4
- Jose Tonton (RF): 1 for 2 with a run scored
- Gilbert Marrero (1B): 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored
- Alexander Alvarez (C): 0 for 4
- Ryan Caldwell (LF): 1 for 4 with 2 RBI’s and a run scored
- Deion Tansel (SS): 3 for 4 with an RBI
Pitchers
- Jesus Ortiz: 6 scoreless innings with 3 hits, 3 strikeouts and a walk
- Sam Long: 1 run on 1 hit with 2 strikeouts and a walk in 1 inning
- Anthony Parente (Win, 2-1): 1 no-hit inning with a walk
- Bryce Zak: 3 runs on 3 hits with a walk in 1/3 inning
- Jayson McKinley (Save, 1): 2/3 no-hit inning
