PawSox Beat Bisons To Wrap Up 2016 Season, New Leadership Reflects On First Year In Pawtucket

Pawtucket Red Sox Press Release

(Pawtucket, RI) – The Pawtucket Red Sox completed their 2016 season on Monday afternoon the exact same way it began. As was the case on April 8, a strong performance from Henry Owens led the Sox (74-68) to a two-run win over the Buffalo Bisons on a cool, windy day at McCoy Stadium.

Bryce Brentz’s first-inning blast provided the offense in Pawtucket’s 4-2 victory, the club’s third straight win to end the 2016 campaign.

“It was a great finish,” said manager Kevin Boles. “This was probably the most fun clubhouse I’ve ever been apart of and these guys competed from the first day to the last day, these guys play right.”

Owens (10-7) allowed two runs, one earned, on four hits and three walks in 6.2 innings pitched.

“It was good,” said Owens. “[Catcher Dan] Butler did a good job of putting down some good fingers and keeping them off balance.”

Owens struck out five in his final Triple-A start of the season, completing the campaign with a 3.53 ERA, 135 strikeouts, 81 walks and a .217 opponent batting average in 137.2 innings pitched and a team-high 24 starts for the PawSox.

“This year, there’s been a lot of adjustments mechanically and I thought I turned a corner in my last four or five starts here,” said Owens. “I’ve been more consistent with my delivery and I just want to keep working every day and develop that muscle memory and stay within the strike zone.”

Owens went 4-2 with a 1.73 ERA, 39 strikeouts and 16 walks in his final six Triple-A starts of the season dating to the start of August.

“He had a couple of hiccups but he was able to settle in and give us some length today,” said Boles. “The best is yet to come with him, I believe that.”

Owens retired the first eight batters he faced to get through the first three frames without allowing a run.

The Bisons (66-78) scored their only earned run in the fourth inning on a bases-loaded walk issued to David Adams. Buffalo scored an unearned run against Owens in the seventh inning after Jio Mier lined his second double of the game and scored on a fielding error from shortstop Jose Vinicio.

Pawtucket scored the first three runs of the game before Bisons starter Scott Diamond (9-15) could record an out.

Rusney Castillo led off the bottom of the first with a single to center and then Diamond hit Vinicio with a pitch. The next batter, Brentz, launched his fourth Triple-A home run of the season through the wind and on to the berm in left center field.

The PawSox added a run in the fourth inning when Allen Craig walked, advanced to third base on Butler’s single to right and scored on Mike Miller’s sacrifice fly to left field.

Craig drove in Pawtucket’s first run of the season and scored the team’s last run.

Butler (.308) finished one point behind Marco Hernandez (.309) for the highest batting average on the team (minimum 10 games). Butler hit .344 in 38 games from June through the end of the season.

Ryan LaMarre, who did not play in Monday’s finale, also finished the season with a batting average (.303) above .300.

Chris Marrero went 0-for-3 to finish the season with a team-leading 23 home runs and 71 RBI.

Kyle Martin tossed 3.1 scoreless innings to close out the win for his sixth save of the season.

He induced a ground ball to Marrero at first base from Quentin Berry for a season-ending 3-6 double play.

The PawSox recorded a 3.36 team ERA this season, their best mark since they sported a franchise-record 3.30 ERA in 1981. Additionally, Pawtucket pitchers allowed 512 runs, easily surpassing their 542 runs allowed in 1975 for the club’s fewest surrendered in a single season.

The PawSox, who went 6-1-2 in their nine home series after the All-Star Break, won three out of five games on the season’s final homestand.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the way these guys performed, especially in this division,” said Boles.

Pawtucket finished 2016 with the ninth-best record in Triple-A and their fifth winning season in six years.

The 2017 season begins on April 6 and the PawSox return to McCoy Stadium for their home opener on Monday, April 10 against Syracuse. For more information on season ticket plans and individual game seats, stay tuned to pawsox.com or call the box office at (401) 724-7300.