Cup of Coffee: Arias, Valera propel FCL Sox into division lead
-----
Tied at 3-3 through the end of regulation, the Sox piled on five runs in the eighth inning to come away victorious. Franklin Arias continues playing incredible baseball, blasting a game-tying homer in the seventh that sent the game to extras and then delivering a two-run double as part of the decisive eighth-inning rally. Raimundo De Los Santos was 3 for 4, while Starlyn Nunez added a triple. Yeferson Vargas allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits in 4 2/3 innings. Diego Hernandez got the win, giving up one run in 2 1/3 frames, and Cristofer Soriano went a scoreless eighth to close out the win.
Juan Valera continues to be unhittable. It was 15 up and 15 down for the 18-year-old right-hander who struck out seven in his fifth hitless effort in his last seven outings. Going a season-high five innings also allowed Valera to qualify for his first winning decision of the year. He had plenty of support, as the Sox lineup ripped 17 hits and each member of the starting lineup accounted for at least one. Unsurprisingly, Arias was again at the center of the action. He and Nunez blasted back-to-back homers to lead off the sixth inning, and he added a single, a stolen base, and a pair of walks. Arias is now hitting .480/.567/.800 in July. Yohander Linarez and Armando Sierra had three hits apiece.
With the doubleheader sweep, the Sox leap over the Rays into first place in the FCL South Division. The loss by the Rays and win by the Pirates have those two teams tied one game behind. The FCL Red Sox also now have a better record by a 1/2-game over the wild card leader, the FCL Tigers. The Sox have five games remaining on their regular season schedule.
-----
Team Red won their seventh straight and 15th of 17 as they continue to get excellent pitching. Yermain Ruiz led the way on Thursday, giving up just one unearned run on one hit in four innings, lowering his ERA to 1.35. Greider Colina struck out two in two hitless frames, and Shnaider Rojas went three scoreless to earn the win. Avinson Pinto led the way at the plate, going 3 for 4 with a double, stolen base, and run scored. Jhoan Peguero doubled as part of his 2-for-4 effort.
-----
Josue Brito and Justin Gonzales had big days at the plate to power the Blue squad. Brito had a two-run homer in the fourth to go with two doubles, a walk, and two RBI in a 3-for-3 performance. Gonzales was 2 for 5 with a solo homer, thee runs scored, and three RBI. Yohandry Gonzalez allowed three runs on one hit in three innings, striking out three, walking two, and hitting two batters. William Reynoso got the win, scattering three hits over three scoreless frames.
-----
Player of the Day: By objective measures, Franklin Arias going 4 for 7 with two home runs and a double as his team swept a doubleheader to move into first place would earn this honor, but he's filled this space several times over the last three weeks and Juan Valera deserves recognition for his continued dominance. In seven starts since the start of June, Valera has given up nine hits in 26 2/3 innings, with six of those coming in just one start. In five of those seven appearances, the 6-foot-3 Valera did not allow a single hit. With his five perfect innings on Thursday, his ERA falls to 1.79 and his WHIP to 0.77. Valera made his SoxProspects.com rankings debut at the beginning of July, placing 42nd in the system.
Photo Credit: Juan Valera by Kelly O'Connor