IL1 Pawtucket Red Sox

PawSox sweep doubleheader

Published on July 24, 2014 under International League (IL1)
Pawtucket Red Sox News Release


(Allentown, PA) - Matt Spring drove home three in the opener and Ryan Roberts three in game two while Will Middlebrooks homered in each contest as the Pawtucket Red Sox matched a franchise record with nine straight wins by earning two victories against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, 7-2 and 5-1, Thursday night at Coca-Cola Park to sweep the two-game series.

Game one was the resumption of a contest that was suspended by rain on Wednesday night with Pawtucket leading 3-2 in the fourth inning. Game two was thus shortened to a seven-inning contest, in which Roberts went 3-for-4 with two RBI doubles and Brandon Workman (6-1) pitched six strong innings.

The nine-game winning streak is the longest for Pawtucket (59-48) since April of 2012 and the seventh such streak in franchise history. The PawSox have swept three straight series following the All-Star break and increased their lead in the IL wild card standings to one game. The squad moved within 2.5 games of North Division-leading Syracuse (61-45).

Will Middlebrooks, playing in the seventh-consecutive game of his most recent injury rehab stint, homered (4) in the sixth inning in the nightcap to provide Pawtucket with its final run. He also went deep in game one, an opposite-field shot Wednesday night before the rain suspension. Middlebrooks, on the DL since May 16th, finished the two-game series at 2-for-9 and is now 9-for-28 (.321) with three homers over the last seven games.

In game two, the PawSox struck for two runs in the first against Lehigh Valley starter Brad Lincoln (5-6) as Roberts and Travis Shaw each lined RBI doubles. After the IronPigs plated a run in the fourth, Middlebrooks' no-doubt shot to left against Lincoln in the sixth made the score 3-1.

Roberts delivered the clinching blow with a two-out, two-run double in the seventh against reliever Cesar Jimenez. Workman allowed only five hits and struck out six batters against one walk in six innings of work. Tommy Layne pitched around a hit and an error in the bottom of the seventh to finish the sweep.

In the resumption of Wednesday's game the PawSox outscored Lehigh Valley 4-0 to pull away and earn its eighth-straight win. Carlos Rivero's sacrifice fly in the fifth doubled the lead, then Spring's two-run double highlighted a three-run eighth that provided the final margin. Spring finished the game 2-for-3 with a walk, two doubles and three RBI.

Pawtucket pitching dominated the conclusion of game one, as relievers Ryan Verdugo (1-0) and Miguel Celestino combined to retire the final 16 IronPigs batters. Verdugo took over for starter Steven Wright when play resumed Thursday, and after walking the first man he faced retired ten straight. Celestino retired all six of his batters to finish the win.

Pawtucket's eight-game road trip concludes with a trip to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for four games against the RailRiders. Game one is slated for Friday night at 7:05 pm as Pawtucket looks for a franchise-record tenth consecutive win. Right-hander Anthony Ranaudo (11-4, 2.54) is slated to start for the PawSox against Scranton lefty Matt Tracy (1-2, 3.57). Radio coverage on 920 AM (WHJJ) and also streaming online begins at 6:50 pm.

Following the eight-game road trip and a subsequent day off, the PawSox return to McCoy Stadium for a seven-game homestand that begins on Wednesday July 30. The stand features three games against Syracuse and four with Columbus.

Good seats are still available at the McCoy Stadium box office, by calling (401) 724-7300 or by visiting pawsox.com.

Check out the Pawtucket Red Sox Statistics

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International League Stories from July 24, 2014


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