Spruill Dominant as PawSox Top Bisons, 6-2
September 5, 2015 - International League (IL1)
Pawtucket Red Sox News Release
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(Pawtucket Red Sox)
(Pawtucket, RI) - Pawtucket starter Zeke Spruill tossed seven shutout innings to earn his first win as a starter this season while Aneury Tavarez smashed his first Triple-A homer as the PawSox defeated the Buffalo Bisons, 6-2, on Saturday night in the opener of a three-game series before 6,075 fans at McCoy Stadium.
Spruill (5-10) scattered three hits and two walks and struck out five Bisons while throwing a season-high 112 pitches. He snapped a personal eight-game losing streak in what will be his final appearance with Pawtucket this season. The PawSox (58-84) improved to 4-1 during the season-ending seven-game homestand.
Tavarez struck against Buffalo starter Scott Copeland (11-6) for a two-run blast in the bottom of the sixth that increased a 2-0 lead to 4-0. The newcomer, who hit only seven long balls combined between Salem and Portland this season, went 2-for-3 and was hit by a pitch while driving in two and scoring two runs.
Pawtucket scored single runs in the first and second innings against Copeland. Humberto Quintero's infield RBI single started the scoring, while Mike Miller lined an RBI double to right in the second to double the lead.
Buffalo finally got on the scoreboard in the eighth against reliever Pat Light when IL MVP Matt Hague grounded a two-run single into left that made the score 4-2. Dayan Diaz replaced Light with two outs in the eighth and the tying runners on base and then induced a fielder's choice from Alex Hassan to strand a pair.
The PawSox added some insurance in the bottom of the eighth when Carlos Rivero connected on a two-out, two-run double to left against Bobby Korecky. Diaz then worked his way out of a bases loaded jam in the ninth to finish his fourth save of the season.
Miller, Marco Hernandez, Quintero and Tavarez each had a pair of Pawtucket's 11 hits on the night.
Game two of the series is scheduled for Sunday evening with first pitch at 6:05pm, as the PawSox try to clinch a series victory. Left-hander Rich Hill (3-1, 1.37) will get the start for Pawtucket while the Bisons counter with righty Todd Redmond (2-7, 4.33).
Good seats are still available at the McCoy Stadium box office, by calling (401) 724-7300 or by visiting pawsox.com. Radio coverage on 920 AM (WHJJ) and also streaming online begins at 5:50 pm.
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