PawSox Fall in 10, 5-3

Pawtucket, RI - Pawtucket turned its first triple play since 2009, but Scranton/Wilkes-Barre scored two runs in the eighth to tie the game then two more in the tenth to win it as the RailRiders earned a 5-3, ten-inning victory over the PawSox Monday night before 2,576 fans at McCoy Stadium. 

Scranton has now taken two of the first three games in the series, and Pawtucket (25-21) has lost five of its last seven. The PawSox led 3-1 after seven innings, but reliever Drake Britton allowed a two-run home run to Adonis Garcia in the eighth to tie the score. Chris Hernandez (1-4) then allowed a pair of runs and two hits in the tenth.

After Garcia's eighth-inning blast, Britton issued consecutive walks to Ramon Flores and Kyle Roller to put runners at first and second with none out. Zelous Wheeler then hit a sharp ground ball to the third-baseman Garin Cecchini, who fielded the ball, stepped on third for a force out and tossed to second for the second out.

Second-baseman Ryan Roberts made a perfect relay to first base to get Wheeler by a step and complete the 5-4-3 triple play. Pawtucket could not carry over the momentum however as Scranton reliever Jim Miller (3-1) retired all six batters he faced in the eighth and ninth to send the game into extra innings.

Hernandez retired the RailRiders in order in the ninth, but allowed a one-out infield single to Jose Pirela and a walk to Garcia to put runners on first and second. Flores then grounded the go-ahead RBI single to right field plating Pirela, and Roller followed with a sacrifice fly to provide an insurance tally.

Roberts went 3-for-5 to pace the PawSox' eight-hit attack, and his two-out RBI single in the seventh highlighted a two-run rally against reliever Mark Montgomery. Daniel Nava drove home a run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth that tied the score at 1.

Pawtucket starter Allen Webster allowed one run in five innings of work on three hits and three walks while striking out four. Britton blew a save for his second consecutive appearance and has now allowed five runs in his last two outings.

Pawtucket, which has not lost a series at home this season (1-0-5), will try to avoid dropping three of four as they play the series finale Tuesday afternoon at 12:05 pm. Right-hander Anthony Ranaudo (4-2, 3.47) is scheduled to start for the PawSox, while righty Shane Greene (0-2, 6.11) is slated to start for the RailRiders.

Good seats are still available at the McCoy Stadium box office, by calling (401) 724-7300 or by visiting pawsox.com. Radio coverage on 920 AM (WHJJ) and also streaming online begins at 11:50 am.