PAW SOX NOTES @ COLUMBUS

 

JUNE 18^th   PAWTUCKET (41-28)     at     COLUMBUS (34-37)      

Pawtucket Red Sox LHP Chris Hernandez (3-2, 4.38) vs. Columbus Clippers RHP Joe Martinez (2-5, 6.48) 

Climbing to New Heights – The Pawtucket Red Sox look to go 14-games over .500 for the first time this season when they play game two of their 4-game series against the Columbus Clippers tonight at 7:05 pm at Huntington Park in Columbus.  The PawSox used three pitchers (winner Rubby De La Rosa along with relievers Alex Wilson and Brock Huntzinger) to blank Columbus, 4-0 last night in the series opener.  The win pushed the Sox to 13-games above .500 matching their season-high from June 2 (35-22).  A victory tonight would raise them to 14 over for the first time since they ended last season with a 79-65 record.

This Series and Trip - The PawSox and Clippers face each other for three more night games (tonight, tomorrow, and Thursday all at 7:05 pm) before the PawSox continue this 8-game Ohio roadtrip by moving to Toledo for a 4-game wrap-around weekend set this Friday night through next Monday afternoon.   That series will actually start a stretch of 8 consecutive games with the Mud Hens as the PawSox return home to McCoy Stadium one week from tonight (Tuesday, June 25) to host Toledo for four more games as part of a season-high 9-game homestand (June 25 – July 3) that also includes a 5-game series with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (the first time the Red Sox and Yankee affiliates will meet at McCoy this season).

Their Cups Runneth Over – The PawSox and Clippers have captured the last three Governors’ Cup Championships.  Columbus won the Cup in back-to-back years in 2010 and 2011 while Pawtucket won the International League Championship in 2012 (in case you hadn’t heard).  The PawSox are attempting to repeat as Cup Champs this season and although they have never done it in franchise-history the feat is not as rare as one would think.  As mentioned, Columbus won back-to-back titles in 2010 & 2011, Toledo did the same in 2005 & 2006, and Durham won the Cup in 2002 & 2003.  Before the Bulls pulled off that feat you do have to go back to 1991 and 1992 to find the next repeat champ – and that was Columbus.

High Five – 1^st-place Pawtucket’s current 5-game lead is their largest this season and their largest in just over a year since they were up by 5-games last June 15-17 (which was their 2012 season-high).  The PawSox have not owned a 1^st-place lead of more than 5-game since they were atop the IL North by 6-games on July 9 of 2008.  As the midpoint of the season approaches (this Thursday in Columbus by the way), the PawSox have either held 1^st or 2^nd-place in the division all year except for one day in 3^rd-place (May 5).  The Sox have held the lead atop the IL North since May 24 after being tied with Buffalo for the top spot from May 17-23.

Road Warriors – The PawSox have the best road record in the International League at 21-13.  Syracuse is next with a 19-14 road mark.  The Sox have won 13 of their last 20 away games.

Series Matters – By taking 3 of 4 from Buffalo this weekend, Pawtucket won a series for the first time since taking 3 of 4 in Louisville from May 23-26.  Thanks in large part to an uncooperative Mother Nature, the PawSox had suffered two straight series losses as their previous two series were both cut short from 4-games to 3-games as the result of rainouts.  Thus the Sox had lost back-to-back series for the first time in nearly a year since they lost three straight series last June 18-29 (swept in Syracuse, swept vs. Louisville, and lost 3 of 4 to Charlotte).  Pawtucket suffered their first series loss in six weeks from June 4-6 as the visiting Charlotte Knights took an abbreviated set from the Sox, 2 games to 1 (the finale on June 7 was rained-out).  Pawtucket had not lost a series in any of their previous 9 attempts (3 wins and 6 splits) since they dropped 3 of 4 in Buffalo from April 23-26.  Then from June 8-10 in Syracuse the Sox dropped another abbreviated set to the Chiefs, 2 games to 1.  Pawtucket is now 6-4-8 in their first 18 series of the season (6 series wins, 4 series losses, and 8 series splits).

Comeback Kids – 11 of Pawtucket’s last 17 victories since May 19 have been of the come-from-behind variety.  On the season, 22 of their 41 victories this year have been in come-from-behind fashion.

