PawSox Top Chiefs, Climb Back to .500 Mark

PAWTUCKET, R.I. - Pawtucket Red Sox starter William Cuevas dealt seven steady innings and Tzu-Wei Lin powered the offense, as the PawSox defeated the Syracuse Chiefs, 5-4, on Friday night at McCoy Stadium to get back to the .500 mark for the first time since May 11.
The PawSox (36-36) tied the game 3-3 in the fourth inning, climbed ahead with a pair of runs in the sixth and held off Syracuse (29-42) down the stretch in the opener of the three-game weekend series. Pawtucket has won nine of its last 13 games and is now 4-1 so far to begin the seven-game homestand.
Cuevas (W, 5-4), who fired eight innings of one-run ball last week against Syracuse, allowed three runs in seven innings in which he fanned four. PawSox left-handed reliever Williams Jerez allowed a run on two hits in the eighth, but closer Ryan Brasier (S, 10) locked up the win in the ninth. The hard-throwing Texan has not allowed an earned run over his last 16 outings and has secured eight saves in his last 14 appearances.
Lin (2-for-4, 2 RBI) provided the key two-run, two-out, two-strike single in the bottom of the sixth inning to break a 3-3 tie, as he continues a torrid stretch at the plate. Since May 27 - when Lin started a since-concluded 16-game hitting streak - the 24-year old from Taiwan has recorded 35 hits, tied for the most in the International League in that time.
Syracuse starter Brady Dragmire (L, 0-2) walked seven and ceded five runs on five hits across 5.2 innings.
Pawtucket snatched a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning on a sacrifice fly to center from right fielder Cole Sturgeon.
Syracuse leveled the score, 1-1, in the third on a solo, opposite-field homer from left fielder Yadiel Hernandez.
The Chiefs plated two more in the fourth to vault ahead 3-1 on consecutive run-scoring hits from first baseman José Marmolejos and right fielder Moisés Sierra.
The PawSox tied the game in the home half of the fourth, however, when catcher Dan Butler coaxed a bases-loaded walk, and second baseman Mike Miller reeled in a run on a 6-4 fielder's choice.
In the sixth, Lin sliced a two-strike, two-run single to the edge of the infield and into shallow left field to score third baseman Iván De Jesús Jr. and Butler, who had both walked against Dragmire.
The Chiefs netted a run in the eighth off Jerez to pull within one, but Brasier finished the ballgame in the ninth with a 4-6-3 double-play ball.
The PawSox continue their three-game series with Syracuse on Saturday at 6:15 p.m. Pawtucket right-hander Chandler Shepherd (4-4, 3.36) is scheduled to oppose Chiefs lefty Tommy Milone (3-4, 4.99). The game will be broadcast live on myRITV, and radio coverage on WHJJ (920 AM and 104.7 FM) and throughout the PawSox Radio Network begins with PawSox Insider at 4:45 p.m.
The homestand runs through Sunday. Good seats are available, and fans can visit the McCoy Stadium box office, which is open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. through 5 p.m., and during all home games. Fans can also call (401) 724-7300 or log on to PawSox.com for tickets.