PawSox Pick up Win to Open Series
Published on June 12, 2010 under International League (IL1)
Pawtucket Red Sox News Release
The PawSox closed their last homestand with a rain-shortened game, and tonight's game at McCoy-the first in an eight-game stretch here-saw the same fate. This time, though, the PawSox made out with a 1-0 win over Louisville.
The story tonight was supposed to be the appearance of Aroldis Chapman, the 22-year-old Bats starter who defected from Cuba last year and signed a $30 million contract with the Reds this winter. Instead, he was upstaged by PawSox starter Ramon Ramirez, who struck out the first six Louisville hitters consecutively.
Ramirez only got the start-his first of the season-due to an injury to Felix Doubront, who went on the 7-day DL this week (retroactive to Tuesday) with a left shin contusion. Doubront beat Chapman 7-2 in Louisville on Monday. Wasting no time in a quest to prove his value as a starter, Ramirez set down Drew Sutton, Zack Cozart, and Yonder Alonso in the first, and then Wladimir Balentien, Todd Frazier, and Wilkin Castillo in the second. All six went down swinging.
Only in the top of the third, after an umpire's timeout delayed a two-strike pitch, did seventh hitter Chris Burke fly to left. Aaron Bates misplayed the ball for a two-base error, but no one else would reach against Ramirez other than Alonso on a one-out single in the fourth. Ramirez finished with eight strikeouts in five innings, throwing just 62 pitches and moving to 1-1 on the season.
Chapman eventually topped Ramirez, striking out two batters each in the first, third, fourth, and fifth on the way to a nine-K performance. But he couldn't keep the PawSox off the scoreboard, falling to 5-4 for the year.
Angel Sanchez scored the lone PawSox run after singling to lead off the fourth. Following two strikeouts, Josh Reddick singled, Dusty Brown walked, and then Jorge Jimenez walked as well amid protests from Chapman about the strike zone. Chapman induced a groundout from Bubba Bell on a tricky backhanded play from Cozart to limit the damage and leave the bases loaded.
The PawSox played their first home game without Daniel Nava, who hit a grand slam on the first pitch he saw in his major league debut for the Red Sox at Fenway Park this afternoon. Though four hits and one run were enough to win tonight, the PawSox will miss his consistency in the middle of their order should he be in Boston for an extended stay.
The start of the game was delayed an hour due to rain, and umpires called a halt with two on and one out against reliever Chad Paronto in the top of the sixth. After another lengthy delay, the rest of the game was called off.
The two teams play again tomorrow as Adam Mills (1-4, 3.48) takes on Louisville's Ben Jukich (2-3, 3.94) at 1:05.
International League Stories from June 12, 2010
- Gwinnett hammers Durham, 11-4 - Gwinnett Stripers
- Moseley Strikes Out Season-High 10 in Seven Strong Innings - Indianapolis Indians
- Bulls fall to G-Braves, 11-4 - Durham Bulls
- Yankees win over Indians - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees
- Chiefs Drop Knights 5-4 in First Game of Road Trip - Syracuse Mets
- PawSox Pick up Win to Open Series - Pawtucket Red Sox
- Bisons Notes - Buffalo Bisons
- IronPigs Game Notes - Lehigh Valley IronPigs
- Big First Lifts Knights over Yanks - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees
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