It’s Not How You Start But How You Finish – The opponent has scored first in 38 of Pawtucket’s 69 games this season but somehow the PawSox have managed to win as many games as they lose when the opposition jumps to an early lead (Sox are 19-19 in such games).  To put that record into perspective, the PawSox were just 25-44 in games when the opponent scored first last year.  Pawtucket is 22-9 when they score first in a game this season.  Last year they were 54-21 in that category.

Two is Too Many – The PawSox have still not lost more than two games in a row all season and they have not lost three straight since last August 16-18 (two in Scranton/WB and one at home to Buffalo).  They have had seven different losing streaks of more than two games last year.  Pawtucket has had just seven 2-game losing skids thus far (April 15 & 16, April 18 & 20, April 25 & 26, May 4 & 5, May 12 & 13, May 15 & 16, June 3 & 4, and June 6 & 8).

Staying in Tune in June – The PawSox are past the halfway mark in the month of June with an 8-6 mark.  They are hitting .254 in June (119-for-469) and are 8-6 with a 3.85 ERA (53 ER in 124 IP).  The Sox are coming off a terrific month of May as they finished 18-11 in May for the most wins of any team in the International League.  Pawtucket’s Team ERA in May of 3.39 was the best in the league by far (Indy was next at 3.79). Sox batters were 5^th in the league in May with their .263 average.

Hometown Heroes – Pawtucket has won 8 of their last 12 home games including a 4-game home winning streak on May 21 and May 31 – June 2 which was their longest since they opened the season by winning their first four games at McCoy (a 4-game sweep of Rochester from April 11-14).  They have not won 5 in a row at home since the 2011 season (July 3 and then July 9-15 of 2011).  Pawtucket is 20-15 at home – again a season-high 5-games over .500 at McCoy (also on June 2 and June 14).

Home/Road Results – The PawSox are 20-15 at home compared to 21-13 on the road.  Their road numbers are better than home both offensively and on the mound.  Pawtucket’s home ERA is 3.86 (138 ER in 322 IP) while their road ERA is 3.51 (112 ER in 287.1 IP).  The Sox are hitting .252 at home (290-for-1150) and .266 on the road (303-for-1141).  The PawSox have hit 34 HR in 35 games at McCoy compared to 28 HR in 34 away games.

PAW SOX LOOK TO CLOSE OUT SERIES WITH A WIN

​ BUFFALO (35-32) at PAWTUCKET (39-28) 1:05 pm

Buffalo Bisons RHP Todd Redmond (1-1, 10.24) vs. Pawtucket Red Sox RHP Steven Wright (2-4, 5.10)

Series Finale – The 1st-place Pawtucket Red Sox and the 2nd-place Buffalo Bisons close out their 4-game series this afternoon at 1:05 pm at McCoy Stadium. The teams have played three 1-run games thus far with the PawSox sweeping a doubleheader on Friday night via a pair of walk-off wins (1-0 and 8-7 in 9-innings) but the Bisons got on the board last night holding the Sox to one hit and one run in a 2-1 win. That victory put Buffalo back into 2nd-place as they now trail the PawSox by 4-games. The PawSox began this series with a 3-game lead over the Bisons. Today’s result represents the proverbial two–game swing.

One is a Lonely Number – The PawSox have played four straight 1-run games (going 2-2 in those) and have been involved in five 1-run games in their last six games (2-3 in those). In their first 53 games through May 29 the Sox had played only 10 1-run affairs (6-4) but since then have played eight 1-run games in their last 14 games (3-5) since May 30.

Leading the Way – Pawtucket’s 4½-game lead on Friday marked their largest in about a year since they were up by 5-games last June 15-17 (which was their 2012 season-high). As the midpoint of the season approaches (next Thursday in Columbus by the way), the PawSox have either held 1st or 2nd-place in the division all year except for one day in 3rd-place (May 5). The Sox have held the lead atop the IL North since May 24 after being tied with Buffalo for the top spot from May 17-23.

