By Tiffany Williams –
The Boston Red Sox organization continued to dominate the headlines Friday, from a surging Worcester club chasing one of its best stretches in franchise history, to the Hartford Yard Goats continuing to flex their speed, the Portland Sea Dogs producing more late-game magic, and the Connecticut Sun making a franchise-altering trade ahead of the stretch run.
The biggest story in Triple-A belongs to the Worcester Red Sox, who are suddenly one of the hottest teams in Minor League Baseball.
Winners of eight of their last nine games, Worcester enters Friday night’s matchup against the Norfolk Tides at 53-47 and six games over .500, matching its season high. Another victory would push the WooSox to seven games over .500 for the first time since June 24, 2025, a significant milestone for a club that has steadily climbed back into contention after battling inconsistency earlier this season.
The lineup continues to showcase the organization’s future. Top prospect Franklin Arias returns to second base after making an immediate impact since arriving in Triple-A, while Mikey Romero, Kristian Campbell and Andrew Knizner headline a lineup that has become one of the International League’s most productive groups.
The WooSox have been explosive early in games. Worcester has scored 90 first-inning runs this season, easily its highest total in any inning and well ahead of the 73 runs it has scored in the third inning.
July has also become one of the best offensive months in franchise history. Worcester enters its final game of the month with a 15-7 record. A victory Friday would tie the best winning percentage for any month in WooSox history while adding another chapter to an impressive turnaround that has included outscoring opponents 136-107 during July.
Meanwhile, the Hartford Yard Goats continue building toward the postseason after already clinching the Eastern League Northeast Division first-half title.
Hartford seeks another victory over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats after setting a franchise record with 11 stolen bases earlier this week. Speed has become one of the club’s defining traits, with Dyan Jorge ranking among the Eastern League leaders in stolen bases and Andy Perez continuing his remarkable season. Perez leads the Eastern League with 119 hits while remaining among the league leaders in batting average and doubles.
The Yard Goats also continue receiving strong pitching. Left-hander Konner Eaton makes his 16th start of the season looking for his fifth victory after returning from the injured list earlier this month.
In Portland, the Sea Dogs continue proving they are one of Double-A baseball’s toughest clubs to finish off.
Thursday night’s dramatic 5-4 walk-off victory over Harrisburg featured another clutch performance from Ahbram Liendo, whose game-winning single marked his third walk-off hit of the season. Liendo has now played a direct role in each of Portland’s last four walk-off victories.
Tyler McDonough continued swinging one of the hottest bats in the lineup, while Tyler Davis delivered two scoreless innings in his Delta Dental Park debut to earn his first Double-A victory.
Portland has now gone 15-3 in one-run home games this season and owns eight walk-off wins.
Ronald Rosario has also enjoyed a breakout July. He is tied for the second-most home runs in the Eastern League this month with seven while leading qualified hitters in slugging percentage during July.
The Sea Dogs also continue piling up weekly honors. Right-hander Max Carlson was named Eastern League Pitcher of the Week after throwing 5.2 scoreless, hitless innings with seven strikeouts. Anthony Eyanson, one of the top pitching prospects in the Red Sox organization, takes the mound Friday carrying a 1.45 ERA for Portland.
The biggest personnel move of the day came in the WNBA.
The Connecticut Sun announced they have acquired the rights to Maria “Masha” Kliundikova and the Toronto Tempo’s 2028 second-round draft pick in exchange for Aneesah Morrow.
Aneesah Morrow was selected seventh overall by Connecticut in the 2025 WNBA Draft and averaged 11.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 20 games this season after averaging 7.7 points and 6.9 rebounds last year.
“We are incredibly grateful for the time Aneesah spent with the Connecticut Sun and for the professionalism, commitment, and buy-in she showed from the moment we drafted her,” said Connecticut Sun President Jen Rizzotti. “She embraced our vision, was a tremendous ambassador for our franchise both on and off the court, and built meaningful relationships with our fans, her teammates, and staff. We wish Aneesah nothing but continued success in the next chapter of her career.”
Maria “Masha” Kliundikova brings WNBA and international experience to Connecticut. She was selected 11th overall in the 2018 WNBA Draft by the Los Angeles Sparks and has also played for the Minnesota Lynx. Internationally, she won EuroLeague championships with Dynamo Kursk in 2017 and UMMC Ekaterinburg in 2019 and 2021. She was also named the 2017 FIBA U19 World Cup MVP after helping Russia capture the gold medal while averaging 18.4 points and 14.0 rebounds in seven starts.
As August approaches, organizations across New England find themselves heading in different directions. Worcester continues charging toward one of its strongest months ever, Hartford has already punched its postseason ticket, Portland continues winning dramatic games behind a deep roster of prospects, and the Connecticut Sun have begun reshaping their roster with an eye toward the future.