De Jesus' Slam Steers Hot Wieners to 8-2 Win

PAWTUCKET, R.I. - On the first pitch he saw in his return from the disabled list, Iván De Jesús Jr. smacked a grand slam to headline an explosive first inning and propel the Pawtucket Hot Wieners to an 8-2 win over the Durham Bulls on Thursday night at McCoy Stadium.
Playing as the Hot Wieners - replete all the way with neon-lettered jerseys and special caps - as a tribute to and celebration of Rhode Island's popular food item, the PawSox (58-63) sent all nine batters to the plate in the first inning and never looked back after a six-run frame. Pawtucket has now won six of its last eight games heading into the remainder of the weekend series against Durham (67-53).
Hot Wieners starter Josh D. Smith (W, 8-5) dazzled in a career-long seven innings of one-run ball in which he only allowed two hits. The southpaw struck out five and had only thrown 64 pitches through his first six innings (all scoreless stanzas). Before this season, the 28-year-old Smith had never made a professional start. Now, the former starting pitcher at Wichita State has made 12 starts for Pawtucket and, in total, has posted a 3.01 Triple-A ERA.
"I loved the range of his velo, 86-87-88, that type of range," Pawtucket manager Kevin Boles said. "That's when he gets the most life on his fastball. There's times where he falls in the trap of trying to get a little more velocity. He was just letting the ball work tonight."
Right-handed reliever Brandon Workman made his first appearance since he was optioned from Boston and cruised in a 12-pitch 1-2-3 inning with two strikeouts - the latter on a 93 MPH fastball to end the inning.
De Jesús (2-for-5, R, HR, 5 RBI) led an offensive charge that racked up 12 hits. Center fielder Rusney Castillo, who was unsurprisingly named Pawtucket's team MVP in a pre-game ceremony, went 3-for-4 with an RBI single and made an excellent running catch in center. Third baseman Brandon Phillips (3-for-4, 2 R, RBI) singled sharply to all three fields and is now 15-for-32 (.469) with six doubles in his last eight games. Left fielder Sam Travis (2-for-4, R, RBI) is now hitting .336 in Triple-A since June 30.
Durham starter and former Dodgers first-round pick Zach Lee (L, 3-4) ceded eight runs on 10 hits and two walks in 5.1 innings.
Phillips started the scoring in the bottom of the first by delivering an RBI single to center before Travis did the same to make it 2-0. Two batters later, De Jesús jumped on Lee's first offering and deposited it off the bullpen advertising for Pawtucket's third grand slam of the season.
In the fifth, De Jesús pulled an RBI single through the left side to add insurance, and Castillo followed suit in the sixth to make it 8-0.
Durham inched onto the scoreboard in the seventh with an RBI groundout and trimmed the deficit to 8-2 in the top of the ninth on a solo homer.
On Friday at 7:05 p.m., the PawSox continue their four-game series with Durham at McCoy Stadium. Pawtucket right-hander Josh A. Smith (4-4, 3.96) is slated to start opposite Bulls righty Forrest Snow (5-7, 4.53). The game will be televised live on YurView on COX and on Spectrum 3, and radio coverage on WHJJ (920 AM and 104.7 FM) and throughout the PawSox Radio Network begins with the pre-game show at 6:35 p.m.
Pawtucket's homestand runs Monday-Sunday (August 13-19), and good tickets are available. 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.