Sometimes, a minor change can make a major difference.
Matthew Lugo went 3 for 3 on Thursday night to lead the Portland Sea Dogs to a 6-1 victory over the Binghamton Rumble Ponies before a crowd of 5,234 at Hadlock Field.
A month ago, the Red Sox tested Lugo’s vision with special glasses and pointed cameras at his eyes while he batted. Lugo was having trouble picking up the baseball as it left a pitcher’s hand.
The results came back a week ago.
“They noticed my focal point was down,” he said. “So now instead of looking at his body or his chest, I look near the face or hat of the pitcher. That’s helped tremendously. Now I’m seeing the ball better.”
Lugo had two hits Tuesday to go along with three Thursday. He was hit by a pitch in the second inning, sparking a four-run rally, as the next three batters all hit for extra bases. Alex Binelas doubled and Corey Rosier and Tyler McDonough delivered back-to-back home runs to give Portland a 4-0 lead.
The Sea Dogs added two more in the sixth. Lugo singled, advanced on a walk and scored all the way from second base on a wild pitch that caromed off the backstop and up the first-base line. Lugo noticed Binghamton’s catcher and pitcher went after the ball, leaving home plate momentarily untended.
“I saw that and took off,” said Lugo, who slid in just as catcher Matt O’Neill arrived with the tag, which was judged to be slightly late by plate umpire Joe Belangia. Binghamton Manager Reid Brignac was ejected in the subsequent argument.
Later in the sixth, Binelas stole home, as he and McDonough executed a double steal.
Binghamton’s only run came on a fifth-inning homer by Jaylen Palmer. It was one of four hits the Ponies managed off Portland right-hander Hunter Dobbins (2-1), who struck out 10 and walked two before departing with two out in the sixth.
“He didn’t really have his splitter as much as we wanted to,” said Sea Dogs catcher Nathan Hickey, “but he still had his three other pitches (fastball, slider, curveball) all working perfectly for him.”
Dobbins left the bases loaded for reliever Jacob Webb, who ended the Binghamton threat with a strikeout.
The victory improved Portland’s second-half record to 7-2 and overall mark to 47-31. But the Sea Dogs will be without two position players and one relief pitcher for the final three games of this Binghamton series.
Second baseman Nick Yorke, shortstop Marcelo Mayer and closer Luis Guerrero are traveling to Seattle on Friday to take part in Saturday’s Major League Futures Game. It’s the first time since the Futures Game debuted in 1999 that the Sea Dogs are sending three players.
Seven years have passed since they sent more than one. In 2016, Andrew Benintendi and Yoan Moncada took part. Both Yorke, 21, and Mayer, 20, grew up in California and have family coming to the game.
“My parents get to come out maybe once a year to see me play, so it’s going to be nice to be able to see them out there,” said Yorke, who is batting .275 and leads the Sea Dogs in runs (50), hits (76), triples (5) and total bases (125).
“I’m super excited,” said Mayer, who went 1 for 4 Thursday night, same as Yorke, to raise his average to .196 since a promotion to Double-A at the end of May. “I’m just going to soak it all in. It’s a prestigious event that every minor leaguer wants to be a part of, and thankfully I’m part of it. There’s going to be a lot of great players, a lot of great memories, a lot of great connections that I’m going to be able to make.”
Guerrero, 22, leads the Eastern League with 14 saves, twice as many as his nearest competitor. He’s allowed only one homer and four earned runs in more than 32 innings pitched.
“I like competing,” he said. “I’m excited for Saturday.”
The seven-inning contest is between American and National League rosters of 25 prospects each. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. You’ll need Peacock or SiriusXM to catch the broadcast.
“It speaks volumes for where we’re at in our organization,” Portland Manager Chad Epperson said of Boston sending three representatives. “We’ve got some really good young prospects. They all deserve the opportunity to go.”
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