PawSox Set Franchise Record with 18th Shutout Win
Published on August 28, 2017 under International League (IL1)
Pawtucket Red Sox News Release
PawSox Set Franchise Record With 18th Shutout Win
Kyle Kendrick leads Pawtucket to 2-0 win over Buffalo
BUFFALO, N.Y. - Kyle Kendrick cruised early, and a trio of Pawtucket Red Sox relievers cemented a 2-0 win over the Buffalo Bisons, as the PawSox set a franchise record Monday night at Coca-Cola Field with their 18th shutout victory of the season.
Following Sunday's combined one-hit shutout against Lehigh Valley in the home finale, Pawtucket (64-71) opened its season-ending, eight-game road trip with a well-played, four-hit shutout of the Bisons (61-74). The PawSox pitching staff has only yielded 13 total hits in its last four games.
Kendrick (W, 4-7), who faced just one above the minimum through five frames, breezed through six shutout innings on just 62 pitches, didn't issue a walk and only gave up three hits. The right-hander set down the first seven batters he faced, allowed a pair of consecutive singles (including an infield hit) in the third and then retired the next nine he faced before ceding a double in his final inning.
Rehabbing Red Sox reliever Carson Smith, who underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2016, turned in a fifth consecutive scoreless outing/inning, working around a softly hit, two-out groundball single up the middle. The former Mariners reliever generated a pair of groundouts and a lineout to the left side of the infield. Now in eight total Pawtucket rehab outings - seven of which have been scoreless - Smith has a 2.45 ERA.
Fellow rehabber Ben Taylor (intercostal strain) replaced Smith in the eighth and followed Friday's 1-2-3 inning - in which he had two strikeouts - with another 1-2-3 stanza that included a strikeout on a 95 MPH fastball.
Pawtucket right-hander Austin Maddox (S, 6) shored up the victory with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
Kendrick, in particular, benefited from the sterling play of PawSox third baseman Matt Dominguez, who delivered his typically outstanding defense and made a pair of consecutive diving plays in the bottom of the fifth. Dominguez also drove in one of the two runs.
Elsewhere offensively, Pawtucket's No. 5-8 hitters - first baseman Sam Travis (2-for-4, R), left fielder Ryan Court (3-for-4, 2B), designated hitter Blake Swihart (2-for-4) and second baseman Deven Marrero (2-for-3, BB) - all contributed multi-hit evenings in the PawSox' 12-hit showing.
Buffalo starter Murphy Smith (L, 4-5) scattered eight hits over five innings but did allow a pair of runs.
With two outs in the top of the third, Dominguez scorched an RBI single off the left-field wall to score catcher Dan Butler and lift the PawSox to an early 1-0 advantage.
Pawtucket loaded the bases with three straight singles to begin the fourth inning, and Butler lifted a sacrifice line in foul territory down the right-field line to score Travis and double the lead.
The PawSox continue their four-game series in Buffalo on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. PawSox left-hander Jalen Beeks (6-5, 3.45) is scheduled to oppose Bisons righty Nick Tepesch (2-3, 4.83). Radio coverage on WHJJ (920 AM) and throughout the PawSox Radio Network begins with the PawSox Pre-Game Show at 6:35 p.m.
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