Brooks Brannon just cranked his 14th home run in Double-A for the Portland Sea Dogs, and seriously, his OPS is inching closer to 1.000. This dude's not just hitting dingers; he already laced a two-bagger in the previous inning, proving he's absolutely locked in. There's no doubt he's seen enough of Portland, it’s time to get him some at-bats against guys with actual MLB experience.
Sea Dogs Keep Raking, Pushing for Promos
Portland snagged a solid 7-5 win against New Hampshire, and honestly, the bottom of the lineup showed up big time. Jack Winnay, a 13th-round pick from last year, has been on fire for weeks since his promotion. He went 3-for-5, just getting on base and putting runners in prime spots. Ronald Rosario totally capitalized on it, smashing two home runs and racking up four RBI. His eighth-inning blast was the one that put Portland ahead for good. These guys are doing exactly what you want to see in the minors: performing so well they make the front office take notice.WooSox Offense Strands Ten in Ugly Loss
Over in Worcester, it was a rough night, with the WooSox dropping a 4-10 game to Rochester. Raymond Burgos just didn't have "it" on the mound, striking out only one guy through five innings. But let's be real, the offense didn't have "it" either, going hitless in eight tries with runners in scoring position and leaving ten total runners stranded. Yikes. The only real bright spot came way later when Tyler McDonough smashed his seventh homer in just 25 games since getting called up. This guy is on a ridiculous tear in July, hitting .474 with an OPS over 1.500, totally owning his everyday role in Triple-A, especially with some other infielders in Boston or on the injured list. Still, that homer was a tiny highlight in a night so bad they had to march Nathan Hickey out to the mound to get the last out of the ninth. Seriously.Drive & RidgeYaks Barely Hold On in Crazy Slugfests
Meanwhile, Greenville picked up a wild 9-8 win over Greensboro, who apparently decided to let the Drive hit all week. The first five batters in Greenville's lineup all had multiple hits! Mason White, who's got that defensive versatility, boosted his stock even more with three extra-base hits: a homer and two doubles. Greensboro wasn't shy with the long ball either, belting four home runs themselves, so it came down to a nail-biting ninth inning. The Drive barely hung onto their 9-3 lead, thankfully saved by Gerardo Rodriguez and Luke Heyman, who both left the yard in the top of that frame. Can you imagine the frustration if they hadn't? Not to be outdone by the 9-8 score, the Salem RidgeYaks also took down the FireFlies with a matching 9-8 victory. Their pitchers were definitely getting lit up, and seven walks bit them hard, but somehow they still racked up 15 strikeouts on the night. Talk about making things interesting! What's next for these guys? With Brannon and McDonough absolutely tearing it up, you gotta wonder who's getting that next call. The performances are there, the numbers are loud. It's all about proving you're ready for the next challenge, and right now, a few of these dudes are screaming it.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.