Showdown Series – This week and weekend represents Buffalo’s first visit to McCoy this season. The teams met in Buffalo for a 4-game set from April 23-26 with the Bisons taking 3 of 4. Buffalo won the opener, 5-3 on April 23, the next night was rained-out, the teams split the make-up doubleheader on April 25 (Sox won, 8-3 and lost, 4-0), and Buffalo captured the series outright by virtue of their 8-4 victory in the finale on April 26. Pawtucket evened the season-series at three victories apiece with their 1-0 and 8-7 doubleheader sweep of the Bisons Friday night but Buffalo regained the lead with a 2-1 triumph last night. After today, the teams won’t meet again until early-August for a 4-game series in Buffalo from August 3-6. Their final meeting will be at McCoy for a 4-game set from August 17-20.

Always a Battle vs. Buffalo – The all-time series lead between Pawtucket and Buffalo has gone back and forth in recent times. Buffalo now owns a 3-game advantage – 124 victories for the Bisons compared to 121 wins for the PawSox. These two rivals have battled for 15½ years now since the Bisons returned to the IL in 1998. The PawSox are 65-57 at home (including 0-1 at Fenway Park) vs. the Bisons but 56-67 in Buffalo since ’98. Buffalo was a Cleveland affiliate from 1998 – 2008, a New York Mets affiliate from 2009-2012, and now a Toronto Blue Jays affiliate for the first time this year.

Series Matters – Pawtucket is up 2 games to 1 in this 4-game set as they bid to win a series today for the first time since taking 3 of 4 in Louisville from May 23-26. Thanks in large part to an uncooperative Mother Nature, the PawSox have suffered two straight series losses as each of their past two series were cut short from 4-games to 3-games as the result of rainouts. Therefore the Sox have lost back-to-back series for the first time in nearly a year since they lost three straight series last June 18-29 (swept in Syracuse, swept vs. Louisville, and lost 3 of 4 to Charlotte). Pawtucket suffered their first series loss in six weeks last week as the visiting Charlotte Knights took an abbreviated set from the Sox, 2 games to 1 (the finale on June 7 was rained-out). Pawtucket had not lost a series in any of their previous 9 attempts (3 wins and 6 splits) since they dropped 3 of 4 in Buffalo from April 23-26. Then earlier this week in Syracuse the Sox dropped another abbreviated set to the Chiefs, 2 games to 1. Pawtucket is now 5-4-8 in their first 17 series of the season (5 series wins, 4 series losses, and 8 series splits) pending today’s outcome.

PAW SOX PLAY TWO TODAY

JUNE 11th PAWTUCKET (37-26) at SYRACUSE (26-36) 10:30 am

Game 1: Pawtucket Red Sox RHP Steven Wright (2-3, 4.99) vs. Syracuse Chiefs RHP Jeff Mandel (1-2, 6.08)
Game 2: Pawtucket Red Sox BULLPEN vs. Syracuse Chiefs RHP Yunesky Maya (1-4, 4.96)

Quick Turnaround – The Pawtucket Red Sox and the Syracuse Chiefs are scheduled to play a double header this morning at 10:30 am at NBT Bank Stadium in Syracuse after last night’s game was postponed due to constant rain. The teams have split the first two games thus far with the Chiefs winning 4-3 on Saturday before the PawSox evened matters with a 5-3 victory on Sunday. The 1st-place PawSox and the last-place Chiefs have met 6 times in the past 10 days heading into tonight (Sox have won 4 of the 6) but after today won’t face each other again for two months until the PawSox return to Syracuse for another 4-game set from August 8-11.

After Morning – After today’s game in Syracuse – which will put an end to this 4-game roadtrip – the PawSox will head back to Pawtucket. The Sox will get to enjoy their only off-day in the entire month of June on Wednesday…which will be their last scheduled day off until the 3-day All-Star break from July 15-17. Pawtucket will resume action on Thursday at McCoy for a 4-game series (and homestand) against the 2nd-place Buffalo Bisons with games on tap for Thursday & Friday at 7:05 pm, Saturday at 6:05 pm, and Sunday at 1:05 pm.

Series Matters – The PawSox are tied at a victory apiece in this 4-game set at Syracuse. Pawtucket suffered their first series loss in six weeks last week as the Charlotte Knights took an abbreviated set from the Sox, 2 games to 1 (the finale last Friday was rained-out). Pawtucket had not lost a series in any of their previous 9 attempts (3 wins and 6 splits) since they dropped 3 of 4 in Buffalo from April 23-26. Pawtucket is now 5-3-8 in their first 16 series of the season (5 series wins, 3 series losses, and 8 series splits).

