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Chiefs ace PawSox in series finale

Syracuse pitching allows just one run in series finale
August 31, 2013

The Syracuse Chiefs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, topped the Pawtucket Red Sox on Saturday, 2-1. Chiefs pitchers retired 20 consecutive PawSox batters from the second inning to the ninth, while Chris Marrero belted his 11th home run of the season.

Pawtucket (78-63) began the game's scoring by plating one run in the bottom of the second. After Bryce Brentz lined a one-out double into right field, Justin Henry singled through the right side of the infield, advancing Brentz to third. Then, with Dan Butler at the plate, Caleb Clay hurled a wild pitch, allowing Brentz to score and give the PawSox a 1-0 lead.

Syracuse (66-76) answered the Red Sox' lone tally with one run in the top of the fifth. Chris Marrero led off the inning by crushing a first-pitch fastball over the left-field wall. Marrero's 11th long ball of the season was his first in over three months.

In the top of the eighth, the Chiefs took a lead that they would not relinquish. The frame began with an Eury Perez walk. After Jeff Kobernus followed with a walk, Danny Espinosa grounded into a 4-6-3 double play, allowing Perez to advance to third. Then, with two outs, Corey Brown lofted a single into left field, scoring Perez and giving the Chiefs a 2-1 lead.

The Syracuse pitching staff put on a fantastic performance in its last road game. Caleb Clay tossed six innings of one-run ball, allowing just two hits. Ian Krol followed with a perfect seventh inning, before Mike Crotta was perfect in the eighth inning.

Cole Kimball then ran into some trouble in the ninth, allowing singles to Brock Holt and Ryan Lavarnway to put two runners on base with one out. Mark Hamilton then singled to right field, and Holt rounded third base to try and tie the game, but right fielder Chris Rahl's one-hop throw gunned down Holt at the plate. Kimball then struck out Brentz to end the game.

Syracuse returns home on Sunday to finish the season with a two-game miniseries against Buffalo at 6:30. The Chiefs send right-hander Ryan Tatusko to the mound to face Bisons left-hander Ricky Romero.