Palms 3, Red Sox 2

 Friday, July 10, 2020 — Coca-Cola Palms Park

By Vin Castillo

They didn’t light up the scoreboard. They didn’t need to.

What the Miami Palms needed Friday night was something far simpler—and far more telling.

They needed a clean, controlled, professional win.

They got it.

Behind eight steady innings from Blake Johnston and one thunderous swing from Greg Garcia, the Palms edged the Boston Red Sox 3–2 to open the pre–All-Star Break set and move back above .500 at 48–47.

Second-Inning Surge Holds Up

Boston struck first on Alex Verdugo’s two-run shot in the second, the kind of early punch that has undone Miami too often this season.

This time, they answered immediately—and decisively.

Three runs in the bottom half flipped the game:

  • Edwin Encarnación worked his way aboard and set the table
  • Chris Korb added traffic with a base hit
  • Then came Garcia, getting the start in place of Yairo Muñoz

Garcia turned on a pitch and drove it out for a three-run homer, a no-doubt swing that brought the dugout to life—and ultimately decided the game.

“That’s why he’s here,” manager Scott Hatteberg said. “Professional at-bat, ready when his name’s called.”

Johnston Sets the Tone

From there, the game belonged to Blake Johnston.

Not dominant—but composed, efficient, and exactly what this team has been desperate for.

Line: 8 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

After the early mistake, Johnston locked in and didn’t allow Boston to build anything resembling momentum.

Bullpen? Just a Formality

Chris Martin handled the ninth on five pitches for his 27th save, continuing his quietly dominant season.

Missed Chances—But Enough Came Through

Miami still stranded nine runners, but the difference from earlier in the week:

👉 They delivered the one big hit

  • Garcia: 3-run HR (game-winner)
  • Korb & Castillo: traffic creators
  • Encarnación: table-setter with two walks

Uniform Note 👕

The Palms wore their teal home alternates, a look that’s quickly becoming associated with their cleaner, more composed performances.

The Bigger Picture

  • Record: 48–47
  • Series: 1–0 vs Boston
  • Wild Card chase: still alive

More importantly:

👉 This is the blueprint

  • Steady starting pitching
  • One timely swing
  • Shutdown closer

From the Room

Greg Garcia: “Just trying to be ready. You never know when your moment’s coming.”

Scott Hatteberg: “That’s a team win. But yeah—big swing.”

  Miami Palms 3, Boston Red Sox 2

 Friday, July 10, 2020

 

 

 Boston Red Sox (7-4)                                     Miami Palms (48-47)                                     

 Player          AB R  H BI BB SO  P  A  E LOB   Ave      Player          AB R  H BI BB SO  P  A  E LOB   Ave      

 ------          -- -  - -- -- --  -  -  - ---   ---      ------          -- -  - -- -- --  -  -  - ---   ---      

 Peraza 2b       4  0  1  0  0  0  2  0  0  0   .243      Sohn cf         4  0  0  0  0  0  4  0  0  4   .280

 Bogaerts ss     4  0  0  0  0  1  2  2  0  0   .356      Gonzalez 1b     3  0  1  0  1  1  8  1  0  0   .290

 Devers 3b       4  0  0  0  0  0  1  1  0  0   .250      Grant rf        4  0  0  0  0  0  2  0  0  0   .285

 Martinez dh     4  0  0  0  0  1  0  0  0  1   .362      Encarnacion dh  2  1  1  0  2  1  0  0  0  0   .266

 Vazquez c       3  1  1  0  1  0  8  1  0  0   .189      Korb 3b         4  1  2  0  0  1  2  1  0  3   .277

 Verdugo rf      3  1  1  2  0  1  2  0  0  0   .370      Koch 2b         4  0  0  0  0  1  0  2  0  0   .262

 Puello lf       3  0  0  0  0  0  1  0  0  0   .350      Holt lf         4  0  1  0  0  3  7  0  0  0   .265

 Moreland 1b     3  0  1  0  0  0  6  1  0  1   .378      Garcia ss       4  1  3  3  0  0  0  0  0  0   .235

 Bradley Jr. cf  3  0  0  0  0  0  2  0  0  1   .310      Castillo c      4  0  2  0  0  1  3  0  0  2   .202

 

                 -- -  - -- -- -- -- -- -- ---                            -- -  - -- -- -- -- -- -- ---            

 Totals          31 2  4  2  1  3  24 5  0  3             Totals          33 3  10 3  3  8  27 6  0  9  

 

 

                        1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9      R  H  E

                        -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -      -  -  -

 Boston Red Sox         0  2  0  0  0  0  0  0  0      2  4  0  

 Miami Palms            0  3  0  0  0  0  0  0         3  10 0  

 

 

 

 LOB- Boston Red Sox 3, Miami Palms 9; 2B- Peraza(1), Moreland(5), Encarnacion(20),

 Castillo(7); HR- Verdugo(1), Garcia(3); RBI- Verdugo 2(9), Garcia 3(23); GIDP- Grant(2);

 RLSP- Martinez, Bradley Jr., Sohn 3, Korb 2;  

 

 DP- Boston Red Sox 1;  

  

 

 

 Boston Red Sox            IP   H  R  ER BB SO    ERA

 Cahill(L 0-1)             5.0  7  3  3  2  4    5.40  

 Barnes                    2.0  2  0  0  1  2   11.57 

 Perez                     1.0  1  0  0  0  2    4.96  

 

 Miami Palms               IP   H  R  ER BB SO    ERA

 Johnston(W 7-9)           8.0  4  2  2  1  3    4.55  

 Martin(S,27)              1.0  0  0  0  0  0    1.82  

 

 Pitches-strikes- Cahill 75-43, Barnes 30-20, Perez 12-9, Johnston 104-58, Martin 5-4;

 Batters faced- Cahill 23, Barnes 9, Perez 4, Johnston 29, Martin 3; 


  

 

  

 Temp - 79, Sky - Thunder in area, Wind - S 13mph 

 

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