Holt Homers In 2-1 PawSox Loss To Bisons Sunday

Pawtucket Red Sox Press Release

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Despite six effective innings from starter Henry Owens and a home run from Brock Holt, the Pawtucket Red Sox lost a hard-fought matinee to the Buffalo Bisons, 2-1, on Sunday at Coca-Cola Field.

The Bisons (22-17) broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the sixth and hung on to claim the rubber game with the PawSox (16-23), who’ve lost 10 of their last 11. Each of the final five games during the seven-game road trip were decided by either one or two runs. Twenty-four of Pawtucket’s 39 games (62%) have been one- or two-run affairs.

Owens (L, 3-3) fired six innings and allowed two runs on six hits, three walks and a hit batter, while striking out seven. The outing marked a bounce-back performance for the 24-year old, who had allowed nine runs with 10 walks in his previous two starts. Owens stranded at least one Bison aboard in each of his six innings, including a man in scoring position in five of the frames.

In the third game of his rehab assignment, Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval (right knee sprain) played seven innings at third and went 0-for-3 with a flyout to center, a groundout to shortstop and a pop-up to short.

Holt (vertigo) played all nine innings in left field and went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in the 14th game of his rehab assignment.

On a bullpen day for Buffalo, relievers Jeff Beliveau (3 IP, 0 H), Leonel Campos (2 IP), Matt Dermody (2 IP, win) and Murphy Smith (2 IP, save) combined to limit the PawSox to one run on four hits.

PawSox reliever Blaine Boyer spun two shutout innings with a pair of strikeouts.

With a ninth-inning infield single, Pawtucket shortstop Ryan Court extended his hitting streak to eight games, matching a season-long by a PawSox player. The versatile infielder has now hit safely in 16 of his last 17 games and raised his team-best average to .303.

Holt led off the top of the fourth inning by pulling a solo home run to right field — the second long ball of his rehab assignment.

The Bisons tied the game 1-1 in the bottom half of the inning when shortstop Jonathan Diaz ripped a two-out double down the left-field line to score right fielder Ian Parmley all the way from first.

Buffalo snatched a 2-1 lead in the sixth when catcher Raffy Lopez, who homered off rehabbing Red Sox starter David Price on Friday, yanked a leadoff home run to right.

Following their seven-game road trip and Monday’s off day, the PawSox will return to McCoy Stadium on Tuesday to open up a three-game set with the Louisville Bats (Cincinnati Reds) at 6:05 p.m. PawSox right-hander Shawn Haviland (2-3, 3.71) is scheduled to start. Radio coverage on WHJJ (920 AM) and throughout the PawSox Radio Network begins with the PawSox Pre-Game Show at 5:35 p.m.

The seven-game homestand runs through May 29 (Monday). 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.