Three-run homer silences the Huskies
FORT MYERS, FLA. >> Like many of his Northeastern University teammates, Aiven Cabral grew up watching the Red Sox and always imagined what it might be like to one day share the field with them.
Friday afternoon that dream came true for the Lynn native. Kind of.
Cabral got the start for Northeastern in Friday’s annual exhibition at JetBlue Park, though the lineup he faced was a far cry from what fans will see at Fenway Park this summer. Opting to give his big leaguers another day to ramp up for game action, Red Sox manager Alex Cora instead fielded a collection of prospects and minor leaguers to face the local Division 1 program.
Still, it was a lifelong memory for the former St. Mary’s of Lynn great, who acquitted himself nicely in what ended up a 7-2 Red Sox win.
“It’s awesome, it’s a great experience, different environment to be on the field with these guys and see how they go about their pregame,” said Cabral, who allowed one run on three hits over two innings.
Even with only their third and fourth stringers the Red Sox had enough to improve to 20-0 all-time against the Huskies. After Andover native and former St. John’s Prep great Alex Hall gave Northeastern an early lead with an RBI single in the first inning, Red Sox catcher Nathan Hickey tied the game with an RBI double in the bottom of the frame and center fielder Mark Contreras delivered the big hit with a towering three-run home run in the third.
“He’s a good player, we recognized him early in the offseason,” Cora said. “Good athlete, good baserunner, we just have to make sure he swings at the right ones.”
Right fielder Phillip Sikes extended the lead with an RBI single in the fourth, Northeastern’s Justin Bosland scored on a throwing error in the fifth, and the Red Sox scored two more on an error in the sixth to round up the scoring.
Tough debut for Olivarez
Once upon a time Helcris Olivarez was among the top pitching prospects in the Colorado Rockies organization. A flamethrowing lefty whose fastball could touch 100 mph, the 23-year-old battled control issues and injuries for two years before signing with Boston on a minor league deal this winter.
Olivarez certainly has upside, but his first impression in a Red Sox uniform wasn’t good.
Getting the start in Friday’s spring opener, Olivarez couldn’t get out of the first inning. He threw 29 pitches, allowed one run on a hit and a walk, and didn’t help his cause by throwing away a pickoff attempt and hitting a batter.
“It was good for him to get out there and compete, he’s been hurt, he hasn’t competed the last two years,” Cora said. “Although it didn’t go the way he wanted to, that feeling of going out there to prepare for the start and being able to have fun, that was good.”
Minor league lefty Zach Fogell, who came on to finish the inning, only needed one pitch to get out of the firstand-third jam, forcing Carmelo Musacchia to line out to end the threat. Andrew Politi and Chase Shugart, Boston’s other two non-roster invitees who took the mound, fared better as well, throwing a scoreless inning each.
Prospects get a look
While there weren’t any major leaguers involved on the Red Sox side, fans did get to see a handful of the organization’s most promising young players.
Among them were Nick Yorke, the Red Sox No. 6 ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline, who got the start at second base and went 1 for 2 with a run scored. Nathan Hickey (No. 16) started at catcher and went 1 for 2, David Hamilton (No. 20) started at shortstop and went 0 for 1 with a walk and a run scored, and Chase Meidroth (No. 21) started at third base and went 0 for 2.
Minor league infielder Blaze Jordan (No. 13) was added to the roster and saw significant playing time as well, though he had a tough day. The talented third baseman committed a run-scoring error and lined out with the bases loaded in the fifth to end the inning. Infielder
Eddinson Paulino (No. 22) got an at bat late as well and grounded out.
In addition to Contreras, Boston’s best offensive performers of the day was left fielder Corey Rosier, who went 2 for 2 with a double and a run scored.
Next up
The Red Sox open their Grapefruit League schedule on Saturday when they face the Baltimore Orioles in Sarasota at 1:05 p.m.