RED SOX MINOR LEAGUE REPORT
(For the week of July 6-12)

Highlights of the Week
-- CF Jacoby Ellsbury was promoted to Double-A Portland yesterday from Single-A Wilmington...a 2006 Carolina League All-Star, Ellsbury batted .298 with 4 home runs, 5 triples, 32 RBI and 25 stolen bases in 60 games for the Blue Rocks this season . . . Boston’s top pick (23rd overall) in 2005, Ellsbury began his pro career last season with short-season Single-A Lowell, batting .317 with 28 runs scored, 19 RBI and 20 stolen bases in 35 games…the 22-year-old made the jump to Advanced Single-A Wilmington to begin the 2006 campaign.
-- RHP Chris Smith last night made the start for the Eastern League’s Northern Division All-Star team, limiting the Southern squad to a run on 4 hits and no walks in 2.0 innings, fanning one and exiting with a 3-1 lead…OF Tyler Minges made the start in left field and went 0-for-2 with a walk while 3B Chad Spann made the start at third base, going 0-for-1 with a walk…1B/DH Jeremy West went 0-for-1 in a pinch-hit appearance for the designated hitter…the Southern squad notched a 5-3, come-from-behind victory.
-- Pawtucket reliever LHP Craig Breslow yesterday represented the International League at the 2006 Triple-A All-Star Game in Toledo…the International League All-Stars shut out the Pacific Coast League squad, 6-0…Breslow did not pitch…PawSox manager Ron Johnson served as a coach for the IL team . . . Breslow has gone 5-1 with 5 saves and a 3.40 ERA (17 ER/45.0 IP) in 26 games out of the bullpen…the 25-year-old has 50 strikeouts in 45.0 innings, while limiting International League opponents to a .226 batting average…the Yale product and Trumbull, CT resident signed with the Red Sox as a minor league free agent in February.

Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox
International League North Division
42-46, 5th Place, 8.0 Games Back
-- TEAM LEADERS AT THE BREAK: Batting Average – Ron Calloway (.317); Home runs – Jeff Bailey (16); RBI – Bailey (53); Runs Scored – Adam Stern (42); Wins – Abe Alvarez, Marc Deschenes and Craig Breslow (5); Saves – Jermaine Van Buren (9); Appearances – Tim Bausher (27); Innings Pitched – Matt Ginter (89.0); Starters ERA – Jon Lester (2.70); Relievers ERA – Van Buren (1.71).
-- INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE LEADERS AT THE BREAK: Batting Average - Ron Calloway (.317, 5th); On-Base Percentage - Calloway (.391, 7th); Home runs - Jeff Bailey (16, T5th); RBI – Bailey (53, T5th); Slugging Percentage - Bailey (.523, 6th); Doubles - Dustin Pedroia (22, T6th); Stolen bases - Trent Durrington (16, T8th).

Double-A Portland Sea Dogs
Eastern League Northern Division
52-36, First Place, 4.0 Games Ahead
-- TEAM LEADERS AT THE BREAK: Batting Average – Chad Spann (.303); Home runs – Luis Jimenez (11); RBI –Brandon Moss (55); Runs Scored – Moss (47); Wins – Kason Gabbard and Chris Smith (9); Saves – Edgar Martinez (8); Appearances – Martinez and Jon Searles (31); Innings Pitched – Smith (101.2); Starters ERA – Gabbard (2.57); Relievers ERA – Barry Hertzler (1.05).
-- EASTERN LEAGUE LEADERS AT THE BREAK: Batting Average – Chad Spann (.303, 5th) and Jeremy West (.301, 6th); RBI –Brandon Moss (55, 3rd); Hits – Spann (91, T4th); Doubles – Moss (24, 2nd); Wins – Kason Gabbard and Chris Smith (9, T1st); Innings Pitched – Smith (101.2, 4th); ERA – Gabbard (2.57, 6th) and Devern Hansack (2.87, 9th).

Single-A Wilmington Blue Rocks
Carolina League Northern Division
9-9, 2nd place, 2.0 Games Back
-- ON THE RISE: Promoted yesterday to Double-A Portland, CF Jacoby Ellsbury recorded 6 stolen bases in his last 7 games and joined Portland with 25 stolen bases this season, tied for 3rd-most in the Carolina League…he also had 3 triples in July, boosting his season total to 5 (2nd in the league)…Ellsbury, Boston’s top pick in the 2005 June Draft, also ranks 5th in the league with a .298 batting average.
-- TOM TERRIFIC: LHP Tommy Hottovy has won 4 of his last 5 decisions, going 4-1 with a 2.35 (8 ER/30.2 IP) in his last 6 starts beginning June 11…overall this season, the 25-year-old is 8-6 with a 2.90 ERA, the 8th-best ERA in the Carolina League…Hottovy paces the league with 105.2 innings pitched this season.
-- BE LIKE MIKE: Blue Rocks closer RHP Mike James is a perfect 15-for-15 in save opportunities following his perfect 9th inning last night in Wilmington’s 5-4 win vs. Frederick…10 of his 15 saves have come on the road this season despite posting a 1.80 ERA and a .135 batting average against at home and a 3.18 ERA and .319 batting average against on the road…he has 10 strikeouts and no walks in his last 7 outings (covering 7.0 innings).

