PawSox Hammered by RailRiders at McCoy

PawSox news release…

(Pawtucket, RI) – Ben Gamel’s sixth-inning grand slam capped an offensive explosion for the Scranton RailRiders, who beat the Pawtucket Red Sox 14-2 in front of 12,144 on Thursday night at McCoy Stadium.  The ‘Riders scored seven in the sixth and five in the fourth, all of which added up to more than enough to back Luis Severino, who earned his fourth win.

Pawtucket (38-44) – which lost for the fifth straight time – fell behind in the second inning.  Sox starter Zeke Spruill allowed consecutive hits to Rob Refsnyder and Kyle Roller to open the frame; with one out Cole Figueroa singled Refsnyder home and Scranton led 1-0.

Pawtucket seized a short-lived lead in the third.  A one out walk of Luis Severino sparked the rally and was followed by singles from Jemile Weeks and Daniel Nava, who began his rehab assignment.  A Rusney Castillo groundout tied the game and Pawtucket moved ahead, 2-1 on a Carlos Peguero single.

The RailRiders pulled ahead for good in the fourth.  With one out, Spruill walked Refsnyder.  Roller then doubled to tie the game, 2-2.  Romine singled to left; Garin Cecchini overran the ball and allowed Roller to score and Romine to advance to second.  With two outs Gregorio Petit singled to push the lead to two.  Rob Segedin then blasted a two-run homer and Scranton led 6-2.

Spruill was lifted after allowing a pair of one-out singles and hitting Segedin.  Edwin Escobar inherited the bases loaded jam and yielded the slam to Gamel.  He then walked Aaron Judge before giving up a two-out double to Refsnyder.  Roller then ripped a two-run single and pushed Scranton ahead 13-2.  Figueroa’s infield single capped the scoring.

Severino went five innings, allowed just the two runs on four hits and was lifted after the long top of the sixth.

Dayan Diaz saved the bullpen with three scoreless innings; the righthander has now posted five conseutive scoreless appearances over a span of 11 innings.

The PawSox wrap up the two-game series on Friday night when they send the righthander Joe Kelly (0-0, 1.29) to the mound against righty Kyle Davies (5-6, 4.68) at 6:15.