On top of all the great baseball and fireworks that July has in store, here are some more great promos being offered by New England’s Minor League baseball teams.

Connecticut Tigers
July 13th: Matt Harvey Bobblehead Giveaway – Groton’s own has been sensational for the New York Mets this season, going 7-1 with a 2.00 ERA, 0.85 WHIP and 132 strikeouts in 117 innings. The former Fitch High ace will be the second in the Tigers “Hometown Heroes” Bobblehead Series this season, with Matt Cain Bobblehead Giveaway following on July 27th. (First 1,000 fans)
Other dates of note: July 6th – Tigers Mouse Pad Giveaway; July 26th – Military Appreciation Night.

Lowell Spinners
July 13th: Star Wars Day – Rain washed out LeLacheur Park’s annual Star Wars Day last year (it was moved to Fenway Park as part of the Futures at Fenway event), so the Spinners are doing it twice this year, with the second happening on August 26th. As much as this has become a staple for most every Minor League team nowadays, it’s always cool to see what new Star Wars inspired jerseys the Spinners will pull off. Plus a pack of a hundred stormtroopers is always a sight to behold.
Other dates of note: July 2nd – Band of Brothers Bobblehead Giveaway; July 14 – Bark in the Park; July 25th – Jack Kerouac Lowell High Football Bobblehead.

New Hampshire Fisher Cats
July 24: Fisher Cats Cap Giveaway – The first 1,000 fans will get treated to a fresh new Fisher Cats hat to keep your noggin’ protected from all of the elements. Face it, by July 24th whatever you are wearing now will be ready for a break.
Other dates of note: July 15th – Player Poster Giveaway; July 16th – Batting Helmet Giveaway; July 23rd – T-Shirt Giveaway; July 28th – Mini Bat Giveaway; plus 7 of 15 games in the month have a post-game fireworks show.

New Britain Rock Cats
July 19th: Joe Mauer Bobblehead Giveaway – The 2009 American League MVP gets another bobblehead honor in New Britain. Not that Rock Cats fans are complaining about getting another crack at honoring one of the most celebrated players to come through town. (First 1,200 fans)
Other dates of note: July 14th – New Britain Stadium Replica Giveaway; July 22nd – Christmas in July.

Pawtucket Red Sox
July 27th: Will Middlebrooks Bobblehead Night – Well this is going to be a little awkward. I’m sure when this was announced at the beginning of the year that the team did not expect that Middlebrooks himself might be in the lineup. Although, to be honest, there is a solid chance he’ll be back with Boston by then. (First 4,000 fans)
Other dates of note: July 12th – PawSox Team Jersey Night.

Portland Sea Dogs
July 5th: Clay Buchholz Bobblehead Giveaway – Sure it’s a bobblehead heavy month, but what better way to honor those players that once played in these very places. Buchholz is just another in a long line of Sea Dogs who went on to a successful big league career and despite recent injury woes, he had been the ace of the Boston staff this season. (First 1,000 fans)
Other dates of note: July 7th – Halloween at Hadlock; July 18th – ZOOperstarts!

Vermont Lake Monsters
July 27th: Tiki Barber Appearance – The former NFL Pro Bowl running back will be on hand to sign autographs, so expect a big crowd for this one.
Other dates of note: July 17th - Light Up Yo-Yo Giveaway; July 19th – Ben & Jerry’s presents ‘Summer of Love’; July 28th – Team Photo Giveaway.

July is a always great time for New England and baseball. Road trips, vacations and that hot, humid summer weather that we beg for when we are shoveling out two-feet of snow in January. Plus the NBA and NHL wrapped up in June and NFL camps are not opening until August, so this is the one true month that grand old game gets to enjoy all to itself. So get out there and take advantage!

Pawtucket – 5
Toledo – 8
WP: Hankins (3-3)
LP: Wright (3-5)
HR: PAW-Bogaerts (2), Butler (5)
HIGHLIGHTS: Toledo caught up to PawSox starter Steven Wright in the fourth and fifth innings, striking for five runs. The Mud Hens scored three more in the eighth for insurance and the PawSox (44-29) ninth inning rally fell short, snapping their four-game winning streak … Reliever Ryan Rowland-Smith allowed three runs in 1 1/3 innings, but only one was earned. On the season he has allowed just seven total runs of which only four were earned, in 41 2/3 innings. … Xander Bogaerts (1-for-4) hit a solo home run in the sixth inning, his second since joining Pawtucket. The home run snapped and 0-for-11 slump.

Portland – 2
Trenton – 9
WP: Allen (1-0)
LP: Britton (6-6)
S: Arrebato (1)
HR: TRN-Pirela (6)
HIGHLIGHTS: In the blink of an eye a Drake Britton gem turned into utter disaster. After taking a no-hitter and a 1-0 lead into the sixth inning, Britton got blasted for seven hits and eight runs in the frame, getting only one more out before being removed. … Just up from Salem Garin Cecchini doubled in the eighth inning for his first Double-A hit. It was also the only extra-base hit for the Sea Dogs who only had five total hits in the game.

Salem – 9
Wilmington – 2
WP: Pena (2-2)
LP: Moen (1-1)
HR: SAL-Natoli (1), Jacobs 2 (9); WIL-Raben (2)
HIGHLIGHTS: The Salem Sox returned to action following a four-day All-Star break, but showed little rust in jumping out to a 7-0 lead after two innings, allowing them to cruise to victory … Brandon Jacobs led the offense with two home runs, three RBIs and two runs scored. He has four home runs and 12 RBIs in June and is batting .280. … Nick Natoli hit his first home run of the season, a solo shot in the second inning.

Hagerstown – 13
Greenville – 9
WP: Henke (3-1)
LP: Montas (1-6)
HR: HAG-Renda (2)
HIGHLIGHTS: For the second straight night Drive pitching got tuned up, but despite some big offense of their own, they suffered their eighth straight defeat. During the current losing streak they have been outscored 71-26. ... David Chester went 2-for-5 with two doubles, three RBIs and two runs scored. Three other Greenville players had two-hit nights.

Tri-City – 0
Lowell – 4
WP: Callahan (1-0)
LP: Fant (0-1)
HIGHLIGHTS: 2012 second-rounder Jamie Callahan was sensational in his Spinners debut, twirling five innings of one-hit ball. The 18-year-old righty walked two and struck out three. ... Tzu-Wei Lin went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run from the leadoff spot. He also stole second base in the fifth inning, his first swipe of the season.

New England teams

New Britain – 4
Akron – 13
WP: Roberts (5-4)
LP: Stuifenbergen (1-1)
HR: NB-Rodriguez (10), Sano (2); AKR- Ramirez (3), Lowery (3)
HIGHLIGHTS: The Aeros piled up 12 runs by the fifth inning and the Rock Cats could not counter with enough of a comeback. It is the most runs allowed by New Britain this season. ... Reynaldo Rodriguez (2-for-4, RBI, 2 runs) continues to rake, hitting his fifth home run over his last ten games. In that span he is batting .361 with nine RBIs and eight runs. ... Miguel Sano hit his second home run since joining New Britain. He has one hit in each of his last three games.

New Hampshire – 6
Harrisburg – 7
WP: Grace (1-0)
LP: Spoone (3-3)
S: Barrett (14)
HR: HAR-Van Ostrand (4), Goodwin (5)
HIGHLIGHTS: The Fisher Cats had a solid 4-1 lead after five innings, but the Senators struck for six in the 6th-7th-8th innings to allow them to pull out the win. The Fisher Cats have lost four in a row and are 5-12 in June. ... In his first Double-A game after being called up from Class-A Dunedin, Andy Burns led the New Hampshire offense with a 3-for-5 night that included a double, triple, RBI and two runs.