Comeback Kids – 10 of Pawtucket’s last 13 victories since May 19 have been of the come-from-behind variety. On the season, 21 of their 37 victories this year have been in come-from-behind fashion.

It’s Not How You Start But How You Finish – The opponent has scored first in 36 of Pawtucket’s 63 games this season but somehow the PawSox have managed to win more games than they lose when the opposition jumps to an early lead (Sox are 19-17 in such games). To put that record into perspective, the PawSox were just 25-44 in games when the opponent scored first last year. Pawtucket is 18-9 when they score first in a game this season. Last year they were 54-21 in that category.

Two is Too Many – The PawSox have still not lost more than two games in a row all season and they have not lost three straight since last August 16-18 (two in Scranton/WB and one at home to Buffalo). They have had seven different losing streaks of more than two games last year. Pawtucket has had just seven 2-game losing skids thus far (April 15 & 16, April 18 & 20, April 25 & 26, May 4 & 5, May 12 & 13, May 15 & 16, June 3 & 4, and June 6 & 8).

Season-Highs – Pawtucket was a season-best 13-games over .500 on June 2 at 35-22 (they are now 37-26). They enjoyed a season-high 4-game lead atop the IL North division on June 1, 2, and 5 (now + 2½-games).

PAW SOX BATTLE CHIEFS TONIGHT

JUNE 9th PAWTUCKET (36-26) at SYRACUSE (26-35) 5:00 pm

Pawtucket Red Sox RHP Brandon Workman (NR) vs. Syracuse Chiefs RHP Matt Torra (0-2, 6.19)

Quick Trip TONY – The Pawtucket Red Sox continue a quick 4-game series (and roadtrip) to Syracuse, NY tonight against the Syracuse Chiefs at NBT Bank Stadium. The 1st-place PawSox and the last-place Chiefs play tonight at 5:00 pm, tomorrow at 7:00 pm, and Tuesday morning at 10:30 am. The Sox will then enjoy their only off-day in the entire month of June on Wednesday before returning for McCoy for a 4-game series (and homestand) against Buffalo next Thursday – Sunday (June 13-16).

Series Loss (to Charlotte and Mother Nature) – The PawSox were rained-out Friday in their series and homestand finale vs. Charlotte. The game will not be made-up as the Sox and Knights do not face each other for the rest of the season. Pawtucket was hoping to gain a split of that 4-game series on Friday, but instead suffered their first series loss in six weeks as the Knights took the abbreviated set, 2 games to 1. Pawtucket had not lost a series in any of their previous 9 attempts (3 wins and 6 splits) since they dropped 3 of 4 in Buffalo from April 23-26. Pawtucket is now 5-3-8 in their first 16 series of the season (5 series wins, 3 series losses, and 8 series splits).

Comeback Kids – The last 5 PawSox wins have been come-from-behind victories as the Sox have allowed 1st-inning runs to their opposition in all 5 of those wins. Furthermore, 10 of Pawtucket’s last 12 victories since May 19 have been of the come-from-behind variety. On the season, 21 of their 36 victories this year have been in come-from-behind fashion.

It’s Not How You Start But How You Finish – The opponent has scored first in 36 of Pawtucket’s 62 games this season but somehow the PawSox have managed to win more games than they lose when the opposition jumps to an early lead (Sox are 19-17 in such games). To put that record into perspective, the PawSox were just 25-44 in games when the opponent scored first last year. Pawtucket is 17-9 when they score first in a game this season. Last year they were 54-21 in that category.

