PawSox Threaten in Ninth, Fall to Toledo, 6-4

TOLEDO, Ohio - For a second straight night, the Pawtucket Red Sox bullpen emptied its collective tank, but the Toledo Mud Hens used an early wave of offense to defeat the PawSox, 6-4, on Sunday at Fifth Third Field.
The PawSox (52-66) used six pitchers in the rubber game after utilizing five pitchers Saturday in a pair of games started by relievers - Mike Shawaryn (Saturday) and Tanner Houck (Sunday). Toledo scored in each of the first three innings and led 4-1 after three. Pawtucket, however, scored runs in the fifth, sixth and ninth innings and even loaded the bases in the ninth, only for Toledo to cement the victory. The PawSox played in five one-run games and this two-run game during the six-game road trip through the state of Ohio. The team has now played in 65 games (of 118) decided by one or two runs.
Houck logged the first inning, and both Colten Brewer (L, 0-1) and Trevor Kelley followed with two innings apiece. Domingo Tapia and Jenrry Mejia then both pitched for the second time this weekend before Erasmo Ramírez handled the eighth inning.
Tzu-Wei Lin went 1-for-3 with a pair of walks from the leadoff spot, and Jantzen Witte homered, doubled and walked. Josh Ockimey continued a strong multi-week run by singling and walking twice.
Toledo starter and former first-round pick Beau Burrows (W, 2-5) fired 5.1 innings of three-run ball. Lefty Daniel Stumpf (S, 2) got the final out for his second save of the weekend.
Bobby Dalbec supplied a sacrifice fly to the right-field warning track in the top of the second inning to score Rusney Castillo, who had tripled, and tie the game, 1-1. Then down 4-1 in the fifth, Cole Sturgeon sliced an RBI double to the left-center wall to plate Lin and make it 4-2. An inning later, trailing 5-2, Witte socked a solo homer to center for his seventh big fly of the season.
Trailing by three runs (6-3) again in the top of the ninth, Juan Centeno pulled a wall-ball double to right-center to score Ockimey and make it a two-run game. The PawSox then loaded the bases, but Stumpf slammed the door shut.
Following their six-game road trip and an off day Monday, the PawSox now return home to McCoy Stadium on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. to open up a weeklong homestand that begins with the Norfolk Tides (Baltimore Orioles). Pawtucket right-hander Teddy Stankiewicz (5-6, 4.30) is scheduled to oppose Tides righty and former Red Sox farmhand Chandler Shepherd (1-5, 5.61). 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.
The PawSox will be home August 13-18 (Tuesday-Sunday) for the six-game homestand against the Orioles and Tigers Triple-A affiliates.
On August 13 (Tuesday), the PawSox will again play as the popular Osos Polares de Pawtucket. Then on August 14 (Wednesday), fans can participate in the Ross-Simons Dazzling Diamond Sweepstakes for a second straight year with a chance to win diamonds. August 15 (Thursday) marks Silver Seniors Day Bingo. The weekend starts with a bang on August 16 (Friday), as the PawSox will give away Red Sox World Series championship replica rings to the first 3,000 fans entering McCoy Stadium. On August 17 (Saturday), fans can enjoy post-game fireworks set to country music. The homestand concludes August 18 (Sunday) with a Sunday FunDay in which fans can play pre-game catch on the field and then run the bases post-game. The first 5,000 fans to that game will also receive a collector's edition 2019 PawSox Baseball Card Set.
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.