IL1 Pawtucket Red Sox

Quintero Bunt Gives PawSox Win in 11, 3-2

Published on June 24, 2015 under International League (IL1)
Pawtucket Red Sox News Release


Pawtucket Red Sox Pitcher Brian Johnson
Pawtucket Red Sox Pitcher Brian Johnson
(Pawtucket Red Sox)

(Pawtucket, RI) - Pawtucket catcher Humberto Quintero laid down a successful safety squeeze bunt with runners on the corners in the bottom of the 11th inning after Rochester had tied the game with two outs in the top of the ninth and the PawSox defeated the Red Wings, 3-2, on Wednesday night at McCoy Stadium in front of 4,983 fans.

Shane Victorino began an MLB rehab assignment for Boston and went 0-for-2 in playing the first five innings, then was replaced by Quintin Berry who would eventually start the winning rally with a leadoff single in the 11th and score the game-winning run. Berry also grounded an RBI single to snap a scoreless tie in the sixth.

With Pawtucket leading 2-1 through eight innings, Matt Barnes entered in the ninth looking for his first professional save and he retired the first two batters of the frame before allowing back-to-back singles to Reynaldo Rodriguez and Danny Ortiz with two strikes in the count. Jose Martinez then tied the game with an opposite field single to right that plated Rodriguez from third.

After two scoreless innings from Noe Ramirez (3-0) in the 10th and 11th innings, Pawtucket began the bottom of the 11th against Caleb Thielbar (4-3) with a Berry line drive single to center. Rochester then brought in Lester Oliveros to face Castillo, who laid down a perfect bunt that went for a single to put runners on first and second.

Carlos Peguero then grounded into a fielder's choice to leave Berry at third and set the stage for Quintero, who bunted beautifully up the first base line on the first pitch he saw. Oliveros fielded and tried a throw to the plate, but Berry had already slid safely into home with the winning run.

PawSox starter Brian Johnson was brilliant, pitching 6.2 innings and allowing only one hit and one unearned run. He left the game with two outs in the seventh after colliding with Rochester's Danny Ortiz as Johnson went to cover first base on a fielder's choice grounder hit by Ortiz. Johnson struck out seven and walked only one.

Rochester starter Taylor Rogers was almost equally as strong, keeping the game scoreless until the bottom of the sixth when Berry's two-out single plated Jonathan Roof (single) with the game's first run.

After the Red Wings tied the score in the seventh, Rogers allowed back-to-back hits to Rusney Castillo and Carlos Peguero and was pulled after a sacrifice bunt by Quintero. Reliever Alex Meyer was greeted by a fielder's choice roller to third by Deven Marrero that brought home Castillo with the go-ahead run.

Berry, Castillo and Roof each had two hits. Pat Light tossed 1.1 scoreless innings behind Johnson but did allow an inherited runner to score on his only hit permitted. Barnes gave up three hits and one run in his one inning of work.

The finale of the series is slated for a 7:05pm first pitch on Thursday night as the PawSox look for a series victory. Left-hander Henry Owens (2-5, 3.40) is expected to start for the PawSox while the Red Wings counter with righty Ervin Santana (1-0, 1.59).

Good seats are still available at the McCoy Stadium box office, by calling (401) 724-7300 or by visiting pawsox.com. Radio coverage on 920 AM (WHJJ) and also streaming online begins at 6:50 pm.

Check out the Pawtucket Red Sox Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Images from this story

Pawtucket Red Sox Pitcher Brian Johnson
Pawtucket Red Sox Pitcher Brian Johnson
   



International League Stories from June 24, 2015


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.

OurSports Central