Red Sox Minor Lines: Yes, Franklin Arias hit another home run

Jake Bennett pitched five innings, striking out seven and rebounding after allowing a first-inning home run. The bullpen then prevented any hits for the remainder of the game. Worcester’s top three hitters combined for seven hits, building a 7-1 lead after four innings that allowed the team to coast. Blake Wehunt produced an eight-strikeout outing over six innings, allowing two hits and a walk. Franklin Arias hit his 12th home run, Johanfran Garcia added a homer in the fifth, and three runs in the sixth extended the lead. Portland won for its eighth time in nine games. Enddy Azocar hit a first High-A home run, including a grand slam, and Ronny Hernandez added three hits in another win.

"Jake Bennett's five-inning start proved yet again that he could be a good spot starter, if for no other reason than to gauge future value as this team may find itself firmly in selling territory as 2026 grows older. Wednesday morning's start against the Rail Riders ( Yankees AAA) was another in a long line of reputable outings, as he struck out seven and recovered extremely well after allowing a first inning home run to George Lombard Jr. And yes, that is son of the George Lombard, the former Red Sox minor league bench coach and former Braves teammate of Andruw Jones, Greg Maddux and the like."

"And yes, after Bennett's five innings, the bullpen was sharp, not allowing a hit the duration of the game. Meanwhile, the top of Worcester's lineup shone; Braiden Ward, Nate Eaton and Anthony Seigler, in the one-through-three holes, had seven hits between them and the 7-1 lead they had after four was key in allowing Bennett and his associates to coast the rest of the way."

"Blake Wehunt had maybe his best outing of the season. The 6'7" righty out of Georgia (that's not the Bulldogs but instead the Owls of Kennesaw State) had eight strikeouts, allowing just two hits and a walk in six innings of work. Franklin Arias belted his 12th home run of 2026 and Johanfran Garcia got his seventh homer in the fifth. Add in three runs in the sixth and Portland also coasted to an early afternoon W, their eighth win in nine games."

"And another coast! Despite some really spotty pitching by Marcus Phillips against Asheville ( Astros High-A). Enddy Azocar's new teammates surely like him, as he had his first home run since being promoted to High-A, and it was a grand slam to answer a run to get Greenville to within neccessity of a save situation. The score was 11-5, and there it'd stay. Ronny Hernandez also contributed three hits, coming within a triple of hitting for the cycle."

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