Paw Sox Take Out The Tide

On a hot, hazy night in Pawtucket, the Paw Sox took to the field against the Norfolk Tide for the second game of a three game series.  The Tide took game 1, walking away with a 6-4 victory against the hometown team on Memorial Day. However, the Paw Sox were able to change the flow with an 11-8 victory that saw 19 runs scored, 31 hits, and 5 home runs and took a staggering 3 hours and 38 minutes, the longest home game for the Paw Sox so far this season.

Ross Ohlendorf took the ball for the Paw Sox. Already he brought them a 4-1 victory over the Toledo Mud Hens last Thursday’s game that kicked off the 8-game home stand and was looking to do the same thing tonight. However, while on he carved up the Mud Hens that time, today Ohlendorf was taken out to sea by the Tide. He only lasted 4 innings, giving up 10 hits, allowing 5 runs to score (all earned and with 4 of those runs coming in the 4th), while walking 2 batters, striking out 5, hitting 2 batters (Ohlendorf hit Tide 1B Joe Mahoney twice) on 85 pitches of work.

After all that was said and done, Ohlendorf ended getting the No Decision, his 3rd of the year. The win was credited to Paw Sox reliever Junichi Tazawa, his 3rd win on the season. He came in the 5th to replace Ohlendorf, went 2 innings, giving up 2 hits, 1 run (it was earned), and struck out 4 Tide batters. Paw Sox Reliever Will Inman picked up his 4th save of the season in the 9th to end the game.

At the plate, the Paw Sox put on an impressive offensive display. In the 1st inning alone, they were able to bat through the entire lineup. LF Lars Anderson led the way with another impressive game, going 2 for 4 with 5 RBIs, including 2 that came off a monster home run in the 4th inning that put a nice size hole in the right field scoreboard. Teammate RF Josh Kroeger also contributed to the cause with a home run in the 4th inning as while 1B Mauro Goumez added a homer in the bottom of the 8th, capping off a 1 for 3 day with 2 RBIs.

Interestingly enough, making his return to McCoy Stadium was former Paw Sox catcher Luis Expositio. Exposito started the year on the Paw Sox roster, going 2-10 (.200) with 1 RBI in 3 games. He was then designated for assignment on April 15th and was claimed by the Baltimore Orioles on April 17th. Continuing off a 1-4, RBI performance in yesterday’s game, Exposito went 3 for 4, including an RBI double in the 6th inning.

With tonight’s game wrapped up, the Paw Sox have two games left of their home stand. Tomorrow Paw Sox RHP Justin Germano (4-3, 2.93) will take the mound against the Tide’s RHP Brad Bergesen (2-2, 4.96) at 7:05 p.m. Then on Thursday at 7:05 p.m., Daisuke Matsuzaka (0-1, 3.74) continues his injury-rehab stint in Pawtucket, going up against Chris Tillman (3-7, 4.78) of the Tide.


-Ryan Fox

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