PAW SOX OPEN 4-GAME SERIES TONIGHT

JUNE 4th CHARLOTTE (24-35) at PAWTUCKET (35-23) 7:05 pm

Charlotte Knights RHP Andre Rienzo (4-3, 6.71) vs. Pawtucket Red Sox RHP Stephen Wright (2-2, 4.64)

Governors’ Cup Rematch – The Pawtucket Red Sox host the Charlotte Knights in a rematch of the 2012 Governors’ Cup Finals as the teams open a 4-game series tonight at 7:05 pm at McCoy Stadium. The PawSox swept Charlotte in three straight games last September by scores of 7-2 and 2-0 here at McCoy on September 11 & 12 and then completed the sweep with a 4-1 win in Charlotte on September 13 to capture their first Governors’ Cup in 28 years. Now nearly nine months later the teams have gone in opposite directions with the PawSox sitting in 1st-place in the IL North with the third best record in the league (behind Indianapolis & Durham) while Charlotte is in last-place in the IL South with the second worst record in the IL (ahead of only Toledo).

Nice to See You Again – A little less than a month ago the PawSox and Charlotte split a 4-game series in Fort Mill, SC. The Sox won the first two games on May 10 & 11 by 3-1 and 4-0 scores but the Knights gained the split with 6-4 and 6-1 victories on May 12 & 13. The clubs will play four night games here at McCoy this week (all at 7:05 pm) beginning tonight through Friday to conclude the season-series.

Big Brother is Watching – The Pawtucket Red Sox and the Boston Red Sox come into play tonight with identical 35-23 records on the season. Both teams are in 1st-place in their division…the PawSox by 3-games and the Red Sox by 2½-games.

This Homestand – The PawSox are 3-1 in the midst of another 8-game homestand (their fourth in as many homestands to begin the year). They had to settle for taking 3 of 4 from Syracuse to begin the homestand as the Chiefs rallied to beat the Sox, 6-5 in 11-innings last night to avoid the sweep. Pawtucket won the first three games of the series…9-8 (in 12-innings), 5-3, and 10-3 over the weekend. The Sox need a win tonight to avoid dropping back-to-back games for the first time in nearly three weeks (since May 15 & 16 defeats at home to Gwinnett).

MIDDLEBROOKS TO REHAB IN PAWTUCKET

- The Boston Red Sox today will send 3B Will Middlebrooks to Pawtucket on an injury rehab assignment. Middlebrooks is expected to be with the PawSox for their 4-game series vs. Charlotte beginning tonight through Friday at McCoy Stadium (all games at 7:05 pm).

Middlebrooks has been on Boston’s disabled list since May 24 with a low back strain. He is hitting .201 in 46 games for the Red Sox (all 46 games at 3B) with 12 2B, 8 HR and 21 RBI. Will spent the first month of last season with the PawSox batting .333 in 24 games with 9 HR & 27 RBI before earning a promotion to Boston on May 2. He was having a fine rookie season before suffering a season-ending right wrist fracture when he was hit by a pitch on August 10 in Cleveland. Middlebrooks finished with a .288 average along with 14 2B, 15 HR and 54 RBI in 75 games for the Red Sox last season.

- Two New England Patriots players will be appearing at McCoy Stadium tonight and will be available to the media at approximately 6:00 pm tonight in the wives’ lounge at McCoy adjacent to the PawSox Clubhouse. Safety Tavon Wilson and tight end Michael Hoomanawanui will throw out ceremonial 1st balls prior to the game and sign autographs for fans in the Cox Fan Center from 7:15 – 8:15 pm. Any interested media can meet with them in the wives’ lounge from about 6:00 – 6:20 pm.

PAW SOX GO FOR THE SWEEP TONIGHT

JUNE 3rd SYRACUSE (23-33) at PAWTUCKET (35-22) 7:05 pm

Syracuse Chiefs LHP Danny Rosenbaum (5-3, 3.54) vs. Pawtucket Red Sox RHP Alfredo Aceves (2-1, 3.13)

Sweep Dreams – The Pawtucket Red Sox bid for their fourth 4-game sweep already this season when they close out their 4-game set against the Syracuse Chiefs tonight at 7:05 pm at McCoy Stadium. The PawSox began the season with a 4-game sweep in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre from April 4-7, opened their home schedule with a 4-game sweep of Rochester from April 11-14, and swept a 4-game set at Gwinnett from May 6-9. Pawtucket has not been swept in a 4-game set (or a 3-game series for that matter) in just about a year since Louisville swept a 4-game series here at McCoy last June 22-25.

