Brentz, PawSox Walk-Off with 5-4 Win

PAWTUCKET, R.I. -- Trailing by two runs and down to their final two outs, the Pawtucket Red Sox staged a ninth-inning comeback Friday, culminating with Bryce Brentz's game-ending homer, to beat the Gwinnett Braves by a 5-4 final before 6,045 at McCoy Stadium.

Brentz launched his blast just three pitches after Wirfin Obispo (L, 0-2) relieved Ryan Buchter as Gwinnett's fifth pitcher of the night. Brentz's heroics, off a 1-1 delivery resulting in his seventh big fly, were made possible only by the persistence of Jackie Bradley Jr.

Leading off the inning in his first game since May 3, Bradley persevered through an 11-pitch plate appearance before drawing a walk from Buchter. Shortly before the game, Bradley was activated off the disabled list, following a bout with biceps tendinitis.

Drew Sutton followed with a one-out double, collecting his second hit to set the stage for Brentz with Pawtucket behind 4-2. That's when Braves' manager Randy Ready elected to bring in Obispo, whose blown save prevented Gwinnett from ending the series with a three-game winning streak.

Anthony Carter (W, 1-0), who worked a scoreless top of the ninth, earned a victory that seemed most unlikely in the early going.

For the third straight night, the PawSox fell behind after a series of defensive lapses. Gwinnett benefited from four unearned runs in winning the second and third games of the series. Then it scored two more off Pawtucket starter Alfredo Aceves, taking a 3-0 lead by the fifth inning.

In the second, Brandon Boggs walked and reached third on Joe Leonard's single and an error by PawSox left fielder Bryce Brentz. Two batters later, the ninth-place hitter, Jose Yepez, singled to give the G-Braves a 2-0 lead.

Gwinnett scored again in the fifth, after Aceves committed a throwing error on a single by Jose Constanza. Tyler Pastornicky followed with an RBI single to make it 3-0.

The Braves reached reliever Ryan Rowland-Smith, again with help from the Sox, in the seventh. After Yepez singled to lead off the inning, Constanza popped up a bunt toward Rowland-Smith, who fielded the ball on a bounce but could not get an out. A hit batsman loaded the bases and a double-play grounder by Pastornicky expanded the difference to 4-0.

Meanwhile, lefty starter Daniel Rodriguez dodged trouble early, stranding four and inducing a double play in the first three innings. He settled into a groove, retiring 10 of the last 11 batters faced. Overall, Rodriguez worked 6.0 innings and allowed just four hits and fanned five.

But relievers Kameron Loe and Juan Cedeno were both erratic in the last of the seventh. Loe gave up a single and walk, before leaving with two out. Cedeno entered, hit Jackie Bradley Jr. with a pitch to load the bases and walked Jose Iglesias to force home Pawtucket's first run.

Cedeno returned for the eighth inning, only to allow a double by Bryce Brentz and an RBI single by Ronald Bermudez to draw the PawSox within 4-2. Bermudez's hit was the first in Pawtucket's 12 at-bats with men in scoring position.

In the end, the PawSox went 2-for-14 with runners at second and/or third, while leaving 10 on base. But it was their second hit to bring home their final two base runners of the evening that ultimately spelled the difference.

NOTES: On Saturday the PawSox continue their homestand by welcoming the Indianapolis Indians, who lead the International League West, for the opener of a four-game series...Lefty Franklin Morales is scheduled to make an injury-rehab start for the PawSox against Kris Johnson (3-3, 3.68)...Andrew Bailey is also expected to pitch for Pawtucket, while returning from injury for the Red Sox...Prior to the contest, the PawSox will stage the first of four Free Youth Clinics at McCoy Stadium, sponsored by Citizens Bank, from 2 p.m.-3:15 p.m.