Ronny Rodriguez Hits Pair of Homers off Henry Owens to Lift Clippers Over PawSox on Rainy Night at McCoy

PawSox news release…

(Pawtucket, RI) – Ronny Rodriguez’s two home runs lifted the Columbus Clippers past the Pawtucket Red Sox, 5-4, in a rain-soaked contest on Friday night at McCoy Stadium. 

The PawSox (42-40) out-hit the Clippers (44-38), 9-5, but Columbus made their hits count, immediately countering Pawtucket’s three-run fifth with a three-run swing in the next half-inning to march towards victory.

Rodriguez led off the fifth inning with a home run (3) over the left field fence that got the Clippers on the board.

Following a walk and a hit batter in the sixth inning, Rodriguez again smashed a ball way over the left field wall, a three-run shot (4) that turned a 3-2 Columbus deficit into a 5-3 lead.

Despite allowing the two long-balls, Henry Owens (5-5) surrendered only four hits and struck out a season high-tying nine batters in 6.1 innings of work.

He walked five batters and allowed five runs for his second straight start.

The run not driven home by Rodriguez was unearned. Henry Ramos dropped a ball in right field in the second inning that allowed Guillermo Quiroz to reach second base. Quiroz scored on an RBI double by Erik Gonzalez that made the score 2-0.

The PawSox scored its first three runs against reliever Shawn Armstrong (2-1) with the rain streaming down in the fifth inning.

Jantzen Witte led off the frame with a single to left, stole second and advanced to third when the throw to second base on the steal hit him and caromed into left field. After a strikeout, Chris Dominguez walked and Deven Marrero lined an RBI single into left field.

With two outs, Jose Vinico hit a line drive into left center field that left fielder Collin Cowgill dove for and came up empty. The ball rolled to the wall and Vinicio ended up with a two-run triple that put the PawSox ahead 3-2.

Chris Dominguez homered (4) with Pawtucket down to its final out in the ninth, cutting the score to 5-4. The homer deflected off the right fielder Yandy Diaz and deflected over the right field fence.

Dominguez has homered three times in his last seven games.

The next batter, Deven Marrero, lined a ball into shallow center field that was caught by a sliding Abraham Almonte, sealing the game for the Clippers.

Toru Murata made the start for Columbus and threw four scoreless innings.

Kyle Martin tossed 1.2 scoreless frames of relief. And after a rain delay of one hour and 18 minutes, Wesley Wright delivered a scoreless eighth.

Ramos went 2-for-4 in the defeat, improving his batting average over the last week (seven games) to .370.

Because tonight’s inclement weather canceled the scheduled post-game fireworks show, fans can exchange tickets to tonight’s game for a general admission ticket to a future Friday Night Fireworks night (either July 15 or August 5). Tickets can be exchanged any time the box office is open until each of the games, while supplies last.

The PawSox continue their holiday-weekend series against the Clippers tomorrow at 6:05 p.m. Righthander Aaron Wilkerson (4-1, 2.20) is scheduled to take the mound for Pawtucket.