PAWTUCKET- The PawSox’ surrendered their lead atop the IL North Division…but not without a fight. The Scranton/Wilkes Barre Yankees broke out the bats early, and hung on to earn a 9-8 win over Pawtucket tonight at McCoy. With the loss the PawSox dropped back to second place in the IL North Division, one game behind SWB.
Down at one point 8-0, the PawSox came back to make it a game, but their early deficit proved to be too much to overcome.
“There’s good and there’s bad” said PawSox skipper Ron Johnson, “The bad part was we gave up too many runs. The good part was how we battled back. We spotted them too many runs”
PawSox starter Kyle Snyder made his first start since coming off the disabled list with a right groin strain. His return was a memorable one, but not in a good way. He lasted only 1 2/3 innings in taking the loss, giving up five runs on three hits. He walked three, struck out one, and hit two batters. He threw 54 pitches, only 26 for strikes.
In the first Snyder gave up a lead-off walk to Brett Gardner. After Gardner stole second, Alberto Gonzalez flew out to right. Snyder then hit Jason Lane with a pitch and walked Ben Broussard. After Snyder struck out Cody Ransom, Justin Christian laced a bases clearing double to left center.
Snyder’s second inning was not much better. With one out Gardner walked and stole second. After Gonzalez grounded to first, Lane walked. Broussard then drove a two-run double to right center, ending Snyder’s night.
“The good part is I don’ think (Snyder) has any problem with himself physically” said Johnson, “We know that if he doesn’t have any problems with him physically, it’s gonna get a lot better than we saw tonight.”
Michael Tejera relieved Snyder and gave up three runs of his own.. In the third Christian and Nick Green reached on singles. After a Chris Stewart sacrifice bunt, Bernie Castro drove in Christian with a single.
In the fourth the Yankees struck for two more. Three straight doubles by Lane, Broussard, and Ransom gave SWB an 8-0 lead.
The PawSox got to Scranton starter Dan Giese in the bottom of the fourth, scoring six runs, courtesy of a two-run homer to right by Joe Thurston and a Grand Slam by Dusty Brown.
Pawtucket cut the Scranton lead to one with RBI singles by Keith Ginter in the fifth and George Kottaras in the sixth sandwiched around a Ransom RBI hit in the top of the sixth for the Yankees.
Billy Traber (1-0) got the win for the Yankees in relief. Scott Patterson picked up the save.
Broussard, playing his first game with the Yankees, was 3 for 4, with 3 RBI’s. Christian also drove in three for SWB.
Chris Carter continues to swing a hot bat, going 3 for 5 to extend his hitting streak to seven games and raise his batting average to .313.
After the game the PawSox sent pitcher Miguel Asencio back to Portland.
Game three of the series is tomorrow night (7:05 pm) as Kei Igawa (3-4, 3.83 ERA) starts for SWB. He’ll be opposed by Davern Hansack (2-5, 5.55 ERA) for the PawSox.
BOX SCORE
Action from around the International League last night went like this…
