PawSox Use Four Home Runs to Rock Iron Pigs at McCoy

PawSox news release…

(Pawtucket, RI) – Ryan Lamarre and Chris Dominguez both blasted a pair of home runs in the span of three innings, rocketing the Pawtucket Red Sox to a 10-4 victory over the Lehigh Valley IronPigs on Wednesday night at McCoy Stadium.

The PawSox (68-62) led, 2-0, entering the bottom of the fifth inning when the home run barrage began against Lehigh Valley reliever James Russell.

After Rusney Castillo reached on an error by shortstop J.P. Crawford to begin the frame, Ryan LaMarre launched a round-tripper (8) on to the berm in left center field that gave Pawtucket a 4-0 advantage.

“I saw [Russell] was trying to go in to Rusney so I just sat on that first pitch and put a good swing on it,” said LaMarre.

After the IronPigs (77-54) scored their only run against PawSox starter Sean O’Sullivan (7-6) on J.P. Crawford’s double to right field in the top of the fifth, Pawtucket put five runs on the board before Lehigh Valley recorded an out in the bottom half of the inning.

Chris Dominguez led off the frame by crushing a 3-1 fastball on to the back of the berm in left center field for his 12th home run of the year.

“I was in a good count so I was pretty confident he was going to throw a fastball,” said Dominguez.

After Deven Marrero walked and Dan Butler drove a ground rule double to left, Castillo smacked a two-run double off the wall in left center field.

The next batter, LaMarre, drilled his second home run (9) in as many innings, also on to the berm in left field, for his first profession multi-home run game.

“His hands are quick so he doesn’t need to cheat to get to balls,” said manager Kevin Boles. “That’s the kind of impact he has.”

All seven runs in the fifth and sixth innings came against Russell.

Dominguez then led off the seventh with a bolt (13) into the bullpen in left field for his second multi-home run performance in four games.

“He looks great and he’s finishing strong,” said Boles. “He’s impacting the baseball and he’s done a great job keeping himself ready.”

Dominguez has launched five long balls in his last five games. He is batting 8-for-18 with five extra-base hits over that span.

“I’m finally feeling really healthy and the swing’s feeling good,” said Dominguez.

Only one PawSox player had delivered a multi-home run game all season long (Sam Travis on May 15) before the last week.

O’Sullivan surrendered only the one sixth-inning run in his 5.1-inning outing. He struck out one batter in each of the first five frames and six total. He walked two and allowed only three hits.

“He battled, made some pitches and did a quality job for us,” said Boles.

He escaped the second inning after batter interference was called and snuck out of the fourth inning when Nick Williams was doubled off second base on a line drive 3-6 double play.

Pawtucker reliever William Cuevas allowed one hit in 2.2 innings of relief, while he struck out three. The lone hit came in the form of a Taylor Featherston solo home run (13) with two outs in the eighth inning.

The Pigs also tacked on two more runs in the ninth on Darin Ruf’s two-run blast (19) over the right field fence against Chandler Shepherd.

Ruf has homered in each of his last three contests against the PawSox.

Pawtucket leapt on the scoreboard in the second inning on an RBI double from Chris Dominguez and a RBI single from Castillo off Lehigh Valley starter Nick Pivetta (0-1).

Castillo, LaMarre and Dominguez all tallied at least three hits and three RBI. LaMarre drove home four runs.

The four PawSox home runs represented a new season high.

Pawtucket has won 16 of its last 19 home games.

The PawSox wrap up their four-game homestand with tomorrow’s season finale against the IronPigs at 7:05 p.m. Pawtucket righthander Justin Haley (7-4, 3.92) is scheduled to make the start against Lehigh Valley righty Phil Klein (3-1, 1.81). Radio coverage on WHJJ (920 AM) and throughout the PawSox radio network begins at 6:35 p.m.