Wright, Sox Knuckle Past Bisons 5-3
PAWTUCKET, R.I. -- Knuckleballer Steven Wright struck out seven in a season-long eight innings to pitch the Pawtucket Red Sox to a 5-3 victory over the Buffalo Bisons in front of a Father's Day crowd of 8,785 at McCoy Stadium.
Wright (W, 3-4), who did not allow a walk while locating his knuckler for 69 strikes among 97 pitches, became the first PawSox starter to last through the eighth. As a result, he earned his first home win and first victory overall since a May 9 visit to Gwinnett.
With the Bisons held to just three singles, including two on the infield, until finally scoring in the eighth, Pawtucket took the early initiative.
In the bottom of the first, Jonathan Diaz singled off Buffalo starter Chad Jenkins and Mitch Maier followed with a walk, setting up a two-out at-bat for Alex Hassan.
Hassan was injured on Opening Night at Scranton-Wilkes Barre and had not played for Pawtucket in 2013 until this weekend. On Friday, he produced the game-winning single in a 1-0 victory. Two days later, he staked Wright and the Sox to a 2-0 advantage with a double into the left-field corner to score Diaz and Maier.
Diaz again was the catalyst in the third, when he reached second base on an infield single and error. Maier singled Diaz home for a 3-0 lead. Brandon Snyder followed with his 10th home run, blasting a 2-1 pitch from Jenkins (L, 0-3) to left-center.
Wright picked up from there by retiring the side in order each of the next four innings.
The Bisons eventually broke through on Riccardo Nanina's RBI single in the eighth and a two-run homer by Mauro Gomez off reliever Chris Martin in the ninth. For Gomez, it was an International League-leading 18th big fly.
Pawtucket finished with 10 hits, including a pair by catcher Dan Butler, who handled Wright's knuckleball with aplomb throughout the afternoon.
The Sox also won the series, taking three of four from their North Division rivals and increasing their lead to 5.0 games in the standings.
At 40-38, Pawtucket embarks on an eight-day trip to Ohio with Monday's 7:05 p.m. affair at Columbus. Rubby De La Rosa, who re-joined the club from Boston, is expected to make the start.
Wright (W, 3-4), who did not allow a walk while locating his knuckler for 69 strikes among 97 pitches, became the first PawSox starter to last through the eighth. As a result, he earned his first home win and first victory overall since a May 9 visit to Gwinnett.
With the Bisons held to just three singles, including two on the infield, until finally scoring in the eighth, Pawtucket took the early initiative.
In the bottom of the first, Jonathan Diaz singled off Buffalo starter Chad Jenkins and Mitch Maier followed with a walk, setting up a two-out at-bat for Alex Hassan.
Hassan was injured on Opening Night at Scranton-Wilkes Barre and had not played for Pawtucket in 2013 until this weekend. On Friday, he produced the game-winning single in a 1-0 victory. Two days later, he staked Wright and the Sox to a 2-0 advantage with a double into the left-field corner to score Diaz and Maier.
Diaz again was the catalyst in the third, when he reached second base on an infield single and error. Maier singled Diaz home for a 3-0 lead. Brandon Snyder followed with his 10th home run, blasting a 2-1 pitch from Jenkins (L, 0-3) to left-center.
Wright picked up from there by retiring the side in order each of the next four innings.
The Bisons eventually broke through on Riccardo Nanina's RBI single in the eighth and a two-run homer by Mauro Gomez off reliever Chris Martin in the ninth. For Gomez, it was an International League-leading 18th big fly.
Pawtucket finished with 10 hits, including a pair by catcher Dan Butler, who handled Wright's knuckleball with aplomb throughout the afternoon.
The Sox also won the series, taking three of four from their North Division rivals and increasing their lead to 5.0 games in the standings.
At 40-38, Pawtucket embarks on an eight-day trip to Ohio with Monday's 7:05 p.m. affair at Columbus. Rubby De La Rosa, who re-joined the club from Boston, is expected to make the start.