Johnson Battles, Wins 5th as PawSox Top Indy
May 19, 2015 - International League (IL1)
Pawtucket Red Sox News Release
Pawtucket Red Sox Pitcher Brian Johnson
(Pawtucket Red Sox)
(Indianapolis, IN) - Pawtucket starter Brian Johnson settled down after a shaky start to limit Indianapolis to one run in six innings and the PawSox handed MLB-rehabbing pitcher Charlie Morton a loss with a 3-1 victory over the Indians Tuesday night at Victory Field.
The PawSox (23-17) have taken the first two games of the three-game series and four of the five against Indianapolis on the season, winning Tuesday despite getting out-hit 10-4. Johnson (5-2) allowed a run in the first and six hits over the first two innings before allowing just two baserunners over his final four frames of work.
After trailing 1-0 through four innings, Pawtucket scratched out a run in the fifth and two in the seventh to take the lead. Morton (1-1), who struck out six and allowed only one hit through four, allowed a one-out triple to Deven Marrero in the fourth. Two batters later Humberto Quintero lifted a deep sacrifice fly to plate the tying run.
Morton walked Marrero to begin the seventh but then struck out Garin Cecchini to end his night, as Indianapolis reliever Deolis Guerra entered following Morton's 104-pitch effort. Quintero greeted Guerra with a single to left that moved Marrero to third, then Jeff Bianchi walked to load the bases.
Quintin Berry's sacrifice fly brought home Marrero with the go-ahead run, then Guerra uncorked a wild pitch to plate Quintero and make the score 3-1. Dalier Hinojosa relieved Johnson in the seventh and pitched two scoreless innings despite allowing a hit and two walks.
Zeke Spruill worked around a leadoff single in the bottom of the ninth, inducing a hard lineout from Gorkys Hernandez on a diving catch by the second-baseman Bianchi and then a double play groundout from Alen Hanson to end the game. Spruill earned his second save of the season.
Indianapolis scored its one run just two batters into the first inning, when Hansen tripled to leadoff and scored on an RBI single by the next hitter Gustavo Nunez. Johnson escaped further damage in the first thanks in large to a caught stealing and two deep flyouts. In the second, Pawtucket right-fielder Bryce Brentz threw out a runner at home plate following a single by Hansen.
Nunez went 3-for-4 to pace the Indians 10-hit attack. Morton, working his way back from offseason hip surgery, struck out nine and allowed only two hits but walked four and took the loss.
The PawSox will try for a sweep in a series as they play the finale on Wednesday morning at 11:05am. Left-hander Henry Owens (2-2, 3.41) is expected to start for the PawSox while the Indians counter with righty Casey Sadler (3-2, 2.50). Radio coverage on 920 AM (WHJJ) and also streaming online begins at 10:50 am.
Pawtucket will return home on Memorial Day Monday, May 25th to begin a six-game homestand against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Louisville. Good seats are still available at the McCoy Stadium box office, by calling (401) 724-7300 or by visiting pawsox.com.
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 Pawtucket Red Sox Pitcher Brian Johnson |
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