Cardiac PawSox Win Wild 14-Inning Affair in Norfolk

(Norfolk, VA) - The Pawtucket Red Sox used clutch pitching, spectacular defense and a pair of 14th-inning runs to defeat the Norfolk Tides, 3-1, in the thrilling opener of a four-game series-and one of the wildest games of the season-on Thursday night at Harbor Park.

After Pawtucket (26-27) tied the game, 1-1, on Jose Vinicio's RBI single in the seventh inning, the Tides (18-36) would place the leadoff man on base in each of the succeeding six frames. However, a host of PawSox relievers were able to hold Norfolk off the board in each remaining inning.

In the 14th and final inning, Jantzen Witte singled with one out and Vinicio replaced him on the bases after a fielder's choice against reliever Zach Phillips (3-2). The next batter, Mike Miller stroked a double off the wall in the right field corner that drove home Vinicio with the go-ahead run.

Ryan LaMarre followed with an RBI single to left field, delivering Pawtucket a 3-1 lead, which it held in the bottom half of the frame.

The PawSox have played two contests longer than 10 innings this season and both have been 14-inning victories over the Tides.

Norfolk's lone run came with two outs in the first inning against Pawtucket starter William Cuevas. Mike Yastrzemski singled and Trey Mancini drove him home on a groundball single into left field.

Following that hit, the Tides went 0-for-23 with runners in scoring position. They left 19 runners on base in the game.

Cuevas allowed only one run in 5.2 innings of work. He was assisted on a fantastic leaping catch by LaMarre up against the very top of the center field wall in the second inning that robbed Chris O'Brien of an extra-base hit.

When the fog rolled through in the late innings, the PawSox bullpen repeatedly found incredible ways to escape jam after jam.

Relievers Wesley Wright, Pat Light, Anthony Varvaro and Roman Mendez (2-1) combined for 8.1 scoreless innings of relief.

Wright came in to record the final out of the sixth and strand two baserunners.

Light allowed a leadoff double in the ninth but used two groundouts and a fly out from the pinch-hitter Christian Walker to escape the frame.

Varvaro surrendered a leadoff triple to Yastrzemski in the 10th, but with one out, Yaz was caught in a rundown after a groundball to first base. After a walk loaded the bases with two outs, Varvaro fanned Corban Joseph to end the inning.

With a runner on second base and one out in the 11th, Justin Maxwell made a spectacular diving catch as he approached the right field line that robbed Christian Walker of a game-winning hit.

Maxwell's defense shined again in the 12th inning. After Dario Alvarez led off the frame with a double off of Mendez and advanced to third on a groundout, he was gunned down at home when trying to score on a sacrifice fly thanks a terrific throw from Maxwell.

Not to be outdone by his fellow outfielders, Bryce Brentz made a sensational diving catch to begin the bottom of the 13th inning-the first time the leadoff man failed to reach for the Tides since the fifth inning (breaking a string that stretched for seven consecutive innings).

Norfolk still used a hit-batter, walk and wild pitch to get runners on the corners with two outs in the 13th but Mendez struck out Yastrzemski to end the inning.

The Tides used two singles to place the tying runs on base in the bottom of the 14th, but yet again Mendez prevailed, completing his three-inning outing and sealing the win for Pawtucket.

Norfolk stranded nine runners on base in the five extra frames.

Brentz, Witte and Vinicio all tallied three hits in the game.

Vinicio, who entered the game as a pinch hitter in the fifth inning, recorded his first Triple-A hit on a bunt single in his first at-bat of the night.

The two teams combined to go 3-for-37 with runners in scoring position.

The PawSox continue their four-game series with the Tides tomorrow evening at 7:05 p.m. Pawtucket righthander Aaron Wilkerson (1-0, 3.18) is scheduled to face off with Norfolk righty Joe Gunkel (1-3, 4.36). Radio coverage on WHJJ (920 AM) and throughout the PawSox radio network begins at 6:35 p.m.

Pawtucket returns to McCoy stadium on Monday for a seven-game homestand against Toledo and Louisville. Good seats for all the games are still available at the McCoy Stadium box office, by calling (401) 724-7300 or by visiting pawsox.com.