Connecticut – 1
Vermont – 4
WP: Hansen (1-0)
LP: Bailey (0-1)
S: Duran (1)
HR: VER-Brugman (1)
HIGHLIGHTS: A four-spot in the sixth was plenty offense for the Lake Monsters who kept the Tigers (0-4) winless to start the season. ... Tigers second-rounder Jamie Callahan threw two scoreless innings, striking out three while not allowing a hit. ... Lake Monsters starter Brent Powers struck out six in four innings of work. Vermont pitching allowed just four hits on the day and struck out 13. ... Jaycob Brugman's grand slam provided all of the runs for Vermont. It was the first professional hit from the 2013 17th round selection.

Red Sox affiliates

12:00 p.m.
Gulf Coast Red Sox – N/A
at Gulf Coast Twins – N/A

7:00 p.m.
Pawtucket Red Sox – Steven Wright (3-4, 4.60 ERA)
at Columbus Clippers – Derek Hankins (2-3, 3.13 ERA)

7:05 p.m.
Portland Sea Dogs – Drake Britton (6-5, 3.08 ERA)
at Reading Fightin’ Phils – Scottie Allen (5-3, 4.34 ERA)

Salem Red Sox – Henry Owens (5-2, 3.03 ERA)
at Wilmington Blue Rocks – N/A

Hagerstown Suns – Nick Lee (1-2, 5.32 ERA)
at Greenville Drive – Frank Montas (1-5, 5.82 ERA)

Tri-City ValleyCats – Randall Fant (NR)
at Lowell Spinners – Jamie Callahan (NR)

New England teams

7:00 p.m.
New Hampshire Fisher Cats – Marcus Stroman (3-1, 4.15 ERA)
at Harrisburg Senators – Rob Gilliam (2-2, 4.94 ERA)

7:05 p.m.
New Britain Rock Cats – Tom Stuifbergen (1-0, 8.00 ERA)
at Akron Aeros - Will Roberts (4-4, 4.33 ERA)

Connecticut Tigers – Jonathan Crawford (NR)
at Vermont Lake Monsters - Brent Powers (NR)

Red Sox affiliates

Pawtucket – 3
Columbus – 0
WP: Workman (2-1)
LP: House (1-7)
S: Kehrt (1)
HIGHLIGHTS: The PawSox (44-28) staked Brandon Workman a two-run lead before he ever hit the hill and he took care of the next seven innings, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out five. In his three starts since being promoted to Pawtucket he is 2-1 with a 1.89 ERA and has struck out 18 in 19 innings. … Mitch Maier went 1-for-4 and drove in two. He has hit safely in five straight games. … Alex Hassan’s first inning double drove in a run to help the cause. He has seven hits in the five games since returning to Pawtucket, five of them have been doubles, one a home run. … The PawSox have won four straight, their longest win streak since they won six-in-a-row May 6-11.

Portland – 5
Reading – 2
WP: Couch (5-2)
LP: Biddle (3-7)
S: McCarthy (7)
HR: POR-Thomas (7), Vazquez (4)
HIGHLIGHTS: In just his third start of the season Keith Couch shows up Phillies top prospect Jesse Biddle, to win his fifth game of the season for Portland. Both starters lasted six innings, but Couch allowed just two earned runs while Biddle gave up five on six hits and six walks. As a starter Couch is 2-0 with a 2.76 ERA. … Christian Vazquez went 2-for-3 with 3 RBIs, hitting his first home run since May 22nd. Although he is hitting just .175 in June, he has five hits and six RBIs in his last four games. … Heiker Meneses and Matty Johnson each had two hits apiece for the Sea Dogs.

Hagerstown – 14
Greenville – 1
WP: Mooneyham (3-1)
LP: Diaz (1-4)
HR: HAG-Martinez (1); GRE-Chester (11)
HIGHLIGHTS: David Chester got the Drive off on the right foot, launching his 11th home run in the bottom of the first inning. Then Hagerstown rained down seven runs in the fourth and followed it up with four more in the fifth to bury Greenville where they stood. It was the most runs that the Drive (22-48) have allowed all season. … Chester (2-for-3, RBI, run) was the only Greenville batter with a multi-hit game. It was his 13th multi-hit game of the season. …Drive batters struck out 11 times on the night.

Tri-City – 8
Lowell – 5 (11 innings)
WP: Minnis (2-0)
LP: Spalding (0-1)
S: Lo (2)
HIGHLIGHTS: The Spinners (2-1) were smooth sailing their way into sole possession of first place in the Stedler Division, up 5-0 after seven innings with barely a care in the world. Then the ValleyCats struck for three in the eighth, two in the ninth to force extras and three again in the 11th to pull off an improbable win. … Starter Simon Mercedes was sharp in his first outing of the season, allowing three hits and two walks over five innings. … DH Kevin Mager led the Spinners offense with a 4-for-5 effort, driving in two and scoring one. … Chris Carpenter pitched two scoreless innings of relief in his second rehab appearance with Lowell. The three relievers who followed – Jack McGeary, Dylan Chavez and Matt Spalding – allowed a combined six earned runs, six hits and five walks over four innings.

New England teams

New Britain – 2
Erie – 0
WP: Darnell (6-6)
LP: VerHagen (0-1)
HR: NB-Rodriguez (9)
HIGHLIGHTS: Both teams had only four hits apiece on the day as the pitchers ruled the roost. Both staffs had nine strikeouts each and there were only four total free passes handed out on the day between the teams. … Starter Logan Darnell became the first Rock Cats pitcher to notch a complete game shutout since Brett Jacobson did it back in June of 2011. He struck out a season-high nine batters for the second time in six starts. Darnell’s 96 2/3 innings are most in the Eastern League and his 2.61 ERA fourth best. … Kyle Knudson (2-for-3) was the only New Britain player with a multi-hit day. He has collected seven hits over his last four games, but has yet to get an extra-base hit since being called up from Fort Myers at the end of May. … Reynaldo Rodriguez’s ninth home run of the season was a solo shot in the second inning and turned out to be the game winner. He has hit three long balls in his last five games and is batting .362 in June.

New Hampshire – 4
Altoona – 7
WP: Ramos (1-0)
LP: Wright (1-3)
S: Sanz (6)
HR: ALT-Cunningham (14)
HIGHLIGHTS: The Fisher Cats (33-39) had just tied the game with a three-run seventh before Jarek Cunningham answered with a solo shot in the bottom half of the inning to snatch the lead right back for the Curve, who would not relent the rest of the way. … A.J. Jimenez went 4-for-5 with two doubles, two RBIs and a run. He has hit safely in all eight games he has played for New Hampshire and is batting .500. … Adam Loewen and Kevin Nolan each had two hits for the Fisher Cats. Loewen has hit safely in seven straight games and Nolan in five straight.

Connecticut – 1
Vermont – 5
WP: Torres (1-0)
LP: Mantiply (0-1)
S: Johnson (1)
HR: VER-Pinder (1)
HIGHLIGHTS: Chad Pinder’s first inning solo home run set the Lake Monsters (1-3) off on the right foot and with three more runs in the third they were able to cruise to victory over the winless Tigers (0-3). The home run was the first of Pinder’s pro career having just been selected in June’s draft, a second round pick of the A’s out of Virginia Tech. … Vermont’s Michael Soto went 2-for-3 with two doubles an RBI and a run. Soto now has two two-hit games in four played. … Connecticut’s Pat Leyland singled in the sixth inning to snap an 0-for-9 start to his season.

