The curtain rose on Yoan Moncada’s debut with the Portland Sea Dogs, but Tuesday night’s game featured more than Boston’s touted $63 million prospect.
Portland notched 12 hits to enjoy a 10-4 rout of the Harrisburg Senators before 5,165 at Hadlock Field.
Moncada, the top prospect in the Red Sox farm system, contributed an RBI single.
Boston’s other touted minor leaguer, Andrew Benintendi, went 2 for 5 with an RBI double. Benintendi, who got off to a slow start when he arrived a month ago, is batting .366 (15 for 41) in his last 10 games, with three home runs, five doubles and 11 RBI.
“He’s using the whole field,” Sea Dogs Manager Carlos Febles said. “In the beginning he was trying to pull everything. He’s taking whatever the pitcher is giving him. He’s hitting the ball on the line.”
Others were swatting the ball Tuesday. Nate Freiman, the minor league free agent trying to get back to the majors, was 3 for 3 with a double and two RBI.
Aneury Tavarez continued his torrid pace with a 2-for-4 night (one RBI). Tavarez is batting .500 (21 for 42) over his last 11 games.
The offense has been a big reason the Sea Dogs (26-43) are 7-3 over the last 10 games. Harrisburg dropped to 37-32.
Sea Dogs starting pitcher Kevin McAvoy is now 4-3 after allowing three runs on seven hits and a walk over seven innings, striking out six.
Harrisburg starter Tyler Mapes (6-5, 3.67) came in with solid numbers, including a three-hit shutout in his last start, at Trenton. But Portland pounded on Mapes for four runs in the first – capped by Cole Sturgeon’s two-run double – two runs in the second and then three in the third.
NOTES: The Sea Dogs made several recent roster moves besides the addition of Moncada. To make room for him, second baseman Wendell Rijo was sent down to Salem. Rijo was batting .186. … Infielder Ryan Court and reliever Chandler Shepherd were promoted to Triple-A Pawtucket, following starter Justin Haley. … Minor league free agent first baseman Cody Decker was signed and added to Portland last week. … Starter Jalen Beeks and reliever Ben Taylor arrived with Moncada from Salem. Beeks isn’t yet officially on the roster but is expected to start Thursday. … In Pawtucket, Henry Owens started the first game of a doubleheader and was two outs away from a no-hitter (seven innings) before allowing a single. He got the shutout, finishing with a one-hitter to go with three walks and five strikeouts.
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