PawSox Get Back On Track At McCoy

PawSox wallop Yankees 7–1 at McCoy

After losing five of eight on the road, the PawSox got back on track tonight at McCoy Stadium as they opened a five-game homestand with a 7-1 win over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. Adam Mills, who struggled in a 5-1 loss to Tim Redding and the Yankees last week, gave up just five hits and one run in seven innings to beat Redding and improve to 2-6 on the season.

PawSox fans saw one new face in his first home appearance for the PawSox, welcomed back an old one off the disabled list, and saw other regulars in new spots to accommodate recent roster changes. New catcher Juan Apodaca had an RBI single in the second, and Ryan Kalish-back from injury-singled twice and scored each time. Niuman Romero started in right and made a diving catch in the sixth, while Gil Velazquez replaced Angel Sanchez-up in the majors with Boston-and played a flawless short.

The PawSox began the offensive barrage early when Lars Anderson walked to start the second. After Kalish singled him to third and then stole second, Reddick drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly to center. Apodaca's single brought home Kalish to make it 2-0.

In the sixth, Aaron Bates led off with a single, and after Anderson struck out, Kalish got his second hit. After Reddick struck out, Tug Hulett doubled both runners home to run the lead to 4-0.

Mills equaled his longest start of the season-a 5-1 win over Gwinnett on May 11-and faced little trouble through six innings despite striking out just two. Top Yankees catching prospect Jesus Montero singled to lead off the second, but Jorge Jimenez leapt to snare a liner off the bat of Jorge Vazquez at third and then doubled Montero off first. The Yankees got a single in the fourth and walks in the fifth and sixth, but failed to move a runner past second until Vazquez singled and P.J. Pilittere doubled with one out in the seventh.

After a groundout, Mills lost his shutout when Rene Rivera singled to center. Vazquez scored easily to make it 4-1, but Josh Reddick gunned down Pilittere at the plate for the third out. Pilittere and manager Dave Miley objected vigorously to the call-Miley, in fact, was ejected before the argument concluded-but the inning was over and the Yankees wouldn't threaten again.

The PawSox offense broke the game open in the seventh with three more runs. After reliever Mark Melancon struck out Gil Velazquez, he walked Jimenez and Romero, hit Bates, and gave up a two-run double to Anderson. Kalish hit into a fielder's choice to make it 7-1, and Hulett walked to load the bases once more before Eric Wordekamper came on to strike out Apodaca to end the inning.

Ace reliever Robert Manuel, pitching in his first game back at McCoy since his stint in the big leagues, pitched a scoreless top half of the eighth. In their half, the PawSox loaded the bases on two singles and a walk but failed to add to the score. Kason Gabbard then came on and walked two with two outs in the ninth, but closed out the victory.