Hill, Hernandez Send PawSox to Fourth Straight Win
(Buffalo, NY) Marco Hernandez's fourth-inning RBI single was all the offense the Pawtucket Red Sox needed behind Rich Hill in a 1-0 win over the Buffalo Bisons on Thursday night at Coca Cola Field. Hill tossed six shutout innings, fanned eight and pitched the PawSox to a fourth consecutive win.
Hernandez plated Allen Craig, who doubled off the left field wall with one out in the top of the fourth. Craig - who barely missed what would have been a second homer in as many nights - has four hits in the last two games.
Hill worked around three walks in the first three innings and induced a big double play with the last pitch he threw. With runners on the corners and one out in the sixth, Alex Hassan bounced into the twin-killer that capped Hill's night and kept the Sox ahead 1-0.
Jonathan Aro pitched a pair of scoreless innings before Ryan Cook worked around an error to earn his first Pawtucket save. With one out in the bottom of the ninth, Carlos Rivero was charged with a throwing error that put the tying run aboard. Andy Burns then singled to right field, but Cook induced a game-ending double play.
The PawSox have now won four straight for the third time this season, and will look for their second five-game streak on Friday.
The Sox will close the brief two-game series in Buffalo on Friday night at 7:05. Righthander William Cuevas (1-2, 2.63) takes the mound and will be opposed by Bisons' lefty Andrew Albers (2-9, 4.98).
Pawtucket returns to McCoy Stadium for the final seven-game homestand of the season on Monday, September 1st at 7:05 P.M. Good tickets are available for all remaining games; visit www.pawsox.com or call 401-724-7300 to get them now.