Chiefs slam Red Sox in 10-2 win
After a scoreless first inning, Syracuse (57-61) plated a trio of second-inning runs against Pawtucket starter Chris Hernandez. Triple-A rookies Zach Walters and Sandy Leon began the inning with back-to-back singles before Hernandez struck out Jesus Valdez. But right fielder Brett Carroll then followed with a double high off the right-center field wall, scoring both runners to give the Chiefs a 2-0 lead. After Carroll was caught stealing at third base, Eury Perez reached on an error and Hoffpauir walked. That brought up center fielder Corey Brown, who lined a 1-2 pitch into right field for an RBI single. Perez crossed home for the Chiefs' third run.
Syracuse then put the game on ice in the third inning. Walters started the frame with a single before Leon doubled him to third base. After a Valdez walk, Hernandez was removed for reliever Mark Prior. But the right-hander immediately walked Carroll to force in a run, giving the Chiefs a 4-0 lead. Perez then struck out for the inning's first out, but Hoffpauir followed with a blast. He crushed Prior's 1-0 pitch over the left-field wall for a grand slam, extending Syracuse's lead to 8-0. The home run was Hoffpauir's second of the season.
Syracuse added a couple of runs later in the game. In the fifth, the Chiefs put two runners on with one out against right-hander Will Inman. Mark Teahen then hit a ground ball to first base that looked like a potential inning-ending double play, but Inman couldn't handle a low return throw from shortstop Jon Hee. Hoffpauir scored on the Inman error to give Syracuse a 9-0 lead.
The Chiefs also scored a single run in the seventh. Perez singled, extending his hit streak to 19 games, and three batters later, Carlos Rivero walked. Teahen then singled in a run against Alex Wilson for Syracuse's final score.
Pawtucket (65-53) collected its only runs in between those Syracuse runs. Down 9-0 in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Red Sox got a two-out, two-run home run for Mauro Gomez off of Lannan.
But that would be the only blemish against the Syracuse left-hander. Lannan tossed eight innings, allowing just five hits and two runs. He walked one against his nine strikeouts to earn his seventh Syracuse win of the season.
Syracuse and Pawtucket will conclude a two-game series at 12:05 on Thursday afternoon. Chiefs right-hander Jeff Mandel is scheduled to throw against Red Sox righty Billy Buckner.