One tall left-hander, Henry Owens, looked like he was getting back in control. But that was a tease.
Another lefty, Trey Ball, appears set to follow the recent pipeline from Salem to Portland.
Owens, 23, pitched a one-hit shutout in a seven-inning game last week for Triple-A Pawtucket. Owens had been struggling, but he said catcher Dan Butler offered advice on his delivery, which helped Owens’ command.
We wanted to believe that because a commanding Owens could play a factor in Boston’s fortunes.
But alas … Owens’ next start Sunday lasted two batters into the fifth inning – with Owens giving up his fifth walk and his sixth hit. His official line featured five earned runs in four innings.
Owens is 5-4 with a 3.69 ERA, with 64 strikeouts and 49 walks in 70 2/3 innings.
When Owens made his three major league starts early in the season, he showed potential, including a solid start against the Yankees (six innings, two earned runs). But he pitched a total of 6 1/3 innings in his other two starts. He was out of control for Boston, with 13 total walks.
Boston so desperately needs dependable starting pitchers, especially if it is to keep up with division-leading Baltimore. Owens could be in that mix. His two best starts last year were against the Orioles – both 7 2/3 scoreless innings (allowing a total of one walk).
The Red Sox need that Owens to show up again.
Ball, like Owens, is 6-foot-6. He also pitched Sunday, for advanced Class A Salem. Ball turned in a seven-inning scoreless performance, allowing two hits and two walks, striking out six.
Ball, who turned 22 on Monday, is 5-3 with a 2.29 ERA (38 strikeouts, 29 walks in 59 innings). He started the season late, recovering from a knee injury. In 11 starts, he has had only one clunker, when he exited in the first inning of a June 6 game after his pitch count reached 40.
This is Ball’s second year in Salem. He is one of Boston’s highest draft picks in history (seventh overall in 2013) and will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft after next season. It’s time for Ball to move along to Portland.
IN PAWTUCKET, Aaron Wilkerson keeps looking like a possible option for Boston’s rotation, with a 4-1 record and 2.20 ERA after Monday night’s 6-2 victory in Rochester. Wilkerson does not light up the radar gun (90-92 mph fastball), but he commands his four-pitch mix.
Reliever Pat Light has earned another call-up to Boston whenever the Red Sox see fit to add him and his 97 mph fastball to the bullpen. In Light’s last 10 appearances, he has allowed no runs, six hits and four walks over 12 innings, striking out 13.
Outfielder Henry Ramos continues to rake since his promotion from Portland, batting .323 with an .841 OPS and two home runs in 18 games.
IN PORTLAND, second baseman Yoan Moncada and shortstop Mauricio Dubon have arrived from Salem. Moncada gets all the hype, and he is 8 for 24 with a double and a home run. He also has no walks and eight strikeouts. A switch hitter, Moncada has batted right-handed four times – striking out every time.
Dubon has had a hot start in three games, going 5 for 11 with a double and triple.
The other touted prospect in Double-A, outfielder Andrew Benintendi, continues to emerge from his early slump. He was batting .205 on June 9. Since then Benintendi is hitting .350 (21 for 60) in 15 games, with six doubles and three home runs.
When reliever Austin Maddox was promoted to Portland, there was little fanfare. But his numbers are grabbing attention: seven appearances, 17 innings, 20 strikeouts, six walks, 0.53 ERA, 0.71 WHIP. Maddox combines a 94 mph fastball with an effective slider.
IN SALEM, third baseman Rafael Devers, 19, is batting .329 with a .761 OPS in June after early struggles. He could be in line for a Sea Dogs sighting in August.
Pitcher Michael Kopech was promoted to advanced Class A after his first start of the year, in Lowell. But Kopech was scratched Thursday from his scheduled start for Salem, reportedly because of a leg cramp.
IN GREENVILLE, outfielder Tate Matheny, 22, is having a nice rebound season, batting .319 with an .822 OPS. A fourth-round draft pick last year out of Missouri State, Matheny was assigned to Lowell and struggled (.181). Matheny is the son of St. Louis Cardinals Manager Mike Matheny.
Pitcher Anderson Espinoza, 18, is being managed carefully, throwing only 59 pitches in his last start (42/3 innings, three hits, one run). He has a 3.90 ERA with 59 strikeouts and 22 walks over 621/3 innings.
IN LOWELL, right-hander Gerson Bautista, 21, is in the bullpen after two years as a starter at lower levels. Good move, so far. He’s 3 of 3 in save opportunities with six strikeouts and no walks in 41/3 innings, allowing two hits and no runs.
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