Kottaras powers Red Sox to split
The former Olympian hit a pair of homers and drove in a season-high five runs as the Pawtucket Red Sox beat the Louisville Bats, 8-2, at Louisville Slugger Field to earn a split of Monday's doubleheader.
Kottaras, who helped the Greek national team to its lone win over Italy at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, went 1-for-3 with a run scored during a 3-2 loss to the Bats in Monday's opener before finding his stroke in the nightcap.
The 24-year-old designated hitter delivered an RBI groundout in the second inning before belting two-run shots, his second and third of the season, in the fourth and sixth.
Kottaras, who batted .241 with nine homers and 39 RBIs in 87 games for Pawtucket (7-5) last season, already has 10 RBIs in 10 games this year.
Red Sox starter Charlie Zink (1-1) allowed just one hit and a walk with four strikeouts over five scoreless innings en route to his first win of the season.
Louisville's Tom Shearn (2-1), who won his first two starts without allowing an earned run, surrendered six runs on nine hits and a walk with three strikeouts.
Jay Bruce and Alvin Colina drove in the runs for the Bats (8-4), who had a three-game winning streak snapped.
Alan Friedman is a contributor to MLB.com.