Red Sox affiliates

7:05 p.m.
Pawtucket Red Sox – Brandon Workman (1-1, 3.00 ERA)
at Columbus Clippers – T.J. House (1-6, 5.46 ERA)

Portland Sea Dogs – Keith Couch (4-2, 4.31 ERA)
at Reading Fightin’ Phils – Jesse Biddle (3-6, 2.95 ERA)

Hagerstown Suns – N/A
at Greenville Drive – N/A

Tri-City ValleyCats - N/A
at Lowell Spinners - Simon Mercedes (NR)

New England teams

12:05 p.m.
New Britain Rock Cats – Logan Darnell (5-6, 2.87 ERA)
at Erie SeaWolves – Drew VerHagen (5-3, 2.81 ERA)

7:00 p.m.
New Hampshire Fisher Cats – Ryan Tepera (6-5, 4.22 ERA)
at Altoona Curve – Casey Sadler (7-4, 2.98 ERA)

7:05 p.m.
Connecticut Tigers – Joe Mantiply (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
At Vermont Lake Monsters – Jose Torres (NR)

Red Sox affiliates

Pawtucket – 3
Columbus – 2
WP: De La Torre (3-1)
LP: Guilmet (2-4)
S: Carter (10)
HR: PAW-Bradley Jr. (3)
HIGHLIGHTS: The PawSox (42-28) made it three straight wins behind some more solid pitching and some very timely miscues by the opposition. With the game tied at two in the top of the ninth inning, Pawtucket managed to plate the go-ahead run without getting a hit as the Clippers committed three errors. … Jose De La Torre struck out four in 2 1/3 scoreless inning of relief to pick up the win. He has K’d nine batters over his last five innings of work. … Jackie Bradley Jr. hit his third home run of the season and first for the PawSox since May 27th. His last home run came on June 4th when he was up with Boston. … After stealing 12 bases in May, it took Jeremy Hazelbaker 13 games to log his first of June. He stole two bases on the night, giving him 18 on the season, sixth most in the International League. … Xander Bogaerts went 2-for-5 with two singles. It was his second multi-hit game in five appearances since being promoted to Pawtucket.

GAME 1
Portland – 1
Reading – 4
WP: Rosin (4-4)
LP: Barnes (3-4)
HIGHLIGHTS: Despite not allowing an earned run Matt Barnes only made it through four innings, needing 89 pitches to get to that point. He struck out six, walked two and allowed three hits. For the third straight game Barnes did not last more than four innings and picked up a loss. … Michael Almanzar, Travis Shaw and Derrik Gibson each had a single in the game, the only three hits the Sea Dogs could muster. … Peter Hissey stole his tenth base of the season.

GAME 2
Portland – 3
Reading – 0
WP: Haeger (3-3)
LP: Bramhall (0-1)
S: Perez (1)
HIGHLIGHTS: The Sea Dogs (36-33) bats were near lifeless again in game two, notching only four hits, but it took but just one whack from Travis Shaw in the third inning to do all the damage needed. Shaw, 2-for-4 in the game, cleared the bases with a double that provided the games only runs and the Sea Dogs only extra-base hit of the day. … Charlie Haeger worked 5 2/3 scoreless innings for the win, walking and striking out five while allowing four hits.

Lowell –
Connecticut – POSTPONED

New England teams

New Hampshire – 4
Altoona – 5 (10 innings)
WP: Kasparek (3-1)
LP: Brummett (0-4)
HR: NH-Van Kirk (1); ALT-Santos (3)
HIGHLIGHTS: A tug-of-war ensued over the eighth and ninth innings as the teams wrestled back and forth for this one, but the Curve got the upper hand in the extra frame when Adalberto Santos, who broke a 1-1 tie with a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth, singled home Drew Maggi. … Brian Van Kirk, who has hit 49 home runs over the last four seasons, connected for his first of 2013. The three run bomb in the top of the ninth put New Hampshire on top before the Curve pushed the game to extras in the bottom half of the inning. … Kevin Pillar went 3-for-5 with a run. It was his second straight three-hit game and his seventh straight game with a hit.

New Britain – 8
Erie – 0
WP: May (6-3)
LP: Crouse (4-5)
HR: NB-Rodriguez (8)
HIGHLIGHTS: Trevor May was once again on for the Rock Cats (33-36), striking out nine and allowing only four hits and a walk in 7 2/3 scoreless innings. In three June starts he is 2-1 with a 1.80 ERA and 23 strikeouts. … The 1-2-3 hitters in New Britain’s lineup combined to go 9-for-13 with three RBIs and five runs. Danny Santana had four hits in the leadoff spot and Nate Hanson had three hits and three RBIs. … Miguel Sano went 0-for-4 and is now 1-for-15 in five games since being promoted from Fort Myers.

Vermont – 6
Tri-City – 9
WP: Minnis (1-0)
LP: Jimenez (0-1)
S: Lo (1)
HR: TRI-Kemp (1), Gulbransen (1)
HIGHLIGHTS: The Lake Monsters pounded out 12 hits on the night but were unable to keep the ValleyCats from racking up the runs as they put up seven over three innings to set up a possible sweep on Wednesday. Three Vermont errors led to five unearned runs. … Melvin Mercedes went 3-for-4 in the leadoff spot, driving in a run and scoring one. He was caught stealing second base in the fifth inning on his first attempt of the season. … B.J. Boyd also had a three hit game with an RBI and two runs scored.

Red Sox affiliates

6:05 p.m.
GAME 1
Portland Sea Dogs – Matt Barnes (3-3, 5.87 ERA)
at Reading Fightin’ Phils – Seth Rosin (3-4, 4.25 ERA)

GAME 2
Portland Sea Dogs – Charlie Haeger (2-3, 4.44 ERA)
at Reading Fightin’ Phils – Bobby Bramhall (0-0, 5.40 ERA)

7:05 p.m.
Pawtucket Red Sox – Chris Hernandez (3-2, 4.38 ERA)
at Columbus Clippers – Joe Martinez (2-5, 6.48 ERA)

Lowell Spinners – Mario Alcantara (NR)
at Connecticut Tigers – Jonathan Maciel (NR)

New England teams

7:00 p.m.
New Hampshire Fisher Cats – Marcus Walden (4-7, 3.58 ERA)
at Altoona Curve – David Bromberg (3-6, 3.66 ERA)

Vermont Lake Monsters – Deyvi Jimenez (NR)
at Tri-City Lake Monsters - Tanner Bushue (NR)

7:05 p.m.
New Britain Rock Cats - Trevor May (5-3, 3.95 ERA)
at Erie SeaWolves - Matt Crouse (4-4, 3.67 ERA)

Red Sox affiliates

Pawtucket – 4
Columbus – 0
WP: De La Rosa (1-1)
LP: Murata (0-3)
HR: PAW-Brentz (14)
HIGHLIGHTS: It was a mixed bag, but mostly filled with goodies for Rubby De La Rosa in his return to the PawSox rotation. He walked a season-high five batters, but only gave up two hits and struck out five over 5 1/3 innings to pick up his first win at the Triple-A level. …Alex Wilson (1 2/3 innings) and Brock Huntzinger (2 innings) helped the PawSox nail down their third shutout of the season. … Bryce Brentz hit a second inning solo home run, giving him 14 on the year, tied for fourth most in the Eastern League. It is his fourth home run in his last six games and he has nine RBIs in that span. … Jackie Bradley Jr. went 0-for-4 and is now hitless in his last 17 at-bats. He is batting .143 in seven June games.

Lowell – 1
Connecticut – 0
WP: Aro (1-0)
LP: Huber (0-1)
HIGHLIGHTS: For the second straight season the Spinners inch out a one-run victory over the Tigers on opening day, in the process earning manager Bruce Crabbe his 100th victory as Lowell’s bench boss. … It was all about the pitching in this one as Lowell starter Sergio Gomez (5 innings) and relievers Chris Carpenter (1 inning) and Jonathan Aro (3 innings) combined for 15 strikeouts, allowing only one walk and four hits. … Five Connecticut pitchers combined on a four-hit effort, striking out a combined nine Spinners on the night. Alex Phillips was solid in the starting role, lasting 4 2/3 innings while not allowing a walk. … Lowell’s Cleuluis Rondon and David Sopilka were both 2-for-3, accounting for all Spinners hits on the night.

