PawSox Notebook: Rain, Rain, Go Away!

Ryan L. Fox

Welcome PawSox fans of all ages to WBOB’s PawSox Weekly Notebook, a weekly guide to all what’s happening with the Columbus Avenue Crew (aka, the Pawtucket Red Sox). You probably know that old saying of ‘April showers bring May flowers’ and pretty much heard it a million of times. Well, this past week let’s just say that was the case. There were many game postponements (3 total) due to rain, forcing the PawSox to readjust their entire schedule for the entire week, something you really don't look forward to doing this early in the season.

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A Week in Review
 
The week didn’t start off on the right foot for the PawSox. Following their loss on Friday night, the PawSox took to the field against the Gwinnett Braves for the second game of their weekend series, who had former Philadelphia Phillies 1B Ryan Howard in the lineup playing DH. Howard ended up going 2-for-2 with a walk and RBI as the Braves beat the PawSox 5-2. However, the Sunday series finale between the two teams was washed out due to rain and ended up getting rescheduled to Saturday, April 28, at McCoy, making that evening game into a doubleheader.
 
After taking the following Monday off and returning back home, the PawSox were scheduled to play the Indianapolis Indians on a Tuesday evening game. But unfortunately, that game ended up getting postponed due to (you guessed it) rain and was rescheduled for Thursday (4/27), turning that midday matinee into another doubleheader. So then Wednesday came as the PawSox and Indians were scheduled for another evening game that day only for it to be postponed due to (would you believe it if I told you) rain. That game was then rescheduled to the July 28-30 weekend where the two teams would be playing in Indianapolis. Interestingly enough, the game postponements on April 25th and April 26th marked the first time since 2007 that the PawSox had back-to-back postponements at McCoy Stadium (April 17th and April 18th of that season against the Rochester Red Wings).
 
Luckily there was a break in the weather this past Thursday as the PawSox and Indians began their doubleheader. The two teams ended up splitting the doubleheader with the Indians taking G1 with the score of 5-3 while the PawSox took G2 with the score of 4-2. The split double-head match up gave the PawSox an early 0-2-1 record in doubleheaders this season.
 
Then on Friday, April 28, the team welcomed in the Gwinnett Braves to begin their weekend series. SP Kyle Kendrick took the mound for the PawSox team as the team crushed the Braves 10-1. Kendrick delivered a well-pitched game, going 7 innings while giving up 1 hit and striking out 5 Braves batters to pick up his first win of the season. At the plate, C Blake Swihart lead the way going 2-for-4 with 1 HR and 4 RBIs as he and PawSox knocked Braves’ SP Aaron Blair, including a bottom 2nd inning where they forced Blair to throw a whopping 43 pitches in the inning.
 
Where They Stand
 Going into the final weekend of the month of April, the PawSox are currently sitting at 5th place in the International League North with a record of 9-10 (.474). They are 3.5 games back behind the divisional leading Buffalo Bisons, who are sitting at 13-7 (.650). In the Wild Card Standings, the PawSox are tied with the Charlotte Knights (9-10, .474) at 2.5 games behind the current Wild Card leaders, the Gwinnett Braves (12-8, .600)
 
Just the Stats Jack
 The following statistics are from players currently playing on the PawSox Triple-A squad as of 4/28. This excludes players who were called up, traded, currently on the disabled list, or currently on the temporary inactive list.
 
At the Plate
(*=min. 35 at-bats)
- 1B/3B Matt Dominguez is tied with OF Junior Lake for team lead in games played (18)
- OF Rusney Castillo leads the team in at-bats (63), runs scored (11), hits (18), total bases (25), and stolen bases (3)
- OF Bryce Brentz leads the team in home runs (3)
- C Blake Swihart leads the team in RBIs (11)
- 1B/OF Allen Craig leads the team in on-base percentage (OBP) (.423)*, walks drawn (10), and hit-by-pitch (HBP) (2)
- INF Ryan Court leads the team in batting average (.306)*, slugging percentage (.490) and on-base plus slugging (OPS) (.876)*
 
Start You Pitchers
(*= min. 9.0 IP)
- SP Henry Owens leads the team in strikeouts (25), ERA (1.66)*, and opposing batting average (.198)*. He is tied with teammate SP Shawn Haviland for team lead in wins (2) and is also tied with teammate SP Kyle Kendrick for team lead in games played (4) and games started (4).
- Kendrick and Haviland are both tied for lead in hit batters (1).
- Kendrick leads the team in innings pitched (27.0), complete games (1), and WHIP (1.07)*
 
Outta Da Pen
(*= min. 4 appearances)
- RHP Brandon Workman leads the bullpen in ERA (0.00)*, WHIP (0.25)*, opposing batting average (.042)*, holds (1), and strikeouts per 9 innings (12.4)*. He is also tied with teammate Noe Ramirez for bullpen lead in saves (1) and is tied with teammate RHP Chandler Shepherd for team leads in holds (1)
- Shepherd leads the team in strikeouts (13)
- Ramirez is tied with teammate RHP Kyle Martin for bullpen lead games finished (4)
- Martin leads the team in game appearances (6)
- LHP Edgar Olmos leads the team in bullpen wins (2) and hits batsmen (2).
  
Player Movement
 The following team transaction took place from April 22 to April 28
 
4/22/16
- Placed INF Mike Miller placed on 7-day disabled list (retro to 4/19) with wrist injury
-Received SP Brian Johnson from Boston (MLB) after he was optioned on 4/19
 
4/24/16
-  Sent INF Josh Rutledge to Portland (AA) to continue injury rehab assignment
 
4/28/16
- Received LHP Robbie Ross Jr. & OF/INF Steve Selsky from Boston (MLB)
- Received INF/OF Brock Holt from Boston (MLB) to begin 20-day injury rehab assignment (vertigo)
- Sent RHP Ben Taylor to Boston (MLB)
- Sent RHP Erik Cordier to Lowell (Short Season-A)
 
Rehab Watch
Currently the only Boston Red Sox player to be rehabbing at this time is INF/OF Brock Holt. He was placed on the 10-Day DL back on April 21st after being diagnosed with vertigo. Holt then began his rehab assignment with the PawSox on April 28th and played in his first game against the Gwinnett Braves. Holt ended up batting second in the lineup of that game at the DH spot, going 1-for-3 with a walk, run scored, and an RBI. He was lifted in the bottom of the 8th and was replaced by OF Junior Lake as DH.
 
Upcoming Games
The PawSox will be continuing their weekend series against the Gwinnett Braves at home with a doubleheader on Saturday (4/29) to make up for the April 22nd game that was postponed due to rain. The Saturday doubleheader will be the fourth one this month. Game 1 will be at 4:05 p.m. while Game 2 will be followed shortly after the completion of Game 1. The final game of the series as well as the final season matchup between the two teams will take place on Sunday (4/30) at 1:05 p.m. After a day off on Monday, the team will then begin a 6-game road trip in upstate New York with a 3-day midweek series against the Syracuse Chiefs (5/2-5/4) and a weekend series against the Rochester Red Wings (5/5-5/7).

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