This Series – The PawSox have taken the first three games of this series with Syracuse despite spotting the Chiefs a 1st-inning lead in all three games. Syracuse scored 3 runs in the 1st on Friday, 1 run in the 1st on Saturday, and 1 run again in the top of the 1st-inning yesterday. However, Pawtucket has recovered all three times en route to 9-8, 5-3, and 10-3 victories the past three games respectively (the Friday 9-8 win in 12-innings). After tonight’s series finale, these two clubs will meet again later this week for another 4-game series beginning Saturday night in Syracuse. The teams play at NBT Bank Stadium in Syracuse on Saturday at 7:00 pm, Sunday at 5:00 pm, next Monday at 7:00 pm, and next Tuesday morning at 10:30 am to conclude a 4-game PawSox roadtrip.

Season-Highs – Pawtucket is a season-best 13-games over .500 (at 35-22) and can go 14-games above with a victory tonight which would match the plateau the finished last year at (with a 79-65 record). The PawSox have also enjoyed a season-high 4-game lead atop the IL North division for the past two days. 2nd-place Buffalo is playing at Norfolk this afternoon so that lead will change before the Sox take the field tonight.

Monday Night Baseball – Tonight marks Pawtucket’s only Monday night home game this month as their next three Monday games in June will all come on the road (in Syracuse, in Columbus, and in Toledo). Pawtucket will be home on Monday, July 1 vs. Scranton/WB and then not have another home Monday game until July 29 vs. Lehigh Valley. Ultimately, after tonight…five of the next six PawSox Monday games will be played on the road.

DIVISION LEADERS MEET AT MCCOY

MAY 28th PAWTUCKET (31-20) at INDIANAPOLIS (34-18) 7:05 pm

Pawtucket Red Sox RHP Terry Doyle (3-4, 4.63) vs. Indianapolis Indians LHP Andy Oliver (3-2, 2.87)

Battle of the Best – The Pawtucket Red Sox and the Indianapolis Indians continue their 4-game series with game two tonight at 7:05 pm at Victory Field in downtown Indianapolis. This series features a battle of division leaders as the PawSox are in 1st-place in the IL North by 2-games while Indianapolis sits atop the IL West by 4½-games. Indy owns the best record in the league at 34-18 while the PawSox are tied with Durham and Norfolk for the second best mark in the IL at 31-20. The PawSox come into play tonight riding a 4-game winning streak while the Indians are on a 3-game losing skid.

This Series and Roadtrip – The PawSox rolled over Indianapolis in the series-opener last night, 9-1 to improve to 4-1 on this 8-game roadtrip. The PawSox took 3 of 4 in Louisville last week/weekend including the final three games in a row. They made it four straight overall with their win last night. This series continues tonight at 7:05 pm, followed by a matinee tomorrow at 1:35 pm, and the finale on Thursday at 7:05 pm. The PawSox will return to McCoy Stadium this Friday to close out the month of May with a game vs. Syracuse (their first against an IL North rival since April 26) kicking-off another 8-game homestand (four with Syracuse and four with Charlotte) from May 31 – June 7.

Four of a Kind – Prior to their current 4-game winning streak the PawSox had gone win, loss, win, loss, win, loss in their previous 6 games from May 17-23. Over a longer stretch they had dropped 7 of 11 games from May 12-23 following their season-high 6-game winning streak from May 6-11. This current 4-game winning streak matches their third longest of the year behind the aforementioned 6-gamer, a 5-game winning streak from April 9-14, and another 4-gamer from April 4-7. That 4-game winning streak also came on the road (to begin the season in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre) and their entire 6-game winning streak occurred on the road as well.

Road Warriors – Speaking of the road…the PawSox now have the best road record in the International League at 18-9. The Sox have won 10 of their 13 away games this month.

Home/Road Results – The PawSox are 13-11 at home compared to 18-9 on the road. But their numbers are close both home and away. Their home ERA is 3.64 (89 ER in 220 IP) while their road ERA is 3.53 (89 ER in 227 IP). The Sox are hitting .254 at home (196-for-773) and .261 on the road (235-for-900). The PawSox have hit 21 HR in 24 games at McCoy compared to 22 HR in 27 away games.

