Haley, Sturgeon Lead Pawtucket to Win in Opener
May 29, 2018 - International League (IL1)
Pawtucket Red Sox News Release
NORFOLK, Va. - Justin Haley continued an excellent run of starting pitching for the Pawtucket Red Sox, who stormed out of the gates and defeated the Norfolk Tides, 5-1, on Tuesday night at Harbor Park.
The PawSox (22-27) scored three runs in the first inning and two more in the second in the opener of the three-game series with the Tides (28-21). On the heels of a season-long five-game losing skid, Pawtucket has now won three straight games, during which it has allowed merely a combined two runs.
For the third straight game, Pawtucket's starter dealt seven terrific innings. Prior to this string of seven-inning gems by William Cuevas (Sunday), Chandler Shepherd (Monday) and, now, Haley, the PawSox had only one start of seven innings in the first 46 games. Haley (W, 2-6) struck out six in his seven innings, didn't walk a batter and scattered five hits. The 26-year old right-hander out of Fresno State consistently elevated fastballs for his half-dozen strikeouts. Haley didn't allow more than two runs in any of his six starts during the month of May, notching a 2.59 ERA in those outings. Entering Tuesday, the PawSox had only scored 15 total runs in the first nine games started by Haley.
Pawtucket right-handed reliever Kyle Martin added two perfect innings with a trio of strikeouts.
Pawtucket second baseman Tzu-Wei Lin (2-for-2, BB, HR) led off the ballgame with a homer and recorded his third consecutive multi-hit game, though he left the game in the fourth inning. Do-everything right fielder Cole Sturgeon built off his impressive weekend at McCoy with an opposite-field single and an RBI double. The former two-way player with the Louisville Cardinals also fired a rocket from the right-field wall on a line to second base to nab a Norfolk baserunner trying to stretch a single into a double in the fourth. For good measure, Sturgeon also sprinted home from third to score on a double steal with runners at the corners in the second inning. Center fielder Rusney Castillo (2-for-5, HR, 2 RBI) also had a first-inning homer.
Norfolk starter Tim Melville (L, 5-2) yielded five runs on six hits and three walks in three innings.
Lin started the ballgame by smoking his second home run of the season, a leadoff shot to right-center field. Three batters later, Castillo pulled a two-run blast to left - his first homer of the year - to push Pawtucket ahead 3-0.
In the second, Sturgeon ripped an RBI double into the right-field corner to plate Lin and make it 4-0. Later in the inning with two outs and runners at the corners, designated hitter Aneury Tavarez took off for second, prompting a throw from Norfolk's catcher. That's when Sturgeon bolted home and slid around a tag at the plate to stretch the gap to 5-0.
Norfolk grabbed a run in the bottom of the third when center fielder Mike Yastrzemski rolled an RBI double into the left-center gap.
Pawtucket only allowed two above the minimum over the final six innings of the ballgame.
The PawSox continue their three-game series with the Tides on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. at Harbor Park. Pawtucket right-hander Marcus Walden (0-2, 7.50) is scheduled to oppose Tides lefty John Means (1-0, 5.59). Radio coverage on WHJJ (920 AM and 104.7 FM) and throughout the PawSox Radio Network begins with the pre-game show at 6:05 p.m.
The PawSox will return home to McCoy Stadium next Tuesday to kick off a six-game homestand that runs June 5-10 (Tuesday-Sunday). Good seats are available, and fans can visit the McCoy Stadium box office, which is open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. through 5 p.m., and during all home games. Fans can also call (401) 724-7300 or log on to PawSox.com for tickets.
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