WBOB Original Reads

PawSox: Velazquez & Co. Cook IronPigs in Home Season Finale

8/27/2017

Photo Courtesy of the Pawtucket Red Sox (c)

Ryan L. Fox

It was a beautiful day at McCoy Stadium for the last home game of the 2017 season for the Pawtucket Red Sox. Coming off a 5-3 last Saturday, the PawSox were looking to close out their home finale against the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs. In front of a crowd of 8,207, the PawSox took the field one last time in front of their home crowd in 2017.

Taking the mound for the PawSox was Hector Velazquez (7-4, 2.39) as he squared off against IronPigs starter Jose Taveras (2-1, 1.86).

Things started off as a pitching duel between Velazquez and Taveras. Velazquez allowed just one hit to the IronPigs batters while Taveras stymied the PawSox batters by forcing 7 strikeouts. However as the game wore on, only the PawSox were getting closer and closer to scoring. First they stranded a man at third base in the 5th inning and then left the bases loaded in the 6th inning. Finally by the 7th inning, they scored on a 3-run home run by CF Tzu-Wei Lin to right.

After the 7th inning, the PawSox decided to go to the pen with LHP Edgar Olmos pitching the remainder of the game. Like Velazquez, he kept the IronPigs off the scoreboard as the PawSox ended up chugging along to 3-0 final.

Velazquez got the victory, going 7 strong innings while allowing just one hit, one walk, and striking out 3 on 95 pitches. Olmos ended up with the save, his 4th of the season.

After the game, manager Kevin Boles spoke one last time with the media about the performance of Velazquez, the home run by Lin, giving thanks to the home fans, and much more.