PAW SOX CLOSE OUT MAY WITH THE CHIEFS

MAY 31^st                     SYRACUSE (23-30)    at    PAWTUCKET (32-22)      7:05 pm   

 

Chiefs RHP Yunesky Maya (1-4, 5.07) vs Pawtucket Red Sox LHP Chris Hernandez (3-2, 3.58)   

Making Hay in May – The Pawtucket Red Sox close out a successful month of May tonight when they play the opener of a 4-game wrap-around weekend series with the Syracuse Chiefs at 7:05 pm at McCoy Stadium.  The PawSox are 17-11 this month with the May finale on tap for this evening.  Their 17 wins in May are the most of any team in the International League – Durham, Indianapolis, and Norfolk are next with 16 victories apiece.  Pawtucket’s Team ERA in May of 3.30 is the best in the league by far (Norfolk is next at 3.89) as Sox pitchers have allowed 91 ER in 248.1 IP this month.  The PawSox ended the month of April with a 15-11 record and in 2^nd-place, -3 GB.  They come into play tonight in 1^st-place, +3-games.  Last year the PawSox had their winningest month of the season in May going 18-12 (they are 17-11 this May).  Pawtucket has now posted 10 winning full months (along with one .500 month) in their last 13 months of action dating back to August of 2010 through May of 2013.

One Series at a Time – The PawSox have gone the entire month of May without losing a series.  Their last series loss came in Buffalo from April 23-26 when they dropped 3 of 4.  Since then they have won 2 series and split 6 others.  Pawtucket is 4-2-8 in their first 14 series of the season (4 series wins, 2 series losses, and 8 series splits).

Smooth Road – The PawSox went 5-3 on their just-concluded roadtrip.  The Sox took 3 of 4 in Louisville last week/weekend and split a 4-game series in Indianapolis this week.  The PawSox batted .292 in the 8-games on the trip (81-for-277) with 15 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR and 36 runs scored to raise their team batting average from .254 to .260 (which is their highest since May 2 at .262).  Sox pitchers went 5-3 with a 3.71 ERA on the trip (29 ER in 70.1 IP) but if you throw out their first game on May 23 (a 10-0 loss at Louisville) they were 5-2 with a 3.03 ERA (21 ER in 62.1 IP).

Welcome Home - The PawSox return to McCoy Stadium tonight to begin yet another 8-game homestand (their fourth in as many homestands to begin the year).  They have gone 5-3, 4-4, and 4-4 on their first three homestands of the year.  This 4-game series against Syracuse will be Pawtucket’s first game against an IL North club since April 26.  The Chiefs are also the last division rival the Sox have yet to face this season.   The PawSox and Syracuse play tonight at 7:05 pm, tomorrow at 6:05 pm, Sunday at 1:05 pm, and Monday at 7:05 pm.   The Charlotte Knights will then make their first visit since last September’s Governors’ Cup Finals when they come to McCoy for a 4-game series next Tuesday – Friday (all at 7:05 pm) to finish the homestand.

Home Not So Sweet – Pawtucket has not won back-to-back home games since May 2 & 3 – going 10 straight games at McCoy without winning two in a row at home.  They did win the final game of their last homestand on May 21 (9-8 over Indianapolis) but have still dropped 6 of their last 10 home games.  As a result, Pawtucket is 13-11 at home this season.  The last time the PawSox have not been above .500 at home was April 10, 2012 when they finished their first homestand of last year at 3-3.

Road Warriors – The PawSox are in a virtual tie with Syracuse for the best road record in the International League as the Sox are at 19-11 while the Chiefs are 17-9.  The Sox won 11 of their 16 away games this month.

Home/Road Results – The PawSox are 13-11 at home compared to 19-11 on the road.  But their numbers are close both home and away.  Their home ERA is 3.64 (89 ER in 220 IP) while their road ERA is 3.59 (101 ER in 253.1 IP).  The Sox are hitting .254 at home (196-for-773) and .265 on the road (266-for-1004).  The PawSox have hit 21 HR in 24 games at McCoy compared to 23 HR in 30 away games.

Winning Ways – Pawtucket has won 5 of their last 7 games including a recent 4-game winning streak from May 24-27.  Prior to that the PawSox had gone win, loss, win, loss, win, loss in their previous six games from May 17-23.  Over a longer stretch they had dropped 7 of 11 games from May 12-23 following their season-high 6-game winning streak from May 6-11.  The recent 4-game winning streak matched their third longest of the year behind the aforementioned 6-gamer, a 5-game winning streak from April 9-14, and another 4-gamer from April 4-7.

