Buffalo Blanks Pawtucket, 4-0, Evens Series

BUFFALO, N.Y. - A night after the Pawtucket Red Sox set a franchise record with their 18th shutout of the season, the Buffalo Bisons flipped the script on the PawSox, who fell 4-0 Tuesday night at Coca-Cola Field.
Coming off shutout victories Sunday and Monday, the PawSox (64-72) managed merely five hits in the loss to the Bisons (62-74), who scored all four runs in the first four frames to even the four-game series at a game apiece. Each of Pawtucket's last four games have been shutouts (two wins, two losses).
Pawtucket starter Jalen Beeks (L, 6-6) surrendered four runs on seven hits and four walks in five innings, as Buffalo had his number again after plating six runs in five frames against the left-hander on Thursday at McCoy Stadium. Relievers Marcus Walden (2 IP) - pitching for the first time since he was named Pawtucket's most valuable pitcher Sunday - and Kyle Martin (1 IP) combined to fire three hitless innings.
Buffalo starter Nick Tepesch (W, 3-3) fanned seven in six shutout stanzas in which he only gave up four hits without walking a Pawtucket hitter, while relievers Carlos Ramirez and Jeff Beliveau, a Rhode Island native, finished off the Bisons victory.
Buffalo climbed to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first when No. 3 hitter and center fielder Teoscar Hernández mashed a knee-high curveball over the left-field wall, snapping a streak of 18 consecutive scoreless innings by Pawtucket pitching in the process.
The Bisons widened their cushion to 3-0 in the bottom of the second on an RBI double from third baseman Jason Leblebijian.
In the bottom of the fourth with a man at second and two outs, Hernandez lofted a ball to right field, where Pawtucket outfielder Bryce Brentz couldn't locate the ball in the twilight sky, allowing Buffalo second baseman Christian Lopes to score to make it 4-0.
Brentz and PawSox left fielder Ryan Court coaxed walks in the top of the ninth inning - bringing the would-be tying run to the on-deck circle - but Beliveau struck out PawSox catcher Blake Swihart to conclude the shutout.
The PawSox continue their four-game series in Buffalo on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. PawSox left-hander Roenis Elías (1-4, 6.82) is scheduled to oppose Bisons lefty Brett Oberholtzer (4-8, 4.18). Radio coverage on WHJJ (920 AM) and throughout the PawSox Radio Network begins with the PawSox Pre-Game Show at 6:35 p.m.