Vazquez Homers To Power PawSox Past Mud Hens

Pawtucket Red Sox Press Release

(Toledo, OH) – Catcher Christian Vazquez collected three hits including a three-run home run while starter Justin Haley pitched 6.2 strong innings as the Pawtucket Red Sox beat the Toledo Mud Hens, 4-2, to even the three-game series at one win apiece on Tuesday night at Fifth Third Field. 

Vazquez went 3-for-4 with his three-run blast (1) in the top of the fourth inning snapping a scoreless tie and putting Pawtucket ahead to stay.  Haley (3-3) scattered ten hits but limited Toledo to just a pair of runs and was helped by four groundball double plays.

The PawSox (51-46) have won four of their last five games to match a season-high total of five games above the .500 mark.  Robby Scott tossed two scoreless innings in relief of Haley, while Roman Mendez recorded the final out for his second save of the season.

After the game went scoreless through three innings, Pawtucket struck in the fourth against Toledo starter Cory Riordan (1-1).  Singles by Marco Hernandez and Chris Marrero set the table for Vazquez, who pulled a breaking ball over the left-field fence to make the score 3-0.

After Casey McGehee’s RBI double in the bottom of the fourth put the Mud Hens on the scoreboard, the PawSox added an insurance run in the sixth against Riordan.  Vazquez singled with one out, advanced to second on a groundout and then scored on Jantzen Witte’s RBI single.

Haley allowed his final run in the seventh when JaCoby Jones grounded into the final of the Mud Hens four twin-killings on the night.  He walked two and struck out four while tossing 104 pitches.

Scott retired six straight hitters before allowing a two-out single to Jones in the ninth, but Mendez then entered and ended the game by inducing a fly ball to center off the bat of John Hicks.

The teams will play the rubber-match of this three-game series on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. Pawtucket righty Keith Couch (1-2, 4.71) is scheduled to start against Toledo righty Buck Farmer (1-4, 5.92). Radio coverage begins on WHJJ (920 AM) and throughout the PawSox radio network at 6:35 p.m.

The PawSox return home for a seven-game homestand against the top two teams in the league, the Rochester Red Wings and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, beginning Monday, July 25. Good seats for each game are still available at the McCoy Stadium box office; call (401) 724-7300 or visit pawsox.com to get your tickets today.