New England teams

Vermont – 3
Tri-City – 9
WP: Comer (1-0)
LP: Paulino (0-1)
HR: VER-Rojas (1); TC-Kemmer (1)
HIGHLIGHTS: The ValleyCats jumped on Vermont early, scoring four runs in the first three innings while slugging out 15 hits as a whole on the night. It’s the second straight season opening loss versus Tri-City for the Lake Monsters. … Kelvin Rojas (2-for-3, HR, walk, RBI, run) hit a third inning solo home run to get the Lake Monsters on the board. In 35 games with Vermont last season Rojas did not hit any long balls. … B.J. Boyd, Oakland’s 13th best prospect per MLB.com, went 1-for-4 with a double and a run scored in his Lake Monsters debut.

Red Sox affiliates
7:05 p.m.
Pawtucket Red Sox – Rubby De La Rosa (0-1, 3.29 ERA)
at Columbus Clippers – N/A
NOTE: After wearing a ‘B’ instead of a ‘P’ on his hat, Rubby De La Rosa returns to the PawSox after not being needed quite yet by the big club. His quick callup to Boston looks like an ‘in case of emergency’ situation, but now he can get back to his normal routine. De La Rosa was finally stretched out to five innings in his last start versus Syracuse back on the 8th, so now it’s just a matter of how much further the organization will let up on the leash. Considering he’s give up just four runs over his last eight starts, a little more slack wouldn't hurt.

Lowell Spinners – Sergio Gomez (0-1, 6.75 ERA)
at Connecticut Tigers – Alex Phillips (0-0, 18.00 ERA)
NOTE: Sergio Gomez has the honors of opening the season on the hill for Lowell. He did get a bit of a jump on his year last Tuesday when he pitched four innings in a start for the Greenville Drive. Gomez did make a start for the Spinners last season, striking out four in five innings. Much like Gomez, Connecticut starter Alex Phillips also got some work in last Tuesday, throwing two relief innings for West Michigan. Phillips made 18 relief appearances for Connecticut last year, going 1-0 with a save and a 2.51 ERA. He only walked six over 32 1/3 innings.

New England teams
7:00 p.m.
Vermont Lake Monsters – Gregory Paulino (NR)
at Tri-City ValleyCats – N/A
NOTE: Gregory Paulino makes his season debut tonight in Troy, however he does come in with plenty of pro experience. The 20-year-old Dominican right-hander has pitched in 33 games between the Dominican Summer League and the Arizona League A’s over the past two seasons. Paulino has solid command having only walked 35 batters in 130 1/3 innings.

Monday night will kick off the 74th season of New York-Penn League Baseball.

The 18-team, Short Season Single-A league features three teams from New England and we have a break down of what's in store for some of the youngest prospects in the region.

Here are the 2013 season previews for our New England based NYPL teams:

Connecticut Tigers

Lowell Spinners

Vermont Lake Monsters

When you are finished reading up on our local squads, you can check out my NYPL season preview at MiLB.com here.

Craig Forde can be reached by email at cforde@globe.com and you can follow him on Twitter @OnDeckBDC.

Lowell Spinners (2012: 36-40, 2nd in NYPL Stedler Division)

Outlook: One of the top two professional baseball teams in Massachusetts return for their 18th season in Lowell.

The Red Sox have been dropping top-notch prospects in the Spinners laps for quite some time and this year is no different as they have a solid core of players from this year's draft to go along with players who have already dipped their toes in the pro waters.

Shortstop Tzu-Wei Lin, center fielder Manuel Margot and pitcher Ty Buttery are all top 30 prospects in the Boston system per Baseball America and there aren't many teams in the league who can boast that type of potential on their rosters.

The 18-year-old Lin, who signed for $2.05 million last June, joins a long line of stud Boston shortstop prospects and brings with him a few additional Taiwanese media members.

Buttery is a 20-year-old is hard-throwing righty who was selected in the fourth round out of high school a year ago.

Margot, also 18, brings blazing speed to the table, having stolen 33 bases over 68 games in the DSL last year.

Teddy Stankiewicz, a 19-year-old pitcher out of Seminole State College, was Boston's second round selection (45th overall) a year after being selected in the second round by the New York Mets out of high school.

The 6-foot-4 righty can get his fastball up to 96-miles-per-hour and is very confident in his four offerings.

Other 2013 draftees include LHP Corey Littrell (5th round), OF Forrestt Allday (8th), RHP Taylor Grover (10th) and INF Carlos Asuaje (11th).

Manager Bruce Crabbe returns for his fourth season with the Spinners, making him the longest tenured bench boss in team history.

Thoughts: We've seen lots of talent come through Lowell over the years, but as a whole this team...on paper...seems to be one of the strongest in recent memory at the start of a season.

The whole Lin, Margot, Buttery combo is a sensational showcase for the fans who have already heard much about these three.

I?ll be interested to see how returning guys like LHP Dylan Chavez and OF Kendrick Perkins respond after both have already seemingly worked their way up a level. Injuries and struggles see them both back in Lowell, but they each have tons of potential that could make this a brief stop.

I talked with Stankiewicz on Media Day (I'll have more from that in the next day or so) and the youngster seems very poised, full of energy and ready to start his career. He should be fun to watch.

Player to Watch: Margot - There is a reason I only mentioned him briefly above and that was because I was saving it for down here.

As it stands right now Margot is one of the top three or four outfield prospects for the Red Sox and he is only 18-years-old.

Baseball America has him at number 20 overall in the Sox system, as does MLB.com.

Signed as a free agent for $800,000 in 2011, he instantly created Margot-mania when he drove in six runs in his very first game as a pro.

He has five-tool potential carried by plus speed that is evident on the base paths and in the field where he is also capable of mowing down advancing runners with a great arm.

His power is continuing to blossom and his four home runs in the Dominican Summer League last year proved that he can provide the pop.

Margot will be an instant hit at LeLacheur Park this season.

Vermont Lake Monsters (2012: 33-43, last place in NYPL Stedler Division)

Outlook: Vermont celebrates 20 straight years of affiliated baseball at Centennial Field this season, giving the Burlington region much to celebrate this summer.

It was in 1994 when the Montreal Expos moved one of their minor league teams into town and through a name change and a few affiliate updates (Expos became the Nationals, A’s took over in 2011), the affection has never waned.

Now the likes of B.J. Boyd, Lou Trivino, Chad Pinder and Matt Stalcup will look to add to the history and lore of Vermont baseball.

Pinder enters the season as the highest drafted player out of this June’s first-year player draft.

The Virginia Tech product was taken in the third round, 71st overall, after entering the draft as the 22nd best positional player available per Baseball America.

A third baseman, Pinder is lauded for having an excellent approach at the plate, hitting .321 with eight home runs and 50 RBIs in his junior season with the Hokies.

Pinder is also a solid defender, having posted a .958 fielding percentage on 236 chances at the hot corner.

Boyd is the top ranked prospect on this year’s Lake Monsters squad, coming into the 2013 season ranked as Oakland’s 12th best prospect by MLB.com and 22nd by Baseball America.

A fourth-rounder out of the 2012 draft, Boyd chose baseball over football despite being heavily recruited as a running back and wide receiver.

There will also be some familiar faces returning to Burlington including Shane Boras, Austin Booker and Kelvin Rojas.

Thoughts: There are no names that jump off the page on the pitching staff, but Trivino is a notable option worth watching.

Trivino, an 11th round selection this year and tallest player on the team at 6-foot-5, had eight complete games (one no-hitter, five shutouts) in 12 starts for Slippery Rock as a junior, posting a 1.83 ERA and striking out a school record 92 batters.

It’ll be interesting to see if the Division 2 standout can carry this over, but this is the perfect level to provide a bit of stability and confidence to a player like Trivino.

