FARM REPORT: Fister on the Mend Against PawSox

Garin Cecchini hit a grand slam home run to highlight a 15-hit game for the Pawtucket offense and starter Keith Couch tossed seven strong innings as the PawSox beat MLB-rehabbing Doug Fister and the Syracuse Chiefs, 7-2, to earn a split in the two-game series on Sunday afternoon at NBT Bank Stadium. Cecchini homered for the second straight game (3) as he blasted a 3-1 pitch from A.J. Cole out to right field in the fifth inning.  Deven Marrero went deep (4) against Fister for the PawSox (28-29), who hit five long balls in the two-game set and have 13 home runs in their last nine games. 

Fister, beginning a rehab assignment for the Washington Nationals and coming back from a flexor tendon strain in his right elbow, allowed seven hits and two runs (one earned) in his 3.2 innings of work.  Marrero’s blast to right in the second inning made the score 2-1 Pawtucket.

After Martinson’s blast to centerfield (7) cut the Chiefs deficit in half, the PawSox put together a four-run rally against Cole in the fifth.  Allen Craig led off with a single, then Travis Shaw and Marrero each walked to load the bases with one out.  Cecchini followed with the team’s first grand slam of the season that made the score 6-1.

Shaw capped the scoring for Pawtucket with a two-out RBI single in the sixth.  John Cornely allowed a run on two hits in the eighth, while Noe Ramirez pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning with two strikeouts to end the victory.

Marrero went 3-for-4 with a walk and a homer to pace the PawSox offense, while Jackie Bradley, Jr., Quintin Berry, Craig, Cecchini and Quintero all had two of the team’s 15 hits.