Stripers' Winning Streak Snapped with 5-4 Loss in Pawtucket

PAWTUCKET, RI - The Pawtucket Red Sox (15-25) ended the Gwinnett Stripers' club record eight-game winning streak with a 5-4 victory on Sunday afternoon at McCoy Stadium in the finale of the three-game series. The Stripers (26-17) raised their International League-leading home run total to 76 with homers from Travis Demeritte and Andrés Blanco in the loss.
Scoring Recap:  The Stripers took a 2-0 lead against Red Sox starting pitcher Erasmo Ramírez, getting an RBI ground out from Adam Duvall in the third inning and a solo homer from Demeritte (9) in the top of the fourth. After three strong innings, Gwinnett starter Kyle Wright gave up four runs in the bottom of the fourth. Brock Holt (1), rehabbing for the Boston Red Sox, led off with a solo homer to cut the lead to 2-1. Later, with the bases loaded, a two-run single by Juan Centeno put Pawtucket up 3-2. Cole Sturgeon added an RBI single to extend the lead to 4-2. In the fifth, Blanco (7) tied it at 4-4 with a two-run homer off Ramirez. The Red Sox scored the decisive run off Ben Rowen in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Mike Miller.

Stripers Stats: Wright was chased after 3.2 innings with six hits, four earned runs, one walk, and four strikeouts. Rowen (L, 3-1) yielded a run on two hits over 2.1 innings. Shane Carle finished the game with 2.0 innings, one walk, and one strikeout. At the plate, Blanco went 2-for-3 with a homer and two RBIs, Rafael Ortega went 2-for-3 with two doubles, and Demeritte went 1-for-4 with a homer and an RBI. 
Red Sox Stats: Ramirez worked 5.0 innings with five hits, four runs (three earned), two walks, and six strikeouts. Jeremy Bleich (W, 1-1), Trevor Kelley (H, 4), and Travis Lakins (S, 2) combined to pitch 4.0 scoreless, hitless innings. Eight different Pawtucket batters had one hit, with Holt going 1-for-3 with a homer and one RBI and Centeno going 1-for-3 with two RBIs.
Postgame Notes: The Stripers hit 17 homers in six games on the road trip, raising their May total to 43 through 18 games (2.39 HR/game). Demeritte homered for the fourth straight game, extending his on-base streak to a team-best 22 games and his hitting streak to nine games. With the loss, Gwinnett is now 4-8 in day games this season (22-9 in night games).
Next Game (Tuesday, May 21): Charlotte at Gwinnett, 7:05 p.m. at Coolray Field. RHP Bryse Wilson (2-3, 4.66 ERA) for the Stripers vs. LHP Jordan Guerrero (1-4, 7.82 ERA) for the Knights. Promotion: Coolray Family Value Tuesday. Radio Broadcast: 6:50 p.m. on 97.7 and 93.5 FM "The Other Side of the River."