Another point of note on the roster is the outfield, which is packed with eight players currently.

Expect Boyd to get plenty of playing time, so seven others will jostle for the other two open positions, which should provide some good competition in house.

Player to Watch: Boyd – Was drafted out of Palo Alto High School in California and Oakland was able to keep the highly touted football prospect close to home when they signed him for $300,000.

Baseball America says that he “has the components to be a future leadoff hitter” and that is backed by some blazing speed and an increased patience at the plate.

He is only 19-years-old, so he is still learning to work his 5-foot-10, 190-pound frame out of football mode and into 100% baseball mode.

He hit .301 and scored 37 runs in 39 games with the Arizona League A’s last year and stole 16 bases on 20 attempts.

He is far from a power hitter, but could be capable of providing some pop if he is works more at adjusting his swing, something that Oakland was tweaking in Arizona last season.

Boyd may not get the best breaks on balls in the outfield either, but with his speed he can correct mistakes in an instant and provide some flash.

Connecticut Tigers (2012: 35-40, 3rd place NYPL Stedler Division)

Outlook: It should be a great summer of baseball in Norwich as Dodd Stadium welcomes back the Tigers for their fourth season. They will also play host to the New York-Penn League All Star Game on August 13th.

That’s enough cause for excitement right there, but look at the roster and there is plenty more to get the baseball juices flowing.

Starting with top-five Tigers prospect Austin Schotts who, at 19-years-old, comes in as a bit of a seasoned vet at this point, despite only being drafted a year ago.

The outfielder was a former safety in high school and is a burner on the base paths having already stolen 24 bases in his young career.

The recent draft provided the Tigers with a solid portion of their roster, with first rounder Jonathon Crawford the top name on that list.

The righty out of Florida was ranked as the ninth best pitcher by Baseball America prior to the draft and Detroit was happy to snag him with the 20th overall pick.

Detroit drafted six consecutive college pitchers to start their 2013 draft, so there may be others to follow, but the next one in-house after Crawford is 5th rounder Buck Farmer, a right-hander out of Georgia Tech who MLB.com says is “a strong, durable workhorse type…will mix four Major League average or better pitches.”

Other draft names of note with Connecticut include outfielder Ben Verlander, Jason’s younger brother, and third baseman Dominic Ficociello, a switch hitter taken in the 12th round.

Thoughts: The ballpark has been upgraded with two new bars, a Philly’s Cheesesteak stand and a couple of huge Adirondack chairs.

Tie in the extravaganza that will surround the All Star Game, showcasing the region, the team and the stadium, and Norwich, Connecticut may be the most exciting place to be in the New England, on a baseball level, over the next couple of months.

Keeping in mind that the pitchers who have just been drafted will only throw limited innings, guys like Crawford will be worth checking out whenever they get out there and Schotts provides the Tigers with a top-level prospect to spotlight.

Player to watch: Schotts – Coming into the season the 19-year-old outfielder was ranked as the fifth best Tigers prospect by Baseball America and tenth by MLB.com.

Drafted in the 3rd round (No. 121 overall) in 2012 out of Centennial High School in Frisco, Texas, Schotts already has 101 games as a pro under his belt.

Fast and athletic, he has a smooth stroke at the plate that generates some solid power for someone his size (5-foot-10, 164-pounds).

But it is his speed both on the base paths and in the field that will get him moving up the charts.

As it stands now, he’s coming down a bit after playing 59 games with Low Class-A Western Michigan this season where he batted .192 with one home run, 17 RBIs.

He did steal nine bases with the Whitecaps, but was thrown out five times. In 42 games between the Gulf Coast and Lakeland last season he had 16 steals and was only caught twice.

He will look to regain his form at the plate while with the Connecticut Tigers while boosting his success rate on the paths, and I would expect him to do just that, making him a must-see player this summer.

He’s been named to All-State teams and was a second team All-Big East selection as a junior at UConn, but now former St. John’s Shrewsbury star John Andreoli is gearing up for his first All Star appearance as a professional.

In just his second full season of pro ball, the Daytona Cubs outfielder was selected to the Florida State League All-Star game, being held tonight in Dunedin, Florida.

A smooth hitting speedster, Andreoli has been peppering the opposition all season long to the tune of 70 hits and a .318 batting average in 57 games.

He played the entire 2012 season with Daytona and impressed with a .289 average and 55 stolen bases, earning post season All-Star honors in the Florida State League.

Now Andreoli will actually get to partake in the mid-summer festivities as he has shown no let down between season, raising his game with each step he has taken in his career.

“It’s a tremendous honor anytime you get an accolade like this,” said a humble Andreoli. “It just shows that all the offseason prep and in-season work was worth everything put into it. It’s a great honor.”

Coming into this season the Cubs had changed hitting coaches, bringing in two-time World Series champion Mariano Duncan.

Andreoli credits Duncan’s experience as something that has helped him gain an even greater appreciation for what he needs to do to get better at the plate.

“He has taught me how to attack each at bat,” Andreoli explained. “How to work deeper into counts and make pitchers make mistakes. He’s a guy with over 1000 big league at bats, so he knows what he is talking about.”

These lessons have helped Andreoli stay consistent at the plate throughout this year, hitting .319 in April, .316 in May and now .323 in nine June games.

The stolen base is another aspect of his game that makes him a stand out, having already swiped 78 bases in his young career.

Despite his 55 steals a year ago, he got caught 20 times and that is something he is also improving on, having already stolen 20 this season while only getting caught three times.

“Success rate means a lot,” said Andreoli who has been successful in his last 14 attempts, having not been thrown out since April 27th. “You don’t want to give the other team free outs. Baseball as a whole is about shifting up and getting free bases. It’s a huge part of the game.”

Another huge part of Andreoli’s game is on the defensive side where he is capable of handling any outfield position thanks to that speed that provides great range.

In 182 games he has made just nine errors on 351 chances and he has even gunned down 17 players that dared to advance a base on him.

Now, as he continues to improve at the Advanced Class-A level, Andreoli should have every opportunity to show off his tools and get a bump up to the next level, but it is not something that occupies too much of his time.

“I show up every day and play each game as if it’s going to be my last,” said Andreoli. “Just having the ability to play every day at this level is better than pushing to get time elsewhere. I’m just to continue to get positive at bats and continue to grow as a player every day.”

And as Andreoli continues to grow, so too should the experiences like he will bask in tonight.

Red Sox affiliates

GAME 1
Pawtucket – 3
Syracuse – 4
WP: Maya (2-4)
LP: Wright (2-4)
S: Broadway (2)
HR: PAW-Henry (2), Brentz (12); SYR-Walters (12), Costanzo (9)
HIGHLIGHTS: A 2-hour and 22-minute rain delay forced the teams to concede their doubleheader and try to get in one nine inning bout. The PawSox (37-27) scored a run in each of the eighth and ninth innings, but fell just short. … Steven Wright went seven innings giving up four runs and seven hits for his fourth loss. He is 0-3 over his last six starts of which he has allowed eight home runs and 42 runs. … Justin Henry (1-for-4, HR, RBI, run) connected on his second home run of the season, besting the total number he hit over the last two seasons combined. … Jackie Bradley Jr. and Bryce Brentz both went 2-for-4 with Bradley picking up his ninth double of the season and Brentz going yard for the second time in as many games.

GAME 2
Pawtucket –
Syracuse – POSTPONED
HIGHLIGHTS: There has been no makeup date set as of yet for this wash out, but the PawSox do return to Syracuse in early August.

GAME 1
Erie – 0
Portland – 2
WP: Britton (5-5)
LP: Saupold (4-3)
HR: POR-Thomas (6)
HIGHLIGHTS: For the second straight start Drake Britton cruised, needing only one hour and 44 minutes to close out this game. Britton went the distance (seven innings), striking out three and allowing six hits and a walk. In his last four outings he has allowed just one earned run over 25 innings. … Tony Thomas went 2-for-3 with a home run, RBI and run scored to lead the Portland offense. … Xander Bogaerts went 1-for-2 with a walk. He has 24 walks and 25 strike outs since April when he had only 10 walks to 24 Ks.

