Red Sox Prospect Matt Kent With Mediocre PawSox Debut But Despite 9th Inning Drama, An Error Cost Pawtucket A Win

The Pawtucket Red Sox tied this Thursday getaway game up in the bottom of the 9th inning with Aneury Taverez hitting a solo blast to force extra innings. Unfortunately for the PawSox, a bad decision cost them the game with the team falling 6-4 and dropping 8 of their last 9 games.

Boston Red Sox pitching prospect Matt Kent made his Triple-A Pawtucket debut on Thursday after spending the start of the 2018 season with Double-A Portland.

Kent, 25-years-old, was called up to the PawSox early Thursday morning with a spot in the rotation open due to the trade of prospect Jalen Beeks to Tampa Bay on Wednesday by Boston. Kent in his AAA debut went 5.1 innings allowing 7 base hits and 4 earned runs with 1 walk and 6 strikeouts.

Two of the runs he allowed were after he exited the game with Trevor Kelley allowing a 2-run single with the runs credited to Kent. Kelley who came in for Kent was not charged any earned runs in his outing going 2 innings allowing 3 base hits, 2 walks, while striking out 2 batters.

Behind Kent and Kelley the PawSox used Bobby Poyner who threw a hitless 1.2 innings to get the PawSox through the regulation 9 innings. But with Pawtucket tying the game in the bottom of the 9th with an Aneury Taverez solo blast off of former Red Sox pitcher Ben Taylor, extra innings became necessary for Pawtucket.

In the top of the 10th inning the PawSox used Robby Scott. Unfortunately after a dribbler where the PawSox got a tag out, the automatic runner from 2nd moved over to 3rd and then an erratic throw by Mike Ohlman sailed into left field bringing the runner in making it 5-4.

Then a sac fly later made it 6-4 putting Pawtucket right back in the hole they had been for much of the game. Scott wasn’t tagged with any of the runs with both being unearned.

Pawtucket has lost 8 of their last 9 games and will be back in action on Friday night with Charlotte coming into town for a weekend series.

Red Sox Release RHP Kyle Martin So He Could Pursue An Opportunity In Japan

The Boston Red Sox announced tonight that they have released RHP Kyle Martin today so he could pursue an opportunity in Japan. He spent the entire 2018 season with the Red Sox AAA affiliate, the Pawtucket Red Sox.

Kyle Martin was on the 40 man roster with the Red Sox before his release and he made his major league debut with the Boston Red Sox in 2017. He only pitched in two games for the Boston Red Sox back in 2017 while only allowing one run in 2 and 1/3 innings pitched.

Martin pitched well in 2018 with the Pawtucket Red Sox and was able to give them length out of their bullpen when they needed it. He will now have the chance to pitch at a high level in Japan and probably make more money then he would with the Pawtucket Red Sox.  In 30 games with the Paw Sox in 2018, he posted a 3.33 ERA in 51 and 1/3 innings pitched.

Boston Red Sox Pitcher Marcus Walden Activated From DL For PawSox

With Jalen Beeks being shipped to Tampa the PawSox were in need of a starter and help will come in the form of Marcus Walden.

Walden who made his Major League debut earlier in 2018 with Boston has been activated off of the 7-day disabled list per the International League Transaction sheet.

The 29-year-old pitcher is in his 2nd year in the Red Sox organization and has severed both as a starter and as a reliever for Pawtucket for the majority of his time. Walden found himself on the DL back on May 31st and recently completed a rehab assignment with the Lowell Spinners.

During his Major League time Walden posted a 3.68 ERA in 14.2 innings across 8 outings for Boston. He was unable to really get his footing in Pawtucket so far in 2018 with a 7.07 ERA in 14 innings for Pawtucket with something clearly off in the versatile Walden.

While Red Sox fans saw Walden in the bullpen for Boston, in Pawtucket with a real lack of quality starters the minor league veteran has served as a starter with 15 starts out of 29 appearances in 2017 and 5 starts out of 6 appearances so far in 2018.

At this time it is unclear when Walden will be back on the hill for Pawtucket, but with Beeks originally slated for Thursday mornings getaway day 11 am start against Columbus, it is likely Walden will get the ball.