PawSox Start Series With 5-1 Win

NORFOLK, Va. - The Pawtucket Red Sox kicked off their six-game road trip with a well-balanced, all-around effort en route to a 5-1 win over the Norfolk Tides on Tuesday night at Harbor Park.
The PawSox (12-17) broke a scoreless tie in the fourth and never trailed down the stretch in the opener of the three-game series with the Tides (14-17).
Former second-round pick Teddy Stankiewicz (W, 1-1) recorded his first career Triple-A win by tossing six innings in which he allowed merely one unearned run on four hits and three walks. Trevor Kelley (2 K), Josh Taylor (1 K) and Jenrry Mejia each added a scoreless inning out of the bullpen. Kelley (1.46) and Taylor (1.42) maintained their sub-2.00 ERAs.
Against nine innings of left-handed pitching, a wave of right-handed bats mashed for the PawSox. Jantzen Witte (3-for-4, 2 2B, 3 RBI, BB), Sam Travis (2-for-3, R, BB), Gorkys Hernández (2-for-3, HR, RBI, BB) and Nick Lovullo (2-for-4, 2 R, 2B) provided nine of Pawtucket's 10 hits.
Norfolk starter Josh Rogers (L, 2-2) allowed four runs on nine hits and a pair of walks in 6.2 innings.
Hernández laced his second home run of the season into the right-field bullpen in the fourth inning to prop up Pawtucket to a 1-0 lead. An inning later, Witte ripped an opposite-field RBI single to score Lovullo and make it 2-0. Up 2-1 in the seventh, Witte clubbed a two-run double off the wall in left-center field. Travis added an insurance run in the eighth by stealing third base and sprinting home on a throwing error by the Tides catcher.
The PawSox continue their series Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. Pawtucket right-hander Erasmo Ramírez (1-1, 3.78) is scheduled to oppose Norfolk southpaw Luis Ysla (1-2, 4.88). Radio coverage on WHJJ (920 AM and 104.7 FM) and throughout the PawSox Radio Network begins with the pre-game show at 6:05 p.m.
Following their six-game road trip, the PawSox return home May 14-19 (Tuesday-Sunday). Good tickets 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.