PawSox Edged by RailRiders 5-4

(Moosic, PA) - The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders scored the final four runs including a game-winning tally in the bottom of the eighth inning to make up an early 4-1 deficit and earn a 5-4 win over the Pawtucket Red Sox Sunday afternoon at PNC Field to win their second straight in the four-game series. 

Will Middlebrooks, playing in his sixth game of a Major League injury rehab assignment, played the entire game as the designated hitter and went 2-for-4 with a run scored. Middlebrooks started for the third consecutive day and is now 6-for-19 with two walks during his rehab stint.

Austin Romine's eight-inning RBI double that was lost in the sun by right-fielder Alex Hassan plated the go-ahead run. The RailRiders recorded three hits in the eighth to snap a 4-4 tie, two of them allowed by reliever Rich Hill including Romine's tough-luck double.

Pawtucket (38-40) stranded runners on the corners in the ninth when reliever Danny Burawa induced a sharp groundout from Mike McCoy. The ball would likely have gone into centerfield for a tying hit had the runner at first base, Mookie Betts, not been in motion trying to steal which brought the shortstop Carmen Angelini over to cover second base.

Scranton (36-39) got terrific relief pitching from Pat Venditte (2-2) and Burawa after starter Shane Greene allowed four runs in the first five innings. The switch-pitcher Venditte pitched three perfect innings to earn the win and has now retired all 14 batters he has faced in two appearances against the PawSox this season.

Pawtucket starter Allen Webster was staked to a 4-1 lead after 2 ½ innings but allowed a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the third, then the game-tying tally in the sixth. Romine's sacrifice fly in the sixth against reliever Chris Resop (4-1) brought home the tying run.

Dan Butler's two-out, two-run double in the second inning highlighted a three-run rally against Greene, with the third run coming home on a passed ball by Romine. Carlos Rivero lined an RBI single in the third inning to bring home the PawSox final run of the game.

The finale of the four-game series and of Pawtucket's eight-game road trip is scheduled for Monday night with first pitch at 7:05 pm. Right-hander Steven Wright (1-1, 3.57) is slated to make the start for the PawSox against Scranton southpaw Jeremy Bleich (0-1, 8.10). Radio coverage on 920 AM (WHJJ) and also streaming online begins at 6:50 pm.

Following the road trip the PawSox return to McCoy Stadium for a season-long ten-game homestand, beginning with four games against Norfolk beginning on Tuesday, June 24th. Good seats are still available at the McCoy Stadium box office, by calling (401) 724-7300 or by visiting pawsox.com.