GAME 2
Erie –
Portland – POSTPONED
HIGHLIGHTS: They will try again for a doubleheader on Wednesday night in an attempt to make up the one game lost on Tuesday. Twin bill set to begin at 6:00 p.m.

Wilmington – 1
Salem -3
WP: Cuevas (2-6)
LP: Sample (0-2)
S: Striz (4)
HIGHLIGHTS: William Cuevas was strong through six innings in earning his second win and first since April 21st. He allowed one earned run, five hits and two walks while striking out two. … The offense, which had ten hits on the night, was led by Keury De La Cruz who went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. He has hit safely in 11 straight games, collecting 18 hits in that span. …Garin Cecchini went 2-for-4 with a walk, run and stolen base. He was also caught stealing and is 15 for 21 on attempts this season.

GAME 1
Charleston – 3
Greenville – 6
WP: Taveras (1-3)
LP: Vargas (2-3)
S: Rivera (1)
HR: CHA-Bird (5), Culver (4); GRE-Moanaroa (1)
HIGHLIGHTS: After 13 appearances out of the pen Francisco Taveras picks up his first win of the season in his first start. He went six innings, allowing three runs, four hits and a walk while striking out three. … Boss Moanaroa’s first hit of June turned out to be his first home run of the season. … Mario Martinez paced the offense with a 3-for-3 effort and two runs scored.

GAME 2
Charleston – 8
Greenville – 4
WP: Smith (3-3)
LP: Gomez (0-1)
HR: CHA-Cave (1), De Leon (4)
HIGHLIGHTS: The RiverDogs split the doubleheader by jumping on Greenville with an early three runs that they added to down the stretch. … In his first appearance of the season Sergio Gomez went four innings for Greenville in the starter’s role. He allowed three runs, five hits and two walks, and struck out five. Last season between Gulf Coast and Lowell Gomez made nine starts and had a 5-4 record and 2.89 ERA overall. … Cody Koback and Keaton Briscoe had two hits apiece for the Drive. Koback is hitting .393 in nine June games.

New England affiliates

Akron – 7
New Hampshire – 0
WP: Packer (4-5)
LP: Walden (4-7)
HR: AKR-Aguilar (7), Lowery (2)
HIGHLIGHTS: A 2-hour and 48-minute rain delay, coupled with the Aeros putting up seven runs over the last five innings helped to push this game past midnight. … Starter Marcus Walden picked up his second straight loss after giving up five runs and nine hits over six innings. The two home runs he allowed were the first in his last four starts, doubling the total amount he has given up this year… Brad Glenn (2-for-3, walk) was the only Fisher Cat with a multi-hit game. The team tallied only five hits on the night.

Altoona -
New Britain – POSTPONED
HIGHLIGHTS: These teams will make this one up as part of a double header on Wednesday starting at 5:35 p.m.

Miguel Sano, considered by most to be one of the most exciting prospects currently playing minor league baseball, is moving to New England for a while.

The Minnesota Twins farmhand has recently earned a promotion from Advanced Class-A Fort Myers to the Double-A New Britain Rock Cats and is scheduled to debut at his new home tonight.

Coming into the season the Dominican third baseman was ranked the 11th best prospect in the game by MLB.com and number nine overall by Baseball America, both organizations ranking him as the Twins best overall prospect.

After tearing through three levels over his first three pro seasons, Sano started 2013 in Fort Myers and has been on fire from the first pitch of the season, putting together an impressive batting split of .330/.424/.655.

A recent selection to the Florida State League All-Star Game, he has slugged 16 home runs and 15 doubles, driving in 48 runs while scoring 51 times in 56 games.

Graded as having top-tier power, Sano has 71 home runs in 312 career games and is averaging a long ball every 16 at-bats of his young career.

On the flip side, he has also struck out 26% of the time that he has stepped to the plate, so expect to see him swinging.

Sano, who just turned 20-years-old on May 11th, was signed as a free agent by Minnesota in October of 2009, receiving a bonus of $3.15 million.

Check out former Boston Globe Correspondent Jonathan Raymond’s piece on MiLB.com about Sano’s promotion following a two home run performance on Sunday, a day after helping the Miracle clinch the Florida State League's South Division first half title.

Red Sox affiliates
10:30 a.m.
GAME 1
Pawtucket Red Sox – Steven Wright (2-3, 4.99 ERA)
at Syracuse Chiefs – Jeff Mandel (1-2, 6.08 ERA)

GAME 2
Pawtucket Red Sox –Terry Doyle (4-5, 5.14 ERA)
at Syracuse Chiefs – Yunesky Maya (1-4, 4.96 ERA)

4:30 p.m.
GAME 1
Charleston RiverDogs – Cesar Vargas (2-2, 3.17 ERA)
at Greenville Drive – TBA

GAME 2
Charleston RiverDogs – Daniel Camarena (0-3, 7.17 ERA)
at Greenville Drive – Francisco Taveras (0-2, 5.67 ERA)

6:00 p.m.
GAME 1
Erie SeaWolves – TBA
at Portland Sea Dogs – Drake Britton (4-5, 3.60 ERA)

GAME 2
Erie SeaWolves – Matt Crouse (4-4, 3.99 ERA)
at Portland Sea Dogs – Jeremy Kehrt (0-1, 3.57 ERA)

7:05 p.m.
Wilmington Blue Rocks – Tyler Sample (0-1, 0.87 ERA)
at Salem Red Sox – William Cuevas (1-6, 7.31 ERA)

New England teams
6:35 p.m.
Akron Aeros – Matt Packer (3-5, 3.22 ERA)
at New Hampshire Fisher Cats - Marcus Walden (4-6, 3.25 ERA)

Altoona Curve – Stolmy Pimentel (3-3, 3.84 ERA)
at New Britain Rock Cats – Pat Dean (3-6, 4.81 ERA)

Red Sox affiliates

Wilmington – 0
Salem – 9
WP: Owens (5-2)
LP: Selman (4-5)
HR: Ramos (7)
HIGHLIGHTS: An eight run first for the Salem Sox (29-34) was a nice way to start their night and gave them more than enough to notch their third shutout of the season. The bats were able to run Wilmington starter Sam Selman from the game before he ever recorded an out. … Salem starter Henry Owens went five innings for his fifth win, allowing four hits and walk while striking out five. Owens came into the game have given up 11 walks over his last 15 innings. He has won two consecutive starts. … The 6-7-8 hitters in the Sox lineup (Henry Ramos, Stefan Welch and David Renfroe) were a combined 6-for-11 with four RBIs and three runs. … Reliever Matty Ott struck out five over three innings. He did the same in his last appearance on June 5th versus Winston-Salem.

Greenville – 7
Charleston – 3 (completion of susp. game from 6/5)
WP: Haley (3-6)
LP: Niebla (2-3)
S: Wendelken (4)
HR: GRE-Martinez (6); CHA-O’Brien (9), Rosario (1)
HIGHLIGHTS: The Drive got back to business in this suspended game, scoring five runs over the final three frames to take down the RiverDogs. … Mookie Betts and Alex Hassan both had three hits in the game and David Chester drove in three runs to pace the offense. … Justin Haley earned his third straight win after starting the season 0-6.

Charleston – 0
Greenville – 1
WP: Kukuk (3-6)
LP: Gerritse (5-4)
S: Olivares (1)
HIGHLIGHTS: The sweep of the day put Greenville at 5-2 in June, already giving them one less win than they had in all of May. … Cody Kukuk struck out a season-high nine batters over five innings, allowing just two hits and three walks to pick up his first win since April 25th. He has K’d 17 over his last eight innings. … Half of the Drive’s six hits were for doubles and David Chester was the only batter with two hits in the game. … Mookie Betts stole a base and is now 12-for-13 on steal attempts this season.

