The biggest crowd of the season filled Hadlock Field Friday night, in part because of a postgame fireworks display but also because of the presence of two rehabbing Red Sox.
Although neither shortstop Brock Holt nor second baseman Dustin Pedroia stuck around to see the finish, the Sea Dogs scratched out a 1-0 Eastern League victory over the Altoona Curve before 7,368 as right-hander Denyi Reyes turned in his best performance of the season.
Reyes (1-6) held the Curve to three hits in six innings, striking out eight and walking none. Jake Cosart followed with two innings of hitless relief and Jordan Weems earned his fourth save, albeit with a pair of walks.
Catcher Jake Romanski negated the leadoff walk by thwarting an attempted steal of second for the first out in the ninth. Weems finished off the game with a 97 mph fastball to strike out Altoona’s cleanup hitter, Logan Hill.
Reyes was coming off a three-hit, five-inning start at Reading in which he allowed only one run. He’s had a couple outings with nine or 10 hits and four or five walks.
“He’s had kind of sporadic success,” Sea Dogs pitching coach Paul Abbott said. “When the bad ones were bad, they were really bad.”
Lately, however, Reyes has been able to throw strikes and has sharpened his slider and change-up.
“(Abbott) told me to be more aggressive with my secondary pitches,” said Reyes, whose previous high over his first eight starts was six strikeouts.
Altoona starter James Marvel (4-5) was equally effective early, holding the Sea Dogs without a hit through four innings. Luke Tendler ripped a double into the corner in right after Marvel plunked Josh Tobias to open the home fifth.
Romanski followed with a sacrifice fly and the Sea Dogs were on top 1-0. Their only other hit was a two-out single in the sixth by Cody Asche.
As for the big leaguers, Holt walked and flied out twice to left. He departed after six innings.
He originally went on the injured list in early April because of a scratched cornea, but remained sidelined because of a troublesome shoulder.
“Everything’s been going well,” said Holt, who rehabbed nine games with Pawtucket before joining the Sea Dogs. “It shouldn’t be too much longer.”
Pedroia grounded into an impressively-turned double play in the first and couldn’t quite hold off on a checked-swing attempt in the fourth, striking out. That was the end of his night. Afterward, he declined a request to speak to a reporter.
“We’re all rooting for him,” Holt said. “He hurts some days and some days he feels good.”
Sea Dogs Manager Joe Oliver said there was not one particular play that prompted Pedroia to cut short his evening after four innings.
“He’s just letting his body tell himself what he can do,” Oliver said. “No sense trying to push it. He’s going to try to be back out there (Saturday).”
Holt said he would remain in Portland Friday night, but was uncertain whether he would play for the Sea Dogs on Saturday.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he got called back (to Boston),” Oliver said, “but I’m going to proceed like they’re both here (Saturday).”
NOTES: The Sea Dogs made several roster moves in addition to the rehab assignments of Holt and Pedroia. Shortstop C.J. Chatham went on the injured list, retroactive to Thursday, with a hamstring issue. … Reliever Adam Lau was promoted to Triple-A Pawtucket. … Utility infielder Deiner Lopez joined the team from Class A Salem. Lopez played 73 games in 2017 and 60 in 2018 for the Sea Dogs. … The Red Sox signed right-handed pitcher Konner Wade from the independent Sugar Land Skeeters and assigned him to Portland. Wade pitched in the Eastern League for Hartford in 2016 and 2017 and becomes the second Skeeter in Portland; Asche joined the Sea Dogs from Sugar Land on May 3.
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