PawSox Lose 12th Straight on Hit Batsman in 9th
PawSox news release…
(Pawtucket, RI) – Lehigh Valley scored snapped a 2-2 tie by scoring a pair of runs against Pat Light in the top of the ninth inning and despite a season-high nine strikeouts from Pawtucket starter Henry Owens the IronPigs handed the PawSox their 12th consecutive defeat, 4-2, on Friday night before 5,421 fans at McCoy Stadium.
Blake Swihart, beginning an MLB rehab assignment for Boston, batted three times as the DH and went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. Daniel Nava, in the sixth game of his rehab stint, played the entire game at first base and went 2-for-4 with a walk and a run scored.
Light (0-2) recorded the first out in the ninth but then walked three straight batters – Jordan Danks, Gabriel Lino and Logan Moore – before hitting Chase d’Arnaud with a 3-2 pitch that drove in the winning run. Edwin Escobar relieved Light but the next batter Tyler Henson grounded an RBI fielder’s choice to second that made the score 4-2.
Owens tossed seven strong innings, allowing only five hits and two runs while walking two batters. The lefty held a 2-0 lead into the sixth inning before Lehigh Valley third-baseman Russ Canzler hit an opposite-field two-run home run to right (7) that tied the game.
Pawtucket struck for a pair of runs in the bottom of the first against IronPigs starter Aaron Nola. Quintin Berry and Nava began the frame with consecutive singles and later safely executed a double-steal to put two men in scoring position. After Nola struck out the next two hitters, Rusney Castillo lined a two-run single to center that made the score 2-0.
Nola would then settle in and shut out the PawSox for his final five innings of work. He lasted six frames on the night and gave up seven hits and two runs while striking out six. Juan Gutierrez (3-1) tossed two scoreless innings behind Nola to earn the win, while Adam Loewen retired the side in order in the ninth to record his fourth save.
In addition to Nava, Castillo and Garin Cecchini each recorded two-hit nights for the PawSox, who had nine hits as a team but stranded nine men on base.
Game two of the series is scheduled for Saturday night with first pitch is slated for 6:05pm. Ace left-hander Brian Johnson (8-6, 2.73) will get the start for Pawtucket while Lehigh Valley counters with righty Jason Berken (5-5, 3.33).