Pawtucket
Syracuse POSTPONED
HIGLIGHTS: The game will be made up as part of a double header tomorrow starting at 10:30 a.m. with both games scheduled for seven innings.

Earlier on Monday our very own Pete Abraham tossed out the following tweet...

Indeed Bogaerts, the Red Sox top Minor League prospect, is blazing hot right now, batting .471 with 16 hits (nine for extra-bases) and 11 RBIs in his last ten games.

So @PeteAbe is probably right about that promotion coming in the near future, especially with Jose Iglesias now sticking with the big club.

The question is how soon will it be before the 20-year-old makes the leap to the doorstep level of Triple-A?

Now is most definitely the time to catch him as a Sea Dog and we want to give you the opportunity to do just that…if in fact he makes it to the weekend.

We are going to give you a chance to win two tickets to this Saturday’s Portland Sea Dogs game versus the Akron Aeros (Cleveland Indians) at Hadlock Field at 6:00 p.m.

Before the Aeros hit town the Sea Dogs will play a four game series against the Erie SeaWolves (Detroit Tigers) and all you have to do is tell us how many total hits and runs batted in you think Bogaerts will have in the series.

It's pretty simple really, just send an email to cforde@globe.com, include your full name and the total number of hits and total number of RBIs. Put 'Tickets' in the subject field and hit send...that's it!

In the case of a tie all winning entries will be placed into a random drawing and one winner from that group will be chosen. If no one has the exact numbers correct, we will select the closest to the final statistics. Winner will be notified by email on Friday.

All entries must be received prior to the start of Portland’s 6:00 p.m. doubleheader on Tuesday. If entries are received after the first pitch of game one on Tuesday, they will be deemed ineligible.

We cannot guarantee how many games Bogaerts will appear in during the series versus Erie or if he will appear in Saturday’s game, but it's worth a shot for some free baseball, right?!

Only one entry per email address and name.

Portland Sea Dogs pitcher Drake Britton was named the Eastern League’s Pitcher of the Week for the period of June 3-9.

During the week Britton had only one start, but it was the best of his young career as he took a no-hitter into the seventh inning versus the Erie SeaWolves.

A leadoff double broke up the no-no, but would stand as the only knock that Erie could muster against Britton over eight innings. The only other blemish on Britton’s bright day was a second inning walk.

Britton faced 26 batters and used up just 88 pitches, striking out a season-high eight batters.

After the outing Britton said to MiLB.com, "All four of my pitches were working. I was throwing them all for strikes and staying in the zone the whole time. Their hitters were a little more aggressive and I pitched to contact and got a lot of ground balls and got them early. That allowed me to go into the seventh and eighth innings."

On the season Britton is 4-5 with a 3.60 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and .287 opponent’s batting average.

His 64 strikeouts are tied with teammate Matt Barnes for third most of any Red Sox minor leaguer.

He becomes the second Portland pitcher to win weekly honors this season, following Chris Martin who has since been promoted to Pawtucket.

Red Sox affiliates
7:00 p.m.
Pawtucket Red Sox – Alfredo Aceves (2-1, 3.52 ERA)
at Syracuse Chiefs – Jeff Mandel (1-2, 6.08 ERA)
NOTE: It’ll be back-to-back starts versus the Chiefs for Alfredo Aceves who went 7 2/3 last Monday in a no decision, allowing four runs on six hits, three of those for home runs. Aceves has gone five or more innings in each of his five starts for Pawtucket and has walked just three in his last two starts after giving up nine over the first three. Jeff Mandel, who has 18 appearances out of the pen this season, makes his second consecutive start for the Chiefs. Last time out he got beat up for six runs and 11 hits by Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

7:05 p.m.
Wilmington Blue Rocks – Sam Selman (4-4, 4.29 ERA)
at Salem Red Sox – Henry Owens (4-2, 3.21 ERA)
NOTE: Recently selected to his first All-Star game as a pro, Henry Owens makes his 12th start of the season. He has allowed just 38 hits over 56 innings, least of any Sox minor league pitcher with over 50 innings this season. He is also second in the organization with 68 strikeouts. Wilmington's Sam Selman had his shortest outing of the season against the Salem Sox back on April 22nd, going 2 1/3 innings after allowing seven runs and five hits.

Charleston RiverDogs – Brett Gerritse (5-3, 4.76 ERA)
at Greenville Drive – Cody Kukuk (2-6, 5.26 ERA)
NOTE: For the fourth time in his last five appearances Cody Kukuk will face off against Charleston. In his three prior shows against the RiverDogs he allowed seven runs on three hits and 11 walks. His last two outings have come in relief after nine straight starts. As a reliever Kukuk has struck out 11 over seven innings. Brett Gerritse is scheduled to make his first start of the season for the RiverDogs after making 15 relief appearances. He let up three runs and four hits in an inning of work against the Drive on May 18th.

Red Sox affiliates

Pawtucket – 5
Syracuse – 3
WP: Workman (1-0)
LP: Torra (0-3)
S: Carter (9)
HR: PAW-Brentz (11), Holt (1); Owings (6)
HIGHLIGHTS: Brandon Workman went 5 2/3 innings to earn a win in his Triple-A debut. The 6-for-4 righty allowed three runs, eight hits, three walks and struck out four. …Anthony Carter worked a perfect ninth, striking out the side, to pick up his ninth save on the season. … Brock Holt (2-for-4, HR, RBI, run) connected for his first home run of the year. He had three last season and his career high is six, which came in his first pro run with short-season State College of the New York-Penn League … Bryce Brentz led the offense with a 3-for-5 day that included his 11th home run, a double, four RBIs and a run.

Portland – 4
Akron – 1
WP: Couch (4-2)
LP: Roberts (4-3)
S: Huntzinger (12)
HIGHLIGHTS: Keith Couch breezed in his first start of the season, allowing a run and three hits over five innings. Prior to the start Couch had made 15 appearances out of the bullpen for Portland. … Xander Bogaerts went 2-for-2 with a triple, walk, RBI and three runs. It is the fifth time in June that he has two hits in a game and he is batting .440 on the month. The triple, his sixth, ties him for the Eastern League lead. … Brock Huntzinger retired all four batters he faced for his 12th save, the most in the Red Sox organization.

GAME 1
Salem – 1
Lynchburg – 4
WP: Moore (7-4)
LP: Augliera (4-4)
HIGHLIGHTS: Despite outhitting the Hillcats 10-8, the Salem Sox were unable to get on the board until the seventh inning and it was not enough. … Starter Mike Augliera, who started the season 4-0 in his first seven starts, has lost four straight decisions. During the streak he has given up 17 runs and 28 hits. … Deven Marrero went 2-for-3 with a walk and run scored. Garin Cecchini and Keury De La Cruz both went 2-for-4 with Cruz pick up the lone RBI.

GAME 2
Salem – 7
Lynchburg – 4
WP: Scott (2-3)
LP: Hoyt (3-2)
S: Price (4)
HR: SAL-Renfroe (3); LYN-Skinner (8)
HIGHLIGHTS: Ten hits worked in the Salem Sox (28-34) favor in game two as they used a six-run fifth to pull away. … Robby Scott threw two scoreless innings in relief to pick up his second win of the season. In three June appearances he has yet to let up a run over 7 2/3 innings, striking out 11. … David Renfroe sparked the offense with a fifth inning grand slam. He went 2-for-4 with a double, home run, five RBIs and a run.

