WBOB Original Reads

PawSox: Red Wings Go Yard Against Pomeranz

7/2/2018

LHP Drew Pomeranz (pictured) took the mound in a rehab start against the Rochester Red Wings on Monday night (Photo courtesy of the Pawtucket Red Sox©)

Ryan L. Fox

The PawSox were back in town this past Monday for a two-game series against the Rochester Red Wings prior to the Fourth of July. Also in town was Boston Red Sox LHP Drew Pomeranz, making a rehab start with the team as he squared off against Red Wings RHP D.J. Baxendale (0-2, 3.52).

The game started off with a bang in the top 1st inning as Red Wings CF Byron Buxton launched a solo shot to left off of Pomeranz to give his team the early 1-0 lead. Three batters later, Red Wings DH Dannys Vargas knocked a two-run home run to left (almost in the same area as Buxton’s) to help extend the lead to 3-0.

However in the bottom 1st inning, the PawSox got things rolling with a double by SS Tzu-Wei Lin and then a single by LF Anuery Tavarez to put runners at the corner. Two batters later, DH Mike Ohlman came to the plate and took a 2-2 pitch to center. However it was inches short of a home run but resulted in a bases clearing double to put the PawSox on the board 3-2.

In the top 2nd inning, Pomeranz looked sharper as he got the first two Red Wings batters to go down via strikeout. However Red Wings LF Edgar Corcino took a 2-1 pitch to left for his first home run of the season to extend his team’s lead to 4-2. The in the top 3rd inning, Pomeranz gave up another 2-out, solo home run this time to Red Wings RF LaMonte Wade as the lead then grew to 5-2. Pomeranz’s night was done after that as he had reached close to his pitch limit as LHP Ty Buttrey came in to get the final out of the inning.

Two innings later, the Red Wings got another run across the plate thanks to Vargas. However instead of a home run, it was an RBI double that scored teammate 2B Gregorio Petit from first to extend the lead to 6-2. And that’s where the final score stood for the remainder of the game.

After their 1st inning offensive display, the PawSox could not get a man past second base for the remainder of the game. The closest they got was in the bottom 6th inning as CF Rusney Castillo tried to steal second but was thrown out.

Drew Pomeranz was hit for the loss. He pitched 2.2 innings, giving up 4 hits, 5 runs (all were earned), walking 2 Red Wings batters, and striking out 2 more on 56 pitches (34 for strikes). All 4 hits that he allowed were home runs.

Bonus: During the 5th inning of the game, Pomeranz did a Q & A session with the media about his performance in the game.