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PawSox: Smith + PawSox Grill Some Buffalo Burgers

6/20/2018

LHP Josh D. Smith (shown) & RHP Josh A. Smith were unstoppable against the Buffalo Bisons for Pawtucket (Photo Courtesy of the Pawtucket Red Sox©)

Ryan L. Fox

On a warm, Wednesday summer night, the Pawtucket Red Sox took to McCoy Stadium to continue their midweek series against their International North divisional rivals the Buffalo Bisons. Already the two teams have played a doubleheader on Tuesday evening. The Bisons took the Game 1 with the final score of 4-0 while the PawSox took Game 2 by the final score of 6-0.

Taking the mound for the PawSox was LHP Josh D. Smith (3-3, 2.88) as he looked to give his team the series lead. The Bisons countered with RHP Nick Tepesch (0-1, 1.64).

The game started on the right foot for the home team. After a quick inning by Smith to strikeout the Bisons 1-2-3, the PawSox got on the scoreboard with a solo home run by LF Aneury Tavarez to make it 1-0 in the bottom of the 1st inning. A few batters later, the PawSox loaded up all the bases as 3B Ivan De Jesus Jr. brought in one run on a sacrifice fly to center and then RF Ramon Flores hit knocked in another run to make it 3-0 for the inning.

In the 2nd inning, SS Tzu-Wei Lin led things off with a double. Three batters later, Lin scored on an RBI single by 1B Adam Lind to make the score 4-0. The PawSox got another RBI single in the 3rd inning, this time from CF Rusney Castillo, to make it 5-0.

In the 5th inning, 2B Mike Miller let things off with a single. Three batters later, Lind recorded his second RBI single of the game as he scored Miller to make it 6-0. After which, DH Sam Travis came to bat. He hit the ball to Bisons 3B Jason Leblebijian, who was about to make a routine throw to first for the final out of the inning. However the throw went wide as Travis was safe and Castillo scored from third to make it 7-0.

The PawSox continued to pepper in runs for the rest of the game. First they got an RBI double in the 6th inning by Lin to make it 8-0. The in the 7th inning, they got RBIs by Flores & C Oscar Hernandez to push the score to 10-0.

The Bisons were able to get on the scoreboard in the top of the 9th inning thanks to a 2-run home run by C Danny Jansen to make it 10-2. After 1B Rowdy Tellez flew out to left field, CF Anthony Alford got on base via a walk. But DH Ian Parmley ended up striking out, squashing the Bisons’ late inning rally.

Smith pitched a gem of a game. He worked 6 innings, giving up just 1 hit and 3 walks while striking out 6 Bisons batters on 80 pitches with 51 for strikes and was awarded the win, his 4th of the year. He was lifted in the 7th inning for RHP Josh A. Smith.

RHP Smith ended up pitching for the remainder of the game, giving up just the 2 hits, including the 2-run home run by Jansen in the 9th inning, and got his first save with the team.

After the game, PawSox manager Kevin Boles sat down with the media for his after game Q & A. During of which, he discussed the performance of his pitchers, his team’s offense, and more.

PawSox: Smith + PawSox Grill Some Buffalo Burgers

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