PawSox Fall Short To Veteran Wolf & The Bisons'

 Randy Wolf held the Pawtucket Red Sox in offense in check for most of Wednesday afternoon and Chris Colabello did the rest in an 8-3 Buffalo victory in front of 6,396 at McCoy Stadium. Wolf earned his third win in as many starts and Colabello homered and drove in four.


The Bisons' victory locked up their second series win over the PawSox in a week and moved Buffalo ahead of Pawtucket in the International League North Division. The loss closed a 5-2 homestand for Pawtucket. 

PawSox starter Steven Wright flashed an outstanding knuckleball early in his start and struck out ten in the loss. For the second straight outing, walks and big innings plagued Wright, who allowed six runs on nine hits with three walks.

Pawtucket (9-5) took a lead in the first inning when Bryce Brentz hit a towering fly to right-center field. Bisons' centerfielder Ezequiel Carrera lost the ball in the sun and Brentz's double plated Jackie Bradley, Jr., who had singled to lead off the frame.


Buffalo (9-4) scored three in a third inning that could have been bigger. Josh Thole led off the inning with a single before Munenori Kawasaki was hit by a pitch. After Carrera lined out and Chris Dickerson struck out for the second time, Matt Hague singled to center to load the bases. Wright then walked Andy Wilkins to score Thole and tie the game.


Catcher Black Swihart was then unable to handle a knuckleball; a passed ball plated Kawasaki and pushed the Bisons ahead 2-1. Colabello then singled to score Hague, but Bradley gunned down Wilkins at the plate to end the rally.


Pawtucket pulled back within one in the fourth inning. With one out, Luke Montz singled before Matt Spring doubled down the left-field line.   Deven Marrero lined a sacrifice fly to left that made it 3-2.


But Buffalo answered right back with three in their half of the fifth. Wright walked a pair in the inning, Colabello drove home Carrera for his second RBI of the afternoon, and Andy Burns ripped a two-run single to center that pushed the score to 6-2. 


The PawSox battled back to within three in the bottom of that fifth, and could have drawn even closer were it not for a fantastic defensive play by Wolf. Jeff Bianchi led off with a single to center and moved to third when Bradley, Jr. doubled. With one out, Travis Shaw singled to left to make it 6-3. Brentz then hit a scorching liner up the middle that Wolf snared; he then fired to first to double off Shaw. 


Miguel Celestino pitched two scoreless innings of relief and handed the ball to Zeke Spruill, who surrendered a two-run homer to Colabello that capped the scoring. 


Pawtucket begins a four-game series in Scranton Thursday night at 6:35 P.M. Henry Owens (0-0, 4.09) is scheduled to start for the PawSox against the Railriders' Kyle Davies (1-0, 0.00). Radio coverage on 920 AM (WHJJ) and also streaming online begins at 6:20 P.M.




The PawSox will be back at McCoy Stadium on Monday, April 27 to host the Syracuse Chiefs to begin a seven-game homestand at 6:15 pm. Good seats are still available at the McCoy Stadium box office, by calling (401) 724-7300 or by visiting pawsox.com.