Bullpen collapse helps IronPigs complete sweep of PawSox
Kendrick settles down; Travis marks return to lineup with HR
PAWTUCKET — On a warm and windy afternoon filled with home runs at McCoy Stadium, the Pawtucket Red Sox dropped both games to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in Saturday’s doubleheader, the two teams’ second twin bill in a span of seven days.
In the front end of the doubleheader, the IronPigs (5-6) smacked three home runs and stifled the PawSox (6-5), 6-0.
With a pair of home runs, Pawtucket stormed out to an early 5-0 lead in the back half. After the IronPigs tied the game with a five-run sixth inning, the PawSox snatched the lead back in the bottom of the sixth. But, Lehigh Valley drilled a pair of solo home runs in the seventh to lock up the second game, 76, and the three-game series.
Game One
PawSox starter Kyle Kendrick (L, 0-2) allowed six runs over seven innings with seven strikeouts and no walks. After surrendering three runs in the first inning and giving up a double in the second, the former Phillies standout retired the next 14 he faced.
Lehigh Valley starter Nick Pivetta (W, 2-0), meanwhile, spun a seveninning shutout with five strikeouts, no walks and five hits. The right-hander only allowed two Pawtucket baserunners to reach scoring position.
The IronPigs jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. After a two-out double from left fielder Cam Perkins, cleanup man Dylan Cozens yanked an RBI single into right field. First baseman Rhys Hoskins then followed with a two-run blast to center.
The PawSox left runners at third in both the second and fifth innings, as Pivetta escaped trouble.
In the top of the seventh with the wind blowing swiftly out to right field, Hoskins, who clubbed 38 home runs in Double-A last season, teed off on his second shot of the game — an opposite-field solo homer to right to make it 4-0 Lehigh Valley.
Three batters later, catcher Logan Moore pulled a two-run home run to right as well.
PawSox third baseman Matt Dominguez (3-for-3) notched his fourth multi-hit game of the young season.
Game Two
In his second spot start in a sevenday span against the IronPigs, PawSox reliever Marcus Walden dealt four shutout innings, only allowing four hits and a walk to go along with three punchouts.
Former No. 1 overall pick Mark Appel started for Lehigh Valley and was touched up for five runs on five hits over three frames.
Pawtucket grabbed its first run of the afternoon in the first inning. After second baseman Mike Miller led off with a wall-ball triple, he scored on a sacrifice lineout to left from left fielder Ryan Court.
PawSox center fielder Junior Lake started the second with a single, then stole second, moved to third on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch to push Pawtucket ahead 2-0.
Two batters later, first baseman Jantzen Witte smashed his first home run of the season to deep center field, a two-run shot to make it 4-0.
In the third, designated hitter Sam Travis mashed his first long ball of the campaign onto the berm in left. Saturday marked Travis’ first day back in the lineup after missing the previous three days after a collision Tuesday with catcher Blake Swihart.
The IronPigs coaxed three walks off PawSox righty Erik Cordier in the sixth and nabbed a run on a sacrifice fly to slice the deficit to 5-1. Designated hitter Cam Perkins then poked a two-run double to left off right-hander Kyle Martin before sec- ond baseman Pedro Florimon tugged an RBI single to the right side to trim it to 5-4. Leadoff man Roman Quinn’s RBI single tied the game, 5-5.
In the bottom of the sixth, Pawtucket catcher Dan Butler ripped a one-out single. After moving to third on a pair of wild pitches, Butler then scored on an RBI infield single to third from Miller to lift the PawSox ahead, 6-5.
Pawtucket left-hander Edgar Olmos (L, 2-1), however, served up a pair of solo blasts to Cozens and left fielder Nick Williams, as Lehigh Valley claimed the 7-6 win.
Cesar Ramos (1-0) earned the win for the IronPigs, while Pedro Beato buttoned up his first save.
After days off Sunday and Monday, the PawSox open up a six-game road trip in Charlotte against the Knights on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. Pawtucket righthander Shawn Haviland (2-0, 3.09) is scheduled to oppose Charlotte righty Carson Fulmer (1-1, 5.73).
The PawSox return home to McCoy Stadium April 25-30.