PawSox Lose Slugfest 12-8
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: AUGUST 6, 2013
BUFFALO, N.Y. - Pitching was sparse for both clubs at Coca Cola Field Tuesday night as the Pawtucket Red Sox fell to the Buffalo Bisons by a final score of 12-8 in front of 8,527 fans and split the four game series.
Pawtucket saw the Triple-A debut of Keith Couch and it was rough from the start. After walking the lead-off man, Anthony Gose singled and stole second base putting runners at second and third. A strikeout later, Clint Robinson doubled to center field scoring two runs. Couch struck out another batter before Luis Jimenez produced an RBI double to make it 3-0. A walk and an error later, Buffalo scored their fourth run. Couch would strike out the side, but needed 45 pitches to get through it.
Couch would exit after the one inning of work and Jose Contreras came in out of the bullpen in the 2nd. Contreras would allow a lead-off single to start the inning before coughing up a two-run homer to Anthony Gose, his 3rd of the year, to make it a 6-0 lead for Buffalo.
The Bisons added another run in the 3rd as Ryan Goins and Mike Nickeas hit back to back doubles to swell the Buffalo lead to 7-0.
Buffalo starter Ricky Romero was just one over the minimum faced in the first three innings. He'd retire the first batter of the 4th before the PawSox offense exploded. Will Middlebrooks started the scoring with a solo home run, his 10th, off the batters eye in center field. A walk and a double later, Tony Thomas singled home two runs to make it a 7-3 game. Thomas was thrown out at third trying to advance for the second out of the inning. After a single and a walk, Jeremy Hazelbaker blasted a three-run homer, his 9th, to make it a 7-6 game. Jonathan Diaz followed with a single, stole second base and scored the tying run on Xander Bogaerts' RBI single.
But, Contreras could not keep the game tied as a passed ball on a strikeout allowed the first man to reach followed by back to back RBI doubles plated two more runs to give Buffalo the lead again, 9-7. Chris Martin relieved Contreras and retired the first two batters he faced, but allowed a two-out RBI single to Goins to increase the lead to 10-7.
The PawSox tossed a scoreless 5th, but Buffalo came right back in the 6th. A single, a double and strikeout later saw Chris Martin exit the game. Anthony Carter took over on the mound and allowed an RBI single to Goins, hit a batter and allowed a single to Munenori Kawasaki to make the score 12-7. Carter would strike out the next two batters to leave the bases loaded.
Jeremy Hazelbaker homered in the 9th, his 2nd of the game and 10th of the season, to bring the score to the eventual final of 12-8.
The PawSox will continue their current nine-game, nine-day road trip in Syracuse Thursday after a scheduled off-day Wednesday. Pawtucket and Syracuse will play a doubleheader Thursday night beginning at 5:00pm from NB&T Stadium.
Pawtucket will return to McCoy Stadium Tuesday, August 13th for an eight-game homestand against Louisville and Buffalo.
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