Louisville Withstands PawSox Rally, Wins Finale
(Louisville, KY) The Pawtucket Red Sox' ninth-inning rally came up a run short and the Louisville Bats held on for a series-clinching 5-4 win on Sunday night at Slugger Field. Luke Montz's two-run homer in the ninth inning brought the Sox within a run; Humberto Quintero and Mike Miller then singled with one out to chase Carlos Contreras. But Drew Hayes came on and got the last two outs - the first of which came thanks to a spectacular defensive play by Hernan Iribarren - to earn the save and secure the win for Louisville.
With runners at first and second and one out, Iribarren bare-handed a Quintin Berry grounder that had deflected off of Hayes' glove. His diving throw just beat Berry and ended his 21-game on-base streak.
The 5-4 defeat marked the third one-run loss on a road trip that saw a resilient PawSox club twice tie the game in the ninth inning.
Louisville (22-22) starter David Holmberg held the Pawtucket Red Sox to a run on five hits over six and two thirds innings; when he departed in the seventh, it looked like the Bats might cruise to a routine win.
Steve Selsky wrapped up a terrific series with another two-hit game, the first of which got the Bats ahead in the very first inning. After allowing a one-out hit to Yorman Rodriguez, Pawtucket starter Brian Johnson gave up a double to Selsky that pushed Louisville in front.
Holmberg faced just one more than the minimum through four innings; after Louisville batted in their half of the fourth, they led 4-0. After retiring the Bats in order in the second, Johnson (5-3) ran into difficulty in the third.
Ramon Cabrera led off the inning with a base hit to right field and advanced to second on a Jose Constanza sacrifice bunt. Hernan Iribarren then tripled to center to make it a 2-0 ballgame. Rodriguez tacked on another run when he singled to left, plating Iribarren. Travis Shaw - playing left field for just the second time in his career - recorded his second outfield assist of the game when he gunned down Rodriguez at the plate with after Selsky again singled to left.
Shaw ignited the PawSox' (24-21) first rally of the game; his leadoff double in the fifth became a run when Humberto Quintero ripped a single to right field with two outs.
Pawtucket scored its second run in the eighth inning, sparked by Mike Miller's first AAA hit. Miller, promoted Saturday from Portland, singled to center and scored on Allen Craig's second hit of the night, a line shot down the right-field line. Craig also made a fantastic sliding catch in foul territory in right field, and is now 14-for-32 with 5 RBIs in ten games with the PawSox.
Shaw led off the ninth inning with a single to center that gave him his fourth multi-hit game in the last four. On the roadtrip, Shaw went 10-for-28 with two doubles and six runs scored.
Pawtucket will return home Memorial Day Monday, May 25th to begin a six-game homestand against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Louisville. Lefthander Henry Owens (2-2, 3.19) takes the mound for the PawSox and will be countered by Scranton right-hander Jaron Long (2-3, 5.18).
After Monday's game, fans will be treated to a fireworks spectacular. Good seats are still available at the McCoy Stadium box office, by calling (401) 724-7300 or by visiting pawsox.com.