PawSox: Knights Slay PawSox in Series Finale

PawSox SP William Cuevas gets ready to hurl the pearl against the Charlotte Knights (Photo courtesy of the Pawtucket Red Sox©)

Ryan L. Fox

Season sweeps have come far and few in between for the PawSox in the 2018 season as they only have 3 to their name. This past Sunday, they faced the Charlotte Knights in the finale of their weekend series. The PawSox had won the first two games of the series and were looking for their 4th series sweep of the season.
 
Taking the mound for the PawSox was RHP William Cuevas (7-5, 3.28) as the Knights looked to LHP Jordan Guerrero (2-0, 3.25).

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The game started off with a bang for the Knights as CF Ryan Cordell leadoff with a triple. Two batters later, LF Eloy Jimenez hit a ball deep to center. Though PawSox CF Rusney Castillo made the out, it was deep enough for Cordell to tag up and score to give the visiting Knights a 1-0 lead. The lead then expanded to 2-0 in the top 2nd inning thanks to a leadoff homerun by Knights SS Jose Rondon on a full count.
 
Then in the following inning, Cuevas was able to get the first two batters he faced to go down via the strikeout. However Knights 3B Jake Elmore was able to get on base via single, bringing teammate LF Eloy Jimenez to the plate. On a full count, Jimenez took a Cuevas pitch deep to right for a 2-run home run to expand the Knights lead to 4-0.
 
In the top 4th inning, the Knights loaded the bases against Cuevas with one out in the inning. After getting Knights 2B Ryan Brett to popout in foul territory, Cuevas faced Cordell. Cordell hit a ball up the middle as PawSox 2B Tony Renda was in position to make the routine out. However it ended up going in between his legs, allowing 2 Knights to score to push the lead to 6-0.
 
The Knights then opened the top 5th inning with singles by Jimenez and teammate DH Matt Skole off of Cuevas. PawSox manager Kevin Boles then went to the pen, bringing in RHP Jordan Weems to finish the inning. After getting Rondon to hit into a double play, Weems faced off against C Seby Zavala. Zavala ended up going yard against Weems, raising the lead to 8-0.
 
The PawSox had multiple opportunities to score a run throughout the game. They had at least one man in scoring position in 8 out of 9 innings, including having a man at third base in 6 of those opportunities. However the PawSox ended up stranding them there every time as they ended up dropping the series finale against the Knights with the final score being 8-0 in favor of the visitors.
 
Cuevas was rocked during the game. He only lasted 4.0 innings, giving up 7 hits, 7 runs (only 5 were earned), 1 walk, struck out 5 batters, hit 1 batter, and gave up 2 home runs, threw 94 pitches (61 for strikes) and was given the loss, his 6th of the season. This was also the 10th time this season the PawSox were shutout, the 3rd time it has happened at McCoy.

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