PawSox Drop Twinbill at Buffalo

PawSox news release…

(Buffalo, NY) – The Pawtucket Red Sox could not capitalize on late threats in both parts of Sunday afternoon’s doubleheader against the Buffalo Bisons, falling 5-2 in game one and 2-1 in game two at Coca-Cola Field.

The pair of losses snapped a string of seven straight twin bills that Pawtucket (64-57) had split dating to last season. The PawSox dropped a pair of contests on the same day for the first time since Buffalo (61-61) swept them in a doubleheader in western New York on April 15, 2015.

Pawtucket dropped consecutive games for only the second time in the last three weeks.

The PawSox put the tying runs on base in each of the final two innings of both games, but the team stranded 10 total runners in those four frames.

For the second straight Sunday, Buffalo starter Casey Lawrence (4-4) bested Pawtucket starter Sean O’Sullivan (6-6).

Dalton Pompey pulled a leadoff homer (3) for the Bisons in the bottom of the day’s first frame. Later in the inning, Domonic Brown lined a two-out RBI single to left that put Buffalo ahead, 2-0.

In the next inning, Allen Craig grounded a single to center field in his first Triple-A at-bat since May 19. The PawSox activated Craig off the disabled list this weekend following a rehabilitation assignment with Short-Season-A Lowell.

Craig scored Pawtucket’s first run of the game on a two-out RBI single to center field from Deven Marrero.

However, a hit-by-pitch and a walk with one out sparked another Buffalo rally in the bottom half of the inning.

Ryan Goins and Jesus Montero grounded back-to-back two-out RBI singles that extended the Bisons’ advantage to 4-1.

O’Sullivan has allowed 13 second-inning runs in his four starts since being placed on the disabled list with knee tendinitis. He is 0-4 in those outings.

O’Sullivan surrendered five runs on seven hits and six walks (14 total baserunners) in 4.2 innings pitched.

He had not previously walked more than two batters in a Triple-A start this season. He issued at least six free passes for the third time in his professional career and the first time in his minor league career. (Also done in 2010 and 2011 with the Royals.)

O’Sullivan allowed his final run in the third inning on a Casey Kotchman RBI single that made it 5-1 Buffalo.

The rehabbing Chris Young lined a one-out double to the warning track in the sixth inning and came around to score on Bryce Brentz’s double with the second and final PawSox run in the contest.

In the second game of his rehab assignment, Young played all seven innings in left field, making one catch running to his left. At the plate, he went 1-for-3 with the double, two strikeouts and a hit-by-pitch. Young did not play in game two.

Despite loading the bases with one out in the sixth, Pawtucket flew out twice to end the inning. An error, walk and hit-batter loaded the bases with one out again in the seventh, but Brennan Boesch and Brentz struck out to end the game.

Roman Mendez struck out three in 1.1 scoreless innings of relief.

In game two, Bisons starter Scott Copeland (2-1) narrowly out-dueled PawSox starter William Cuevas (6-6).

Cuevas allowed two runs on four hits in 6.0 innings of work, racking up a complete game.

After surrendering a groundball RBI single to Ryan Goins in the first inning, Cuevas faced only one batter over the minimum through the end of the fourth inning.

Meanwhile, Copeland only faced 13 batters (one over the minimum) through the first four frames

Mike Miller delivered an RBI single to tie the game in the top of the fifth inning, but Andy Burns created the winning run all by himself in the bottom half of the inning.

He walked, stole two bases and scored on Jio Mier’s sacrifice fly to center field.

Despite threatening once again in the sixth and seventh innings, the PawSox left two runners on base in each frame.

Pawtucket was held to 10 hits in the doubleheader with each of the 10 knocks coming from a different batter.

The PawSox continue their season-long 10-game road trip tomorrow when they open up a three-game series against the Wild Card-leading Lehigh Valley IronPigs at 7:05 p.m. Pawtucket lefthander Brian Johnson (5-4, 4.14) is scheduled to make the start against Lehigh Valley righthander David Buchanan (8-7, 4.04).