PawSox Notebook: Rise and Grind

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). Last week, it seemed like the PawSox couldn’t catch a break in the win-loss column. However baseball is a marathon, not a sprint. You just gotta get on a hot streak and go from there and that’s exactly what the PawSox did.

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A Week in Review
Following up a 7-5 loss to the Buffalo Bison in Red Sox SP Davd Price’s rehab start, the PawSox continued their weekend series with the Bison. On Saturday, the PawSox used some 9th inning magic to score 2 runs to take the game 5-3. In the rubber match on Sunday, however, the Bisons ended up taking that match 2-1. PawSox LF Brock Holt, still continuing his rehab assignment, tallied the PawSox only run with a solo shot in the top of the 4th inning.
 
After a day off on Monday, the PawSox welcomed in the Louisville Bats for their first meeting of the season. The Bats ended up taking the first game of the series on Tuesday by the score of 7-4, amidst a sloppy game where each team committed 2 errors. Then on the next day, Price made his 2nd rehab start. Unfortunately it didn’t go as planned as he threw 89 pitches in 3.2 IP while giving up 6 runs (3 were only earned). Fortunately for Price, the PawSox batters were able to clobber 13 runs and ended up winning the game 13-6. At the time, the 13 runs scored were the most runs the team scored at home this season.
 
Unfortunately the rubber match of the series on Thursday ended up being postponed due to rain.
 
Then for Memorial Day weekend the Pawtucket Red Sox welcomed in the Durham Bulls, the current divisional leaders of the International League South division. The two teams kicked the series off with a 12-inning marathon on Friday where PawSox RF Bryce Brentz drove in the winning run to give his team a 5-4 victory. Then on Saturday, Brentz was at it again. He hit a 2-run shot in the bottom of the second to give his team an early 2-1 lead as the PawSox ended up cruising to a 6-2 victory.
 
The two teams then met on this past Sunday for the series finale. PawSox fans saw their team explode in the first 3 innings, racking up 7 runs on 8 hits, including 3 home runs. Leading the way was CF Steve Selsky, who hit 2 of the 3 homeruns during the first few innings. From then on Owens, and then Edgar Olmos out of the PawSox bullpen, stifled the Bulls for the remainder of the game as the team cruised to a 7-1 victory.
 
Where They Stand
With month of May coming to an end, the PawSox are currently sitting at 5th place in the International League North with a record of 20-24 (.455). They are 11.0 games back behind the divisional leading Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, who are sitting at 33-15 (.688). In the Wild Card Standings, the PawSox are 6.5 games behind the current Wild Card leaders, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders (27-18, .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. 75 at-bats)
- 1B/3B Matt Dominguez leads the team in games played (40) and RBIs (24)
- OF Rusney Castillo leads the team in at-bats (147), runs scored (25), hits (42), total bases (73), stolen bases (6), and batting average (.286)*. He is also tied with OF Steve Selsky for team lead in home runs (7)
- Selsky leads the team in slugging percentage (.542)* and on-base plus slugging (OPS) (.875)*
- 1B/3B Jantzen Witte for team lead in walks drawn (20) and on-base percentage (OBP) (.369)*,
 
Start You Pitchers
(*= min. 35.0 IP)
- SP Shawn Haviland leads all starters in innings pitched (49.1) and complete games (1). He is also tied with SP Kyle Kendrick for team lead in complete games (1)
- SP Henry Owens leads all starters in games started (9), strikeouts (58) and wins (4). He is also tied with teammate SP Marcus Walden for team lead in games started (9)
- SP Hector Velazquez leads all starters in ERA (1.75)*, WHIP (0.83)*, opposing batting average (.192)*
 
Outta Da Pen
(*= min. 7 appearances)
- RHP Kyle Martin leads the bullpen in game appearances (12) and holds (3)
- RHP Noe Ramirez leads the bullpen in ERA (2.31)*, saves (2), WHIP (0.94)*, games finished (9) opposing batting average (.214)*
- RHP Chandler Shepherd leads the bullpen in strikeouts (24)
- LHP Edgar Olmos leads the bullpen in innings pitched (20.2) and wins (2)
 
Player Movement
The following team transactions took place from May 20 to May 28
 
5/20/16
- Received RHP Austin Maddox from Portland (AA)
 
5/21/16
- Sent RHP Brandon Workman to Boston (MLB)
 
5/23/16
- Received LHP Robbie Ross Jr. & RHP Noe Ramirez from Boston (MLB)
- Sent 1B Sam Travis to Boston (MLB)
- Sent INF/OF Brock Holt to Boston (MLB) (retro to 5/22) but will remain on the disabled list
 
5/24/16
- Placed OF Aneury Tavarez on the 7-day disabled list with recurring right hand tendinitis (retro to 5/22)
- Received INF Heiker Meneses from Portland (AA)
 
5/26/16
- Received SP Hector Velazquez from Boston (MLB)
- Sent SP Brian Johnson to Boston (MLB) to their taxi squad (was then activated on 5/27 for a start against the Seattle Mariners)
- Placed C Tim Roberson on the 7-day disabled list with a left foot contusion (retro to 5/24)
- Activated C Blake Swihart from the disabled list
 
5/28/16
- Sent RHP Blaine Boyer to Boston (MLB)
 
Red Sox Rehab Watch
Currently the only Boston Red Sox that’s still continuing his MLB injury rehab assignment is 3B Pablo Sandoval for a right knee sprain he suffered back on April 11. Joining the team back on May 19, Pablo has played 6 games with the PawSox (1 DH, 5 3B). He’s gone 3-for-21 (.143) with just 1 RBI, 2 XBH, and 2 walks drawn while hitting an OBP/SLG/OPS line of .217/.238/.455.
 
Upcoming Games
The PawSox will finish up their Memorial weekend series against the Durham Bulls on Memorial Day (5/29) at 1:35 p.m. (pending weather). Should the PawSox win, it would be their first home series sweep of the season.
 
After Memorial Day, the PawSox will be heading on the road for a 7-game road trip down south. Up first is a 3-game midweek series in Norfolk, Virginia, against the Norfolk Tides (5/30-6/1). Then the PawSox will head up to Durham, North Carolina, for a 3-game weekend series rematch against Durham Bulls (6/2-6/4).

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