Travis Lifts PawSox to Thrilling 7-5 Win in 12 Innings
August 30, 2017 - International League (IL1)
Pawtucket Red Sox News Release
Travis Lifts PawSox to Thrilling 7-5 Win in 12 Innings
Pawtucket scores four runs in top of 12th to defeat Buffalo
BUFFALO, N.Y. - Ten innings after he started the scoring and his best offensive performance of the last three months, Sam Travis capped his night with a two-run single in the 12th inning, stamping an exclamation point on a thrilling 7-5 win for the Pawtucket Red Sox over the Buffalo Bisons on Wednesday night at Coca-Cola Field.
After Buffalo (62-75) tied the game in the bottom of the sixth, the 3-3 deadlock lingered until the top of the 12th, when the PawSox (65-72) pushed across four two-out runs and then withstood a two-run shot from the Bisons in the home half of the inning.
Travis (3-for-5, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, BB) notched his first game with multiple extra-base hits since May 30 - when the Chicago-area native went 3-for-4 with a pair of two-baggers against the White Sox - and drilled just his second long ball since May 18. Travis, who entered Wednesday with only two extra-base hits during the month of August, doubled and scored in the second, homered in the sixth and delivered a pair of insurance runs in the 12th.
Pawtucket third baseman Deven Marrero, meanwhile, went 3-for-6 with a double and an RBI single. In the 24 games since he was optioned July 28, the slick-fielding Marrero has gone 29-for-88 (.330) with a .534 slugging percentage (eight doubles and three homers).
PawSox reliever Chandler Shepherd - the fourth of Pawtucket's five pitchers on the night - turned in four vital shutout innings with four punchouts, stifling the Bisons from the eighth through 11th innings.
Pawtucket starter Roenis Elias worked a 1-2-3 first inning to begin the night, and right-hander Shawn Haviland took over for the second stanza and ended up tossing five innings of three-run ball despite issuing four walks. Fellow righty Austin Maddox then followed and loaded the bases on a single and two walks in the seventh, but he benefited from an outstanding throw to the plate from center fielder Brian Bogusevic to cap a scoreless seventh inning.
Buffalo starter Brett Oberholtzer allowed three runs (two earned) in six innings, collecting three strikeouts against seven hits and a walk, while reliever Wil Browning (L, 4-2) ceded the four runs in his second inning of work in the 12th.
In the top of the second inning, Travis yanked a double down the left-field line and then scored on an RBI single to right field from Marrero. Moments later, Marrero scored on a Buffalo fielding error at second base, making it 2-0 PawSox.
The Bisons cut the deficit in half, 2-1, in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single from cleanup man and left fielder Teoscar Hernandez - Buffalo's first hit of the ballgame.
Buffalo then tied the game in the fifth when No. 9 hitter Jason Leblebijian singled, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI base knock up the middle from leadoff man Dwight Smith Jr.
Travis blasted a solo home run to left field with one out in the top of the sixth to push the PawSox back in front, 3-2.
The Bisons pulled even, 3-3, in the bottom of the sixth on a sacrifice fly to right field from shortstop Gregorio Petit.
Pawtucket loaded the bases in the top of the 12th with a single, intentional walk and another walk. On a 1-1 pitch, right fielder Bryce Brentz bounced a slow-rolling infield single up the middle, where it deflected off the glove of the pitcher, Wil Browning, and ricocheted toward shortstop, where Christian Lopes bare-handed and rushed an errant throw to first, allowing a pair of runs to score. Travis then dumped the two-run single into left field to stretch the cushion to 7-3.
With two outs and two strikes in the bottom of the 12th, Hernandez tucked a two-run homer down the left-field line to trim Buffalo's gap to 7-5.
The PawSox conclude their four-game series in Buffalo on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. PawSox right-hander Justin Haley (2-2, 3.15) is scheduled to oppose Bisons lefty Ryan Borucki. Radio coverage on WHJJ (920 AM) and throughout the PawSox Radio Network begins with the PawSox Pre-Game Show at 6:35 p.m.
International League Stories from August 30, 2017
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