PawSox Pitching One-Hits IronPigs In 2017 Home Finale Victory

Pawtucket Red Sox Press Release

PAWTUCKET, R.I. — Pawtucket Red Sox starter Héctor Velázquez saved arguably his best outing of the season for the home finale, as the right-hander powered the PawSox in a combined one-hitter to a 3-0 win over the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in the series finale Sunday afternoon at McCoy Stadium.

Velázquez and reliever Edgar Olmos stifled the IronPigs (74-60), limiting them to merely one hit, while the PawSox (63-71) scored the three decisive runs on one swing in the seventh inning to avoid the series sweep and end the home slate on a high note.

Velázquez (W, 8-4) cruised through seven shutout innings and only gave up one hit and one walk, facing two above the minimum and lowering his Triple-A ERA to 2.23. After allowing a two-out single in the top of the first, Velázquez retired the next 16 batters he faced until he issued a leadoff walk to begin the top of the seventh.

“Outstanding,” Pawtucket manager Kevin Boles said. “Commanded the zone, efficient, got our defense involved. Nice job by him, especially with this lineup. They’ve been scoring some runs. That was a very professional outing.

“He’s unpredictable. He really doesn’t fall into patterns. He uses both sides of the plate. I liked how he just snuck some pitches on the inner half to left-handed hitters just to get them off.”

The All-Star Olmos (S, 4), meanwhile, struck out five in two hitless innings, leaning on both his curveball and slider.

Lehigh Valley starter Jose Taveras dealt six shutout innings with seven strikeouts — against just one walk — but rehabbing Phillies reliever Casey Fien (L, 0-1) surrendered three runs on four hits in the seventh inning.

Pawtucket designated hitter Matt Dominguez (2-for-4), second baseman Mike Miller (2-for-3) and catcher Jake Romanski (2-for-3) each notched multi-hit efforts.

The PawSox loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth inning, but Taveras bettered Pawtucket shortstop Deven Marrero, fanning him on a 90 MPH fastball on the ninth pitch of the at-bat.

In the bottom of the seventh, Miller and Romanski each collected singles to set the table for leadoff man and center fielder Tzu-Wei Lin, who laced a three-run homer into the right-field bullpen and lifted the PawSox to a 3-0 lead.

Following the seven-game homestand, the PawSox open a season-ending, eight-game road trip Monday at 7:05 p.m. in Buffalo against the Bisons. PawSox right-hander Kyle Kendrick (3-7, 6.42) is scheduled to oppose Bisons righty Murphy Smith (4-4, 3.66). Radio coverage on WHJJ (920 AM) and throughout the PawSox Radio Network begins with the PawSox Pre-Game Show at 6:35 p.m.