Norfolk cruises in opener
Beeks struggles after five no-hit innings
PAWTUCKET – For five innings Thursday night, Jalen Beeks was on cruise control.
The sixth inning saw the Norfolk bats come alive in a major way. Beeks allowed three home runs over a seven-batter span that included the entire sixth and the first hitter of the seventh. The PawSox left-hander then allowed two more hits – both singles – before manager Kevin Boles made the move to the bullpen.
What was once a promising night ended with a thud and a 73 loss for Pawtucket before 5,125 fans. The PawSox (50-46) have gone from winning eight straight – a streak that began on July 8 and ended this past Tuesday – to dropping two in a row. The latest loss came against a Tides ballclub that stood at 17 games below .500 before Thursday’s first pitch.
Beeks faced two batters over the minimum as he carried a no-hitter and a shutout into the sixth. He lost both bids against the first batter he faced in the frame, as Norfolk DH Drew Dosch took him deep over the rightfield fence.
With a runner on second – the result of an error and a stolen base – and two down, Beeks surrendered a two-run home run to Chris Johnson that upped Norfolk’s lead to 3-0 in the sixth. Johnson is the son for Norfolk manager and former PawSox skipper Ron Johnson.
Things continued to go from bad to worse for Beeks. Onetime Pittsburgh slugger Pedro Alvarez led off the seventh with his 20th home run. Beeks was lifted after allowing six runs (three earned) on six hits in 6.1 innings. Beeks threw 96 pitches (61 strikes) with three strikeouts and two walks.
Edgar Olmos, who didn’t get out of the first inning of Monday’s start, followed Beeks and allowed one run in 2.2 innings. Pawtucket’s first two runs stemmed from a Norfolk error and a fielder’s choice. Tzu-Wei Lin made it a four-run game in the ninth before Ryan Court grounded into a game-ending double play.
Josh Rutledge (concussion) began a 20-game rehab assignment on Thursday. Serving as Pawtucket’s designated hitter, Rutledge went 1for-4 with a double that came on a 22 pitch that bounced over the head of Johnson, the Norfolk third baseman, in the sixth inning.
Rafael Devers went 0-for-3 with a walk. It’s just his second hitless game in the six he’s appeared in since joining the PawSox.
Thursday saw the Red Sox Foundation and the PawSox Foundation announce a partnership to support all 48 Little Leagues throughout the Rhode Island. The relationship will include leadership and instructional skills training for coaches and administrators.
The partnership will assist the 48 leagues with production and development, and will include sponsorship of three events: the Rhode Island Little League State Tournament, which opens on this Saturday; the Rhode Island Little League Volunteer of the Year Award, which will be presented in August; and a coaches’ clinic this fall.
“As Rhode Island’s professional baseball organization, we are eager to embrace and enhance our support of the Ocean State’s Little Leagues,” said PawSox President Dr. Charles Steinberg. “We are continually inspired by the commitment of coaches and administrators who devote so many hours to our children, and we are constantly gratified to see these children learn the lessons of life that baseball can teach.”
The Volunteer of the Year, a coach selected based on nominations by peers and teams, will be honored at Fenway Park on Rhode Island Day, which is August 1, and again at McCoy Stadium later in the month.
According to a press release, there are 48 Little League programs throughout Rhode Island that are comprised of over 1,100 teams and over 16,000 children from ages 5 to 16.
EXTRA BASES: Blake Swihart (left ankle inflammation) felt soreness after running the bases Thursday. He’ll be re-evaluated on Friday. Swihart hasn’t appeared in a game for the PawSox since July 4. … The probable pitchers for the final three games of the Norfolk series are Marcus Walden (8-3, 3.20) tonight (7:05), Shawn Haviland (5-6, 4.22) tomorrow night (6:15), and Brian Johnson (3-1, 2.68) on Sunday (1:35 p.m.).