Pinstriped Performances: Save Us, Sevy

Yankee fans who are enduring an underwhelming and unremarkable season from the big-league squad can rejoice in something, small as it may be: Luis Severino returned to a professional mound in a counting game for the first time since October 2019. He pitched the first two-plus innings in a big Tampa win as the Tarpons joined Scranton in the win column on Sunday.

Hoy Jun Park of the Somerset Patriots on May 6, 2021 (Chris Jones)

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (19-9): Losers of two in a row, the RailRiders built an early lead and hung on to salvage the series finale 4-3 over the IronPigs.

• Star of the Game: Hoy Jun Park – 2-for-3, 1 home run (5), 2 RBI, 2 runs scored, 1 walk, 1 strikeout. Park homered for the second straight day and the third time in four games with a two-run shot in the second, lifting his OPS to 1.199
• Estevan Florial: 0-for-4, 2 strikeouts
• Trey Amburgey: 1-for-4, 1 double, 1 RBI, 2 strikeouts
• Max McDowell: 1-for-3, 1 double, 1 RBI, 1 run scored
• Nick Green: 4 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 66 pitches (42 strikes)
• Albert Abreu: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 16 pitches (9 strikes)
• Reggie McClain: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 34 pitches (23 strikes). McClain picked up his third win of the season
• Kyle Barraclough: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 21 pitches (16 strikes)
• Luis García: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 16 pitches (9 strikes). García held down the ninth as he has done all year for his eighth save

Diego Castillo playing for the Somerset Patriots on May 9, 2021. (Chirs Jones)

Somerset Patriots (20-9): Kelsey Grammer’s visit to TD Bank Ballpark was probably the most exciting occurrence for Patriot fans during an otherwise mundane 5-2 loss to Reading.

• Star of the Game: Diego Castillo – 4-for-5, 1 home run, 1 RBI, 2 runs scored, 1 strikeout. Castillo accounted for half of Somerset’s total hits and raised his average to .350
• Dermis Garcia: 1-for-5, 1 double, 3 strikeouts
• Max Burt: 1-for-3, 1 RBI, 1 walk
• Aaron Palensky: 1-for-3, 1 double, 1 walk, 1 strikeout. Palensky extended his on-base streak to seven games and has seven extra-base hits this season
• Janson Junk: 4 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 70 pitches (43 strikes)
• JP Sears: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 16 pitches (10 strikes)
• Reid Anderson: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 41 pitches (22 strikes). Anderson hadn’t pitched in more than a week and ended a streak of five straight effective apperances after his debut difficulties
• Kevin Gadea: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 22 pitches (17 strikes)
• Greg Weissert: 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 25 pitches (19 strikes). Called on in garbage time on Sunday, Weissert struck out the side to prolong an elite stretch that has seen his ERA drop to 0.79

Kyle MacDonald. Gulf Coast League Tigers East v Gulf Coast League Yankees West. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. Aug. 29, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)

Hudson Valley Renegades (15-12): The Renegades lost a tough one on a walk-off, solo home run to drop their Sunday matinee 4-3 in Wilmington.

• Star of the Game: Kyle MacDonald – 2-for-4, 1 home run (3), 3 RBI, 1 run scored. MacDonald’s two-out three-run home run tied the game in the top of the second after Wilmington had taken a quick lead in the first. The score would stay that way until the last hitter of the game
• Oswald Peraza: 1-for-5, 2 strikeouts
• Ezequiel Duran: 0-for-4, 1 strikeout
• Anthony Seigler: 2-for-4, 1 double, 2 strikeouts
• James Nelson: 2-for-4, 1 double, 1 run scored, 2 strikeouts
• Hayden Wesneski: 5 IP, 4 H, 3 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 6 K, 79 pitches (53 strikes). Apart from the two-run home run he served up in the first inning, Wesneski was nearly perfect and continues a strong season with a 1.84 ERA
• Matt Minnick: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 12 pitches (7 strikes)
• Elvis Peguero: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 22 pitches (14 strikes)
• Charlie Ruegger: 0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 3 pitches (2 strikes). Ruegger surrendered the game-winning home run on the third pitch he threw

Tampa Tarpons (22-8): It was all smiling at GMS Field on Sunday as Severino returned and the Tampa offense flashed its usual shine in an 8-1 win over Lakeland.

• Star of the Game: Chad Bell – 2-for-4, 1 home run (4), 2 RBI, 1 run scored, 1 strikeout. Bell has been reliable at the bottom end of the Tampa order, quietly putting up a solid .884 OPS
• Josh Smith: 1-for-3, 1 RBI, 2 walks, 1 strikeout. Smith has hit safely in 10 of his first 11 games for Tampa
• Anthony Volpe: 2-for-5, 1 triple, 1 run scored, 2 strikeouts. Volpe has a five-game hitting streak, with four of those games falling in the multi-hit category
• Austin Wells: 2-for-3, 1 double, 1 RBI, 1 run scored, 2 walks. Though the power’s been lacking with no home runs since Opening Day, Wells does have nine doubles and two triples
• Trevor Hauver: 1-for-3, 2 RBI, 2 walks, 1 strikeout
• Jake Sanford: 1-for-5, 1 double, 1 strikeout
• Luis Severino: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 34 pitches (24 strikes). Check off the box – Severino has made his first rehab start and looked good if rusty, reaching his usual velocity per Statcast
• Beck Way: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 34 pitches (22 strikes). An efficient three innings of work was good for a win for the rookie right-hander, who hasn’t allowed a run in 5.2 innings
• Trevor Holloway: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 18 pitches (14 strikes)
• Wellington Diaz: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 19 pitches (8 strikes)
• Derek Craft: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 15 pitches (8 strikes)