Hickory – 6
Greenville – 3
WP: Edwards (6-2)
LP: Dahlstrand (1-2)
S: Burns (1)
HR: HIC-Gallo (15)
HIGLIGHTS: After a 90 minute delay to start the game, the rains returned in the eighth inning to cut this one short, which might not have been a bad thing with Greenville only capable of one hit in the game. The Drive have had three games washed out in June. … One day after having his seven game hit streak snapped, Mookie Betts was back at it going 1-for-3 with a double, RBI and run. He has reached base in 31 straight games and has done so with a hit in 29 of those games.

New England affiliates

New Hampshire – 3
Erie – 2
WP: Stroman (2-1)
LP: Lobstein (5-4)
S: Antolin (2)
HR: ERI-Perez (3)
HIGHLIGHTS – After being swept out of Akron, the Fisher Cats (31-33) took their angst out on the SeaWolves, leaving Erie with a nice three game sweep of their own. … Marcus Stroman fanned a season-high eight, allowing only one run and four hits in five innings to earn his second win of the season. He has 24 Ks in 20 innings and has walked seven. Stroman did allow a home run for the fourth straight game. … Brian Van Kirk went 2-for-4 with two RBIs to pace the offense. Jack Murphy went 3-for-3 and Kevin Pillar went 2-for-3 with a run. … Dustin Antolin picked up his second straight save, the most he has had at any level.

New Britain – 11
Bowie – 10
WP: Ibarra (2-2)
LP: Zinicola (1-3)
S: Lanigan (1)
HR: NB-Santana (1), Rodriguez (6), Hanson (2); BOW-Urrutia (6), Waring (10), Joseph (12)
HIGHLIGHTS: A slugfest ensued in the rubber match of the series, with the Rock Cats tugging away victory in a 21 run, 24 hit, six home run, 12 walk, 18 strikeout affair. … Nate Hanson (3-for-5, double, HR, RBI, two runs) struck the decisive blow in the ninth inning, stroking a go-ahead solo home run with one out. … Reynaldo Rodriguez went 2-for-4 with a home run, four RBIs and two runs scored.

Red Sox affiliates

2:05 p.m.
Portland Sea Dogs – Keith Couch (3-2, 4.78 ERA)
at Akron Aeros – Will Robers (4-2, 3.92 ERA)

GAME 1
Salem Red Sox – Mike McCarthy (3-2, 4.38 ERA)
At Lynchburg Hillcats – Navery Moore (6-4, 4.91 ERA)

GAME 2
Salem Red Sox – Mike Augliera (4-3, 4.76 ERA)
At Lynchburg Hillcats – Jarret Miller (4-3, 3.75)

4:05 p.m.
Hickory Crawdads – C.J. Edwards (5-2, 2.25 ERA)
At Greenville Drive – Jacob Dahlstrand (1-1, 4.61 ERA)

5:00 p.m.
Pawtucket Red Sox – Brandon Workman (5-1, 3.43 ERA)
at Syracuse Chiefs - Matt Torra (0-2, 6.19 ERA)

New England affiliates

1:35 p.m.
New Hampshire Fisher Cats – Marcus Stroman (1-1, 6.00 ERA)
At Erie SeaWolves – Kyle Lobstein (5-3, 3.19 ERA)

2:05 p.m.
New Britain Rock Cats – D.J. Baxendale (1-1, 6.17 ERA)
at Bowie Baysox – Jake Pettit (3-2, 3.95 ERA)

Red Sox affiliates

Pawtucket – 3
Syracuse – 4
WP: Garcia (1-0)
LP: De La Torre (1-2)
S: Broadway (1)
HIGHLIGHTS: The team traded runs and the lead a few times but the Chiefs prevailed after plating three in the seventh inning. The PawSox (36-26) were only able to muster five hits in the game. … Mitch Maier, batting leadoff, went 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored. … Starter Rubby De La Rosa went five innings, his longest outing of the season, allowing only a run on four hits and three walks. He has an ERA of 1.13 in his last eight starts.

Portland – 3
Akron – 4
WP: Cooper (2-2)
LP: Barnes (3-3)
S: Flores (6)
HIGHLIGHTS: The Sea Dogs (31-28) had only four hits on the night, one each from the top four batters in their lineup. … Despite striking out eight batters in four innings, Matt Barnes suffered his second straight defeat. He needed 89 pitches to get through four frames, but only walked one batter. … J.C. Linares picked up two RBIs on an eighth inning double.

Salem – 1
Lynchburg – 2 GAME 1
WP: Weber (4-1)
LP: Stroup (3-4)
S: Hyatt (8)
HIGHLIGHTS: Kyle Stroup had another solid start for Salem, allowing two runs and five hits over five innings, but it was not enough as both teams were only able to muster five hits in a pitcher’s duel…. Garin Cecchini (2-for-3) was the only Salem player with two hits in the game.

Salem – 5
Lynchburg – 1 GAME 2
WP: Kraus (1-0)
LP: Ross (2-3)
S: Striz (3)
HR: SAL-Ramos (6); Skinner (7)
HIGHLIGHTS: Kyle Kraus worked five innings in his second start with Salem, earning his first Advanced Class-A win by allowing just one run and four hits while striking out five. … Henry Ramos led the offense with a 2-for-4 effort that included a double and his third home run in four games. Ramos drove in two and scored twice. … Matt Gedman went 3-for-3 and is 5 for his last 7 at-bats.

Hickory – 5
Greenville – 1
WP: Parra (1-1)
LP: Diaz (1-2)
S: Claudio (10)
HR: HIC-Brinson (13), Mazara (5)
HIGHLIGHTS: Greenville’s (19-40) longest winning streak of the season, three games, was snapped as the Crawdads pounded out ten hits on the night. … Alex Hassan had his second straight multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with two walks. He now has seven hits in four games since returning to action. … An 0-for-3 night signaled the end to Mookie Betts most recent hitting streak of seven games. He did manage to walk two times and score a run and now has 41 walks on the season, second most in the South Atlantic League.

New England affiliates

New Britain – 11
Bowie – 8 GAME 1
WP: Hauser (1-0)
LP: Gurka (2-2)
HR: NB-Pinto (11); BOW-Bumbry (4), Waring (9)
HIGHLIGHTS: It took eight pitchers and a couple of extra innings to decide this one as the Rock Cats used 11 hits and a three-run ninth to pull out the victory. … Catcher Kyle Knudson, playing in just his sixth game with New Britain and batting in the nine-hole, went 3-for-5 with 4 RBIs. … Josmil Pinto (1-for-4, HR, walk, 2 RBIs, 2 runs) handled the DH duties, smacking his 11th home and third in the last five games.

New Britain – 4
Bowie – 6 GAME 2
WP: Prado (1-0)
LP: Darnell (5-5)
S: Zinicola (11)
HR: NB-Ortiz (7); BOW-Bumbry (5)
HIGHLIGHTS: The Rock Cats (30-32) took a 4-3 lead in the top of the sixth, but promptly gave it away in the bottom half of the inning as the Baysox scored three runs to earn the split. … Daniel Ortiz (2-for-3, HR, 3 RBIs, 2 runs) provided much of the offense for New Britain who managed only five hits in this game. … Starter Logan Darnell gave up 3 earned runs and eight hits and has now given up 31 hits over his last four starts.

New Hampshire – 6
Erie – 2
WP: Nolin (3-1)
LP: Larez (5-3)
HR: NH-Loewen (7), Schimpf (13), Glenn (7)
HIGHLIGHTS: The Fisher Cats (30-33) used the first two innings to grab a five run lead and starter Sean Nolin mowed down the SeaWolves through 6 innings. Nolin struck out a season-high nine batters, allowing just one earned run and three hits on the day. … Brad Glenn (2-for-4, HR, walk, RBI, 2 runs) hit his third home run in his last four games. He also picked up two hits for the fourth consecutive game. … Ryan Schimpf pulled within one of the Eastern League home run lead, slugging his 13th dinger of the season in the second inning.