Rookie-level Red Sox Red win Dominican Summer League title

Some 1,600 miles south of Fenway Park, the Red Sox won a championship on Saturday.

With the big league club in the thick of the American League Wild Card chase, Boston's Red Sox Red club beat the Angels' affiliate, 6-0, in Game 3 of the best-of-3 finals in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League.

Red Sox Red pitching combined for a two-hit shutout in the finale, getting three lights-out frames out of starter Jeison Payano (four strikeouts, three walks, no hits). Fellow right-hander Juan Henriquez, who surrendered both of the Angels' hits, went 2 2/3 innings in relief, walking two and striking out a pair en route to picking up his second victory of the DSL postseason.

Designated hitter Justin Gonzales and center fielder Anderson Fermin -- both 17 years old -- led the Red Sox Red offense, with Gonzales going 4-for-5 with a double and an RBI and Fermin logging three hits, a run and a stolen base at the top of the lineup.

Fermin had been the key to Red Sox Red hitting all summer, pacing the club with 53 base knocks while posting a .293/.408/.337 slash line and stealing 12 bases in 49 games. Gonzales spent the bulk of the year with the Red Sox Blue club and had a composite line of .320/.391/.517. He had five homers, four triples, 11 doubles and eight stolen bases over 47 games.

At 42-14, the Boston affiliate won the DSL West by 4 1/2 games and amassed more victories than any other club on the circuit. Its pitching staff led the loop with a 2.95 ERA, with Payano, 18, posting a 2.61 mark over nine games -- six starts.

Joswa Lugo, the Angels' No. 6 prospect, walked twice in the losing effort. The 17-year-old shortstop slashed .301/.370/.466 over 53 games, collecting 19 extra-bas hits and stealing 18 bases.

The Angels' Davidxon Lara, who allowed a run on four hits and struck out one over two innings out of the bullpen, was the league leader in saves, with 11, and was named a Rookie-level All-Star on Thursday. Ubaldo Soto, the Angels' No. 29 prospect, was named the league's pitcher of the year but did not appear in the series against the Red Sox after starting the decisive semifinal game against DSL Giants Black. He went 8-0 with a 1.29 ERA over 12 starts.