PawSox Do It Again in Ten, 7-6

When a team is on a roll, everything seems to fall their way. That appears to be the case right now with the Pawtucket Red Sox.

Down 6-5 with two outs in the bottom of the tenth inning last night at McCoy, the PawSox mounted a two-run rally and beat the Richmond Braves, 7-6.

Richmond took the lead in the top of the tenth on 1B Scott Thorman's second solo homer of the game, off PawSox reliever Jon Switzer (3-0).

With Braves reliever Jorge Julio (0-1) in the game, George Kottaras and Bryan Pitz started the rally with back-to-back singles. After Chad Spann came in to run for Kottaras, pinch hitter Dusty Brown was hit by a pitch to load the bases. A grounder off the bat of Jonathan Van Every was mis-handled by Braves second baseman Derrick Arnold, plating Spann. Jeff Bailey then earned the game-winning RBI with a bases-loaded walk.

Bailey had another huge day at the plate, going 3 for 4 with a pair of doubles and 3 RBI's. Kottaras (2 for 5) also drove in a pair for Pawtucket. Pitz (2 for 5) and Jed Lowrie (2 for 5, 1 RBI) also had solid nights at the plate.

The PawSox were riding high once again on the back of starting pitcher Charlie Zink, leading 4-2 before Thorman and RF Jason Perry touched Zink for back-to-back homers to lead off the top of the sixth and tie the game.

Pawtucket would strike back to take the lead in the bottom of the sixth on a Bailey RBI double.

The Braves would tie the game one inning later on a Thorman sacrifice fly.

Zink pitched 8 1/3 innings, giving up five runs, four of which were earned, on five hits. He walked four and struck out 10. Richmond starter Brian Lawrence worked 5 1/3 innings yielding five runs on 9 hits. Neither started figured in the decision.

With the win the PawSox remain alone atop the IL North, one game clear of the Scranton/Wilkes Barre Yankees.

Game two of the series is set for tonight (7:05 pm) at McCoy. LHP Jonathon Rouwenhorst (6-6, 5.50) throws for Richmond while RHP Devern Hansack (2-8, 5.40) takes the mound for the PawSox.

BOX SCORE