« Sox Streakers for April 23
Main
Pesky saddened by news of Halberstam »

PawSox rained out

The PawSox battled the weather again Monday night, and had their game against the Buffalo Bisons suspended after heavy rain halted the game after just 16 minutes.

The game, in which Pawtucket has a 3-0 lead in the first inning, will be resumed on May 5 when the Red Sox return to Dunn Tire Park. That game will be a full nine-inning affair and will be followed by a seven-inning nightcap.

Pawtucket, which had won its last two games, had three games postponed in a four-day span between April 15-18. As a result, the starting pitchers haven’t been able to establish a normal routine. The bullpen, though, has worked at least three innings in each of the last four games, so the rest may be beneficial.

“It’ll be helpful,” said PawSox manager Ron Johnson. “We were big-time spent. This situation won’t hurt us at all.”

The game began under cloudy conditions with stiff winds - gusting over 30 miles per hour - blowing out to left field. Brandon Moss hit a wind-assisted three-run homer in the top of the first, giving the Triple-A rookie a home run in three of his last five games.

In the bottom of the first, PawSox starter Kason Gabbard retired the first two batters and had a 1-1 count on Ben Francisco when the rains intensified, forcing the delay.

The grounds crew was able to get the tarp down with little difficulty, but high winds threatened to carry the sheet away once it was in place. Lawn care machinery was used to anchor the tarp.

After the delay hit the 45-minute mark, the cover was lifted as the rains stopped. The howling winds, however, turned the managers’ attention to safety.

“The concern (Buffalo skipper Torey Lovullo and I) had was hitters going to the plate and catching their breath and having trouble seeing against the wind,” Johnson said. “It’s a situation where someone could get hurt.”

The PawSox then traveled to Rochester where they begin a two-game series tonight. Righthander Devern Hansack (1-1, 1.69) is scheduled to start the 6:35 pm contest, slated to face Red Wings’ righty Kevin Slowey (2-0, 0.00).

--MIKE HAIM (Special to the Journal)

Posted by Corey Bourassa  at 8:17 PM to PawSox | Permalink