The PawSox will have to wait at least one more day before they can celebrate clinching a playoff berth.

Rochester starter Phillip Humber kept the PawSox bats in check, throwing a complete game five hitter as the Red Wings beat the PawSox 5-1 last night at Frontier Field.

With the Toledo Mud Hen’s victory, the PawSox‘ magic number to clinch a playoff spot in the International League playoffs remains at one. They also now trail Scranton/Wilkes Barre by 2 1/2 games in the IL North Division.

In going the distance Humber (9-8) struck out eight and walked no one. The only PawSox run against him came on newly acquired catcher David Ross’ solo home run in the fourth.

Offensively the Red Wings got all the runs they needed in the third when they scored four runs off PawSox starter Edgar Martinez (7-3). With one out DH Alejandro Machado reached on a single and advanced to second on a ground out by RF Howie Clark. 1B Garrett Jones knocked in Machado with a single to right. After LF Bobby Kielty walked, 3B Luke Hughes cleared the bases with a double to center. Hughes scored one batter later as SS Trevor Plouffe lined an RBI single to left.

Jones added another run in the fifth by belting a solo homer to left, his 21st of the season, off PawSox reliever Beau Vaughan.

Martinez pitched only 3 1/3 innings giving up four runs on five hits. He walked three and struck out three. Despite giving up the homer to Jones Vaughan pitched well, throwing 3 2/3 innings yielding only one hit. He struck out three and walked no one. Marcus McBeth struck out two batters in pitching a scoreless eighth inning.

Both Ross for Pawtucket and Jones for the Wings led their teams with two hits each.

The PawSox did commit three errors in the game, but none of of them contributed in any great way to the Red Wings’ runs.

The two teams close out their brief two game series tonight (7:05 pm). Michael Bowden (0-3) still seeks his first Triple A win for Pawtucket. He’ll be opposed by Brian Bass, making his debut for the Red Wings.

BOX SCORE

Here are the results from the rest of the action from around the International League last night…

PAWTUCKET- Solid pitching. Timely hitting. Those phrases may be over used but that’s exactly how the PawSox earned their 8-3 win tonight over the Syracuse Chiefs.

With the win, combined with Toledo’s loss, the PawSox are now one game away from clinching a playoff berth. Pawtucket still trails Scranton/Wilkes Barre by 1 1/2 games in the IL North Division

Bartolo Colon, making his fourth start on this current rehab stint with the PawSox, threw four innings of hitless ball. He walked two and struck out two. He again was on a pitch limit, throwing only 40 pitches, 23 for strikes. His fastball consistently was clocked at between 88 and 90 miles per hour. This is the fifth start this season for Pawtucket that Colon did not allow a run.

“I liked his command and movement” said PawSox Manager Ron Johnson, “He just looked crisp to me”.

“He had good life on his fastball” said PawSox catcher George Kottaras, “He was up on the mound ready to pitch. He went after the hitters.”

Johnson said Colon is scheduled to make another start next Tuesday in Lehigh Valley where his pitch count in expected to increase.

Colon was followed on the mound by Jose Vaquedano (3-1) who pitched 2 1/3 innings of scoreless ball to earn the win. Jon Switzer pitched 1 2/3 innings giving up only one hit. Eric Hull finished closed out the game in the ninth, yielding all three Syracuse runs.

Pawtucket scored three runs off Syracuse starter Ricky Romero (1-3) in the first. With one out Joe Thurston reached on an infield singe and Jason Lane followed with a double to right. After George Kottaras struck out, Dusty Brown walked to load the bases. Sandy Madera then blooped a double down the right field line scoring two. Keith Ginter followed with a single to left, plating Brown. On the play Madera was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.

Madera drove in another run in the third with an RBI single to right to plate Kottaras, who reached on a double. Jeff Corsaletti drove in the PawSox’ fifth run with an RBI single in the sixth.

Pawtucket added three more in the seventh. Lane got his first home run in a Pawtucket uniform driving a two-run blast into the berm in left. The PawSox then loaded the bases and scored their eighth run on a wild pitch by Syracuse reliever Jordan De Jong.

Every member of the PawSox line-up had at least one hit. Thurston, Lane, Kottaras, Madera, Brown, and Ginter had two hits each. Buck Coats and Travis Snyder had two hits for the Chiefs. Snyder knocked in both Syracuse runs.

The PawSox embark on their last road trip of the season beginning tomorrow night (7:05pm) with the first of two games in Rochester against the Red Wings. Edgar Martinez (7-2, 3.79 ERA) throws for Pawtucket. Phillip Humber (8-8, 4.94 ERA) goes for the Red Wings.

NOTES: Reliever Chris Smith was promoted to Boston to fill the roster spot left by the demotion yesterday of Clay Buchholz to Portland. Smith is 1-0 with a 2.16 ERA in 5 games this season with the Red Sox.

Johnson expects newly signed catcher David Ross will join the team tomorrow night in Rochester. Ross played 52 games with the Reds this season, batting .231 with three homers and 13 RBI’s.

BOX SCORE

The PawSox were in total control tonight, taking care of the Syracuse Chiefs tonight 8-3 at McCoy.

More to come

Tha PawSox are leading the Syracuse Chiefs, 5-0 after six innings at McCoy.

Pawtucket scored three runs in the first and one in the third off Syracuse starter Ricky Romero. They added another off Romero in the sixth on a single by Jeff Corsaletti. Sandy Madera has three RBI’s in the game.

The story of the game thus far is the outing by PawSox starter Bartolo Colon, who pitched four hitless innings in his latest rehab start. The PawSox pitching staff has only allowed one hit through six innings.