There seems to be no stopping former Yale All-American Ryan Lavarnway lately. Since being promoted to Triple-A Pawtucket last month, Lavarnway, a highly-regarded catcher in the Red Sox organization, is hitting .381 (45-for-118) with 10 homers and and 28 RBIs in just 31 games. Between Double-A and Triple-A, he's now hitting .319 with 24 home runs (best in the Sox minor league system) and 66 RBIs.

Need a few more mind-blowing numbers? Lavarnway is hitting .431 in July and .579 in the five games since the All-Star break. And if that's not enough to get him a promotion to Fenway by September 1, consider his .464 average against left-handers in the International League.

Greg Nappo proved he was a little too good for the short-season New York/Penn League. After striking out 10 of the 15 batters he faced in a July 4 start for Jamestown (N.Y.), he pitched five perfect innings in his next start (he was removed after reaching his pitch count both games).

On Wednesday, Nappo was promoted to low Class A Greensboro (N.C.) of the South Atlantic League.

Nappo, a LHP, was the No. 2 starter at UConn this spring and an 18th-round pick of the Marlins in June.

Madison's Greg Nappo made his first professional start memorable by striking out 10 batters in four shutout innings for Jamestown (N.Y.) of the short-season New York/Penn League on Independence Day. The Florida Marlins, who drafted Nappo in the 18th round last month, are taking things slow; the plan was for him to throw only four innings Monday. The former UConn LHP had made three relief appearances since being signed shortly after the college season ended last month. He hasn't allowed a run in nine innings, and has struck out 16.