Cup of Coffee: Anthony homers twice; Fulmer shuts down Syracuse
3/31 Cup of Coffee: This is the kind of game Worcester fans were looking forward to when Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer opened the season in Triple-A. They combined to reach base six times and score five runs while Anthony went deep twice. The pitching was not to be outdone, led by Michael Fulmer.
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On paper it was a tough matchup for Roman Anthony and the WooSox as they faced off against the Mets top prospect, Brandon Sproat. Sproat was the Eastern League Pitcher of the Year in 2024, pitching to a 2.45 ERA with Binghamton. But Worcester got to him for four runs on three hits and three walks in two-plus innings. Anthony drew two walks off Sproat, and Marcelo Mayer laced a two-run single to chase him from the game. Once Sproat left the game Anthony went nuclear, hitting a 109.6 mph home run to right field, and a 106.4 mph home run to left field. Anthony finished 3 for 4, Mayer went 2 for 5 with a stolen base, and Trayce Thompson went 3 for 4 with a double and a home run while driving in four.
The pitching staff was equally dominant, led by Michael Fulmer who limited Syracuse to two hits over four scoreless innings. He struck out five without walking a batter. Shane Drohan was the first out of the bullpen, striking out two over two innings. Hobie Harris, Bryan Mata, and Luis Guerrero tossed an inning apiece to finish off the shutout.
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Player of the Day: Roman Anthony has been a familiar name in this section of the article over his two full seasons in the system. But with two home runs on Sunday, the question on everyone's mind is how long Boston will keep him in Triple-A. Fans will point to the hot start of Kristian Campbell to show that these talented youngsters are ready for the big leagues. With the sample sizes still small, the Red Sox will likely take a patient approach before making any changes to the big league roster. But Anthony will hope to make the decision tougher with more performances like Sunday's.
Photo Credit: Roman Anthony by Kelly O'Connor