View From Above – Pawtucket regained the lead in the IL North last Friday (May 24) for the first time since April 19.  Their current 3-game advantage is their largest of the season (and matches their largest 1^st-place lead since June 20 of last year).  The PawSox raced to a 9-1 start and a 2½-game lead atop the division through April 14.  However, Buffalo took over the division lead on April 20 and the PawSox fell a season-high -3 GB on April 26, 28, and 30 and May 5.  Pawtucket battled back into a virtual tie with Buffalo for 1^st-place in the IL North from May 9-12, the Bisons regained a 1-game lead on May 13 and May 16, but the teams were in a virtual tie for the top spot again from May 17-23.

Two is Too Many – The PawSox have not lost more than two in a row all season.  Pawtucket has had just six 2-game losing skids thus far (April 15 & 16, April 18 & 20, April 25 & 26, May 4 & 5, May 12 & 13, and May 15 & 16).  The PawSox have not lost three straight since last August 16-18 (two in Scranton/WB and one at home to Buffalo).

Running to the Top – The PawSox are 2^nd in the International League in Runs Scored with 279.  Durham is 1^st with 302. Pawtucket is 4^th in Team Batting (.260) and 2^nd in Team Pitching (3.61).

Defense Wins Championships – Pawtucket has played 5 straight errorless games (their longest stretch of the season) and they have made just 3 errors in their last 11 games since May 19.  As a result, they have moved into 2^nd-place in the league in Team Fielding Pct. at .980 (40 errors in 1974 total chances).  Scranton/Wilkes-Barre is 1^st at .983.

PAW SOX LOOKING FOR SPLIT OF HOMESTAND

MAY 21st INDIANAPOLIS (32-14) at PAWTUCKET (26-19) 12:05 pm

Indianapolis Indians LHP Andy Oliver (3-1, 2.61) vs. Pawtucket Red Sox LHP Chris Hernandez (2-2, 4.31)

Day Baseball – The Pawtucket Red Sox play the finale of their 4-game series against the Indianapolis Indians this afternoon at 12:05 pm at McCoy Stadium to close out their third homestand of the season. After today’s game the PawSox will be 33% of the way through their home schedule (24 games played of the 72 scheduled games at McCoy this year). They are 3-4 on this homestand after going 5-3 and 4-4 during their first two homestands. The PawSox are just 8-10 in day games compared to 18-9 in night games. They only have two day games in their next 17 games from May 23 – June 8.

This Series – The Indians grabbed a 2 games to 1 lead in this series by virtue of their 8-4 victory last night. Pawtucket (tied for the IL North lead with Buffalo) and Indianapolis (atop the IL West) split the first two games in this match-up of division leaders. Indianapolis got the jump with a 6-3 victory Saturday night but the PawSox rebounded nicely rolling to an 11-3 win Sunday afternoon. These two teams will meet again in less than a week next Monday though Thursday for another 4-game set at Victory Field in downtown Indy (May 27-30).

The Road Ahead – Pawtucket will enjoy their second scheduled off-day the season tomorrow before heading out on an 8-game roadtrip beginning Thursday night in Louisville. The trip will feature a pair of 4-game sets at Louisville and in Indianapolis. The Sox and Bats play Thursday & Friday nights at 6:35 pm and Saturday & Sunday nights at 6:05 pm. PawSox catchers (and pitchers for that matter) will have to contend with Louisville OF Billy Hamilton who leads the International League with 22 stolen bases this season (in 26 attempts) after setting a professional baseball record with 155 SB last season. Pawtucket’s roadtrip will continue next week with a 4-game set against these Indianapolis Indians on Memorial Day Monday at 6:05 pm, next Tuesday at 7:05 pm, a Wednesday matinee at 1:35pm, and the finale next Thursday at 7:05 pm. The PawSox will return to McCoy Stadium one week from Friday to close out the month of May with a May 31 game vs. Syracuse (their first against an IL North rival since April 26) kicking-off another 8-game homestand (four with Syracuse and four with Charlotte) from May 31 – June 7.