PawSox Pitchers Strike Out 18 Against Yankees' Affiliate

PAWTUCKET, R.I. - Five Pawtucket Red Sox pitchers combined for 18 strikeouts - the most by the PawSox in a nine-inning game this season - but the Triple-A affiliate of the Yankees hung on for a 3-2 win Sunday afternoon at McCoy Stadium.
The PawSox (41-46) trimmed what began as a 3-0 deficit into a one-run margin thanks to runs in each of the sixth and seventh innings, but the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders survived to win the rubber meeting of the three-game series. Pawtucket (18) and Scranton (13) combined to strike out 31 batters to close out the first half of the season. The PawSox, who began the day second in the International League with 775 strikeouts as a pitching staff, struck out 20 in a 12-inning game in April and 18 in an 11-inning tilt with Gwinnett later that month.
After the Red Sox recalled scheduled starter William Cuevas to join them in Kansas City, Pawtucket right-hander Fernando Rodriguez Jr. (L, 3-2) made his fourth spot start of the season and fanned five in 2.1 innings of one-run work. Lefty Williams Jerez then punched out five of his own across 2.2 innings in which the only hit he allowed was a two-run homer. Kyle Martin struck out four in two shutout innings, and left-hander Robby Scott struck out the side in the top of the eighth. Righty Ty Buttrey then threw all eight of his pitches for strikes in a 1-2-3 ninth inning that was punctuated by a swinging strikeout on a 100 MPH fastball.
RailRiders left-handed starter and heralded prospect Justus Sheffield (W, 3-3) spun 5.1 innings of one-run ball with seven strikeouts. The 22-year old former first-round pick of the Indians only allowed a walk and infield single through his first four innings. All-Star reliever Cody Carroll (S, 9) locked up the victory with two strikeouts in the ninth inning.
The RailRiders jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning when third baseman Bruce Caldwell stroked an opposite-field homer to left field.
In the fifth, RailRiders slugger Tyler Austin hammered a 3-0 offering for a two-out, two-run homer to left field to extend the lead to 3-0.
Pawtucket trimmed the deficit to 3-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning when left fielder Aneury Tavárez yanked an RBI single into right field to score second baseman Iván De Jesús, who had doubled to lead off the frame.
Then in the seventh, PawSox shortstop Mike Milled led off with a double of his own, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and later scored on a wild pitch by Scranton/Wilkes-Barre reliever Stephen Tarpley.
The PawSox will now enjoy their three-day all-star break before returning to action Thursday at McCoy Stadium when they open up a four-game series with the Syracuse Chiefs (Washington Nationals) at 7:05 p.m. PawSox right-hander Justin Haley (4-7, 3.20) is scheduled to oppose Chiefs righty Austin Voth (4-5, 3.55). The game will be televised live on YurView on COX, 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.
The four-game series at McCoy Stadium runs Thursday through Sunday. Good tickets are available for all four games, 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.