Single-A Greenville Drive
South Atlantic League Southern Division
12-8, 2nd Place, 4.0 Games Back, Second Half
35-35, Tied for 5th Place, 7.0 Games Back, First Half
-- JAY WALKING TO WILMINGTON: OF Jay Johnson yesterday was promoted to Wilmington…the 24-year-old batted .356 (16-for-45) with 5 doubles, 3 homers, 8 RBI and 8 runs in 10 July games to earn the promotion…Boston’s 16th pick (13th round) last year hit .283 with 16 doubles, 11 home runs, 43 RBI and 58 runs in 73 games for the Drive.
-- COMING UP ROZIER: LHP Michael Rozier owns a 2.31 ERA (3 ER/11.2 IP) in his last 2 starts (both no-decisions) after pitching to a 6.41 ERA (14 ER/19.2 IP) in his previous 4 outings…the 21-year-old, who was Boston’s 12th-round selection in 2004, is 4-3 with a 4.14 ERA in 16 starts overall…he is slated to start tonight vs. Asheville (Rockies).
-- GOOD TIM-ING: LHP Tim Cox has allowed just 3 earned runs in 29.0 innings over his last 9 appearances (0.93 ERA)…the 20-year-old Australian has not given up an earned run in his last 5 games, tossing 15.0 shutout innings in that span…he is 3-4 with a 2.14 ERA in 22 games overall.

Short-Season Single-A Lowell Spinners
New York-Penn League Stedler Division
10-10, 3rd Place, 3.0 Games Back
-- KRIS-KROSSED: LHP Kristofer Johnson has allowed just 2 hits and no earned runs in 7.2 innings over his first 4 pro games (3 starts)…the 21-year-old was Boston’s 3rd pick (sandwich round, 40th overall) in this year’s draft out of Wichita State University.
-- OBEY YOUR MASTERSON: RHP Justin Masterson boasts a 1.13 ERA (1 ER/8.0 IP) with 12 strikeouts in 8.0 innings over his first 4 professional appearances…the 21-year-old was the Sox’ 5th pick (2nd round) in June out of San Diego State University.
-- SAVING THE DAY: RHP Joshua Papelbon has notched 2 saves without allowing an earned run through his first 6 appearances (7.1 IP)…the 23-year-old was selected by the Sox in the 48th round of this year’s draft.
-- BRINGING THE PENA: LHP Mario Pena has gone 3-0 with a 1.64 ERA (4 ER/22.0 IP) through 4 starts…the 21-year-old native of Nicaragua signed with the Sox as a free agent in August of 2002.
--TAKING THE BATES: 1B Aaron Bates is batting .378 (28-for-74) with 6 doubles, 3 homers, 9 RBI and 13 runs scored in 19 games…the North Carolina State product was Boston’s 6th pick (3rd round) in this year’s draft.

Rookie-Level Gulf Coast League Red Sox
Gulf Coast League South Division
7-10, 3rd Place, 4.5 Games Back
-- LUCKY 7: OF Carlos Fernandez-Oliva has hit safely 7 of his last 8 games, batting .357 (10-for-28) with 2 doubles, a triple and 7 RBI…he has raised his batting average to .304 from .222 during the run…he also has 4 stolen bases in his last 4 games…Fernandez-Oliva has a team-high 10 RBI in 13 games this season.
-- JUST DOUBRONT IT: LHP Felix Doubront is 1-2 with a 2.84 ERA in 4 starts this season…the 19-year-old has limited lefthanders to a .083 batting average (1-for-12)…Doubront was named the 2005 Red Sox Minor League Latin Pitcher of the Year after going 7-1 with a 0.97 ERA in 13 starts for the Venezuelan Summer League team.
-- HE’S THE MANN: RHP Will Mann has 3 saves and has not allowed a run in 6 professional outings for the GCL Red Sox, covering 6 outings and 7.2 innings…he has 9 strikeouts and just one walk in the 7.2 innings while limiting foes to a .192 batting average, including a .111 mark by lefties.