Ruiz Delivers Two Game-Winning Home Runs For Braves In Doubleheader Sweep of PawSox

Pawtucket Red Sox Press Release

PAWTUCKET, R.I. — The Pawtucket Red Sox dropped a pair of low-scoring, tightly contested games to the Gwinnett Braves in Saturday’s doubleheader at a packed McCoy Stadium.

In the lid-lifter, the Braves (14-8) limited the PawSox (9-12) to just six hits in a 2-1 victory.

With the Braves serving as the home team in the nightcap after Sunday’s rainout between the teams in Georgia, Gwinnett grabbed the thriller, 3-1, in extra innings on a walk-off home run from Rio Ruiz in the ninth. Terrific starting pitching performances gave way to late offense, as the PawSox tied the game with two outs in the seventh (the final scheduled inning) before the walk-off winner.

Game One

Pawtucket starter Shawn Haviland (L, 2-2) took the hard-luck loss, throwing all seven innings and fanning seven while only ceding four hits and a trio of walks. The right-handed Harvard product has now turned in three consecutive quality starts (20 IP, 5 ER in that span).

Gwinnett starter Andrew Albers (W, 2-0) allowed just one run in 5.2 innings, striking out two and scattering six hits. Righty reliever David Peterson (S, 2) secured the four-out save.

Gwinnett snatched an early 1-0 lead in the first when No. 3 hitter Mel Rojas Jr. tagged an RBI double into right-center field.

The PawSox tied the game, 1-1, in the third. Second baseman Ryan Court led off with a double, extending his hitting streak to eight games, and scored from third on a sacrifice fly from shortstop Deven Marrero.

The Braves grabbed the lead back in the fourth, 2-1, when Ruiz skied a solo home run to deep right field.

Game Two

With each pitcher making a spot start in the back half of the twin bill, PawSox right-hander Marcus Walden and Braves righty Enderson Franco traded zeroes through five innings.

Walden, a reliever who has now made four starts (three in doubleheaders), struck out eight over five scoreless stanzas, yielding three hits and no walks. The California native’s eight strikeouts were his most since he punched out nine with the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats in August 2013.

Franco, who was added from Single-A earlier Saturday, dealt five shutout innings of his own, fanning seven against just one walk.

Gwinnett lefty reliever Sam Freeman (W, 3-1) escaped trouble with a pair of strikeouts in the top of the ninth. PawSox righty Chandler Shepherd (L, 0-1) allowed the home run in the home ninth.

The Braves scored first in the sixth when left fielder Matt Tuiasosopo dropped an RBI double into shallow right field, and Rojas scored from first to make it 1-0.

With two outs in the seventh, PawSox catcher Dan Butler tied the game, 1-1, with an RBI single up the middle to plate first baseman Jantzen Witte.

In the bottom of the ninth, however, Tuiasosopo coaxed a one-out walk. Ruiz then teed off on his second home run of the day, a towering shot to right to power a 3-1 win.

The four-game series with the Braves concludes Sunday at 1:35 p.m. at McCoy Stadium. Pawtucket right-hander Héctor Velázquez (1-0, 2.79) is scheduled to oppose Braves left-hander and Massachusetts native Sean Newcomb (1-1, 4.19). Radio coverage on WHJJ (920 AM) and throughout the PawSox Radio Network begins with the PawSox Pre-Game Show at 1:05 p.m.

Good seats are available, 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.