IL1 Pawtucket Red Sox

Phillips Leads PawSox to Walk-Off Win over Rochester

Published on August 3, 2018 under International League (IL1)
Pawtucket Red Sox News Release


PAWTUCKET, R.I. - On a night where second base was a focus 45 minutes up the road in Boston, Pawtucket second baseman Brandon Phillips delivered the decisive blow at McCoy Stadium, vaulting a three-run, walk-off home run to the left-field bullpen to power the PawSox to a 7-4 win over the Rochester Red Wings on Friday night.

The resilient and comeback-prone PawSox (50-59) - who have lost six times in walk-off fashion in their last 10 road games - exacted some retribution in the series opener against Rochester (49-60). After Pawtucket tied the game in the bottom of the eighth inning, Phillips hit a 379-foot skyscraper down the left-field line and sent everyone home. The PawSox had played 13 innings Monday and 12 innings Thursday night before a bus ride back from Syracuse that got them to Rhode Island around 5 a.m.

"Wow, I was getting jammed all day today," Phillips said while laughing on the field afterward. "Everybody was ready to go home. We've been playing a lot of long extra innings. So I told everybody, 'If I get up there, man, I gotta go home, man.'"

Phillips (1-for-5, R, HR, 3 RBI) has now played in 13 games with the PawSox and has logged 49 at-bats.

"It still feels like that, but I told everybody, once I get 50 to 75 at-bats, I'm going to turn up," Phillips said when asked about being in what he has previously likened to his own spring training.

In addition to Phillips, center fielder Rusney Castillo (3-for-5, 2 RBI), designated hitter Sam Travis (2-for-4) and third baseman Tony Renda (3-for-5, 3 R, 2B, HR, RBI) helped bolster the offense. In 21 games with Pawtucket, Renda is 30-for-90 (.333) with an .836 OPS. The 27-year old, who spent 32 games in the big leagues with the Reds in 2016, has dazzled defensively in the last two weeks, as well, making highlight-reel plays at second base last weekend and a sterling diving gem at third Friday.

In his Triple-A debut, 22-year old first baseman Josh Ockimey went 1-for-3 with a walk and a game-tying solo homer in the eighth inning that left the bat at 102 MPH and traveled an estimated 390 feet.

Pawtucket starter Mike Shawaryn fired 6.1 innings in his Triple-A debut, as the 23-year old right-hander fanned six, issued just one walk and ceded four runs on seven hits. Shawaryn began the night with three perfect innings before yielding a three-run homer in the fourth. Right-handed reliever Fernando Rodriguez Jr. threw 1.2 hitless innings, and southpaw Robby Scott (W, 2-2) stranded a pair in a scoreless ninth.

Rochester "opener" Nick Anderson allowed a run in 1.2 innings, and typical starter Stephen Gonsalves spun 5.1 frames of two-run work. Reliever Tyler Duffey (L, 3-4) gave up four runs on three hits and a walk in 1.2 innings.

The PawSox started the scoring in the bottom of the first inning when Castillo's RBI single plated Renda and made it 1-0.

Pawtucket doubled the lead in the bottom of the third when Renda tagged an opposite-field homer and snuck it inside the right-field foul pole.

Rochester climbed ahead 3-2 in the fourth inning on a three-run homer from left fielder Willians Astudillo.

The Red Wings extended their lead to 4-2 in the seventh on a wild pitch that scored a run from third base.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Castillo's RBI infield single to short allowed left fielder Kyle Wren to score and trim the gap to 4-3.

Ockimey teed off on a titanic homer in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game, and Phillips blasted his game-winner an inning later.

The PawSox now continue their three-game series against Rochester on Saturday at 6:15 p.m. Pawtucket right-hander William Cuevas (7-6, 3.57) is scheduled to oppose Rochester righty Aaron Slegers (5-6, 3.55). The game will be televised on myRITV, and radio coverage on WHJJ (920 AM and 104.7 FM) and throughout the PawSox Radio Network begins with the PawSox Insider at 4:45 p.m.

The series runs through Sunday, and good tickets are available. 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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International League Stories from August 3, 2018


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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