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Lester gets the win in 9-4 defeat of Lynx

PAWTUCKET – A strong performance from lefty Jon Lester and some late-inning heroics led to a 9-4 victory for the Pawtucket Red Sox over the Ottawa Lynx last night at McCoy Stadium.

Lester pitched seven strong innings, scattering seven hits and allowing three runs with three strikeouts to earn the win.

“I liked his outing,” Pawtucket manager Ron Johnson said. “I thought he was throwing real good stuff…I liked the way he stayed composed in this outing…I liked everything about Jon’s outing.”

Lester said that he relied on his fastball and cutter to confuse the Lynx batters.

“I really didn’t have a feel for my curveball early on,” Lester said. “Later in the game it came around better but mainly I was throwing fastball and cutter and I mixed in a couple of changeups, hit some spots and got some outs.”

Pawtucket, which did not get a hit until the fifth inning, produced nine runs on eight hits over the final four innings to secure the win.

With the score tied, 3-3, entering the bottom of the seventh, Pawtucket batted through the order and scored six runs on five hits to take control of the game.

George Kottaras extended his hitting streak to six games with an RBI double he crushed to the wall in right-center field, scoring Brandon Moss (2-for-3, walk, 2 runs scored) to break the tie.

Ed Rogers (2-for-4, 2 RBI) drove in Bobby Scales with an RBI single to put runners on first and third. After Alex Prieto fouled out to third base, Jacoby Ellsbury hit an RBI infield single, scoring Kottaras.

Then David Murphy (1-for-4, HR, 3 RBI), who hit a home run in Tuesday’s game, blasted a three-run home run over the right-field fence to break open the game.

“That was a big three-run bomb,” Johnson said. “That was a beautiful thing to see.”

Lester dominated the Lynx their first time through the order, only allowing one hit with two strikeouts, but their second time through the order, the Lynx got the best of Lester.

Five of the Lynx nine batters reached base against Lester their second time up. Dusty Wathan hit an RBI single to right field that scored Gary Burnham to give Ottawa a 1-0 lead.

Lester, however, got help from his defense to get out of the inning before the Lynx could do any more damage. After Jim Rushford fouled out to third base, Lester got Randy Ruiz to ground into a 6-4-3 double play.

Ottawa starter Landon Jacobsen owned the PawSox through the first four innings, but when Moss produced Pawtucket’s first hit in the bottom of the fifth, it ignited the PawSox bats.

Rogers tied the game for Pawtucket when he hit an RBI bloop single to left field, scoring Moss. Ottawa’s left fielder lost the ball in the sky and Rogers ended up on second base while Scales, who was hit by a pitch, sprinted to third base.

Alex Prieto hit a broken-bat single to the shortstop, scoring Scales. Ottawa shortstop Carlos Leon scooped up the ball with his bare hand and fired it to first base. His throw was off target and Rogers scored on the error, giving Pawtucket a 3-1 advantage.

Ottawa slashed Pawtucket’s lead to 3-2 in the top of the sixth when Rushford blasted a two-out RBI double to right field, scoring Wathan.

Ruiz led off the seventh inning with a solo home run to tie the game, 3-3.

Because Curt Shilling (right shoulder tendonitis) is scheduled for his first rehab start on Saturday when the PawSox host Louisville at 6:05 p.m., Clay Buchholz’ second appearance for the PawSox will be pushed back to Sunday. Schilling, who is 6-4 with a 4.20 ERA in 15 games for Boston this season, has been on Boston’s disabled list since June 19. Schilling is scheduled to throw three innings or 45 pitches and Buchholz is slated for five innings or 75 pitches.

Brad Hertzler (1-1, 1.32 ERA), a former East Providence All-State pitcher; the 2004 R.I. Gatorade Player of the Year; and the brother to Pawtucket pitcher Barry Hertzler, pitched a rain-shortened perfect-game for Class A Vancouver (Oakland A’s affiliate). The Canadians defeated Spokane, 1-0. Brad Hertzler had been a 32nd round choice of the Boston Red Sox in 2004 but he elected to play for CCRI before transferring to Maine. “I got a call down in the bullpen so it’s pretty exciting,” Barry Hertzler said of his brother’s performance. “In the minor leagues, if you throw five and it’s perfect then it goes down as a perfect game so it’s pretty exciting, especially because it’s his first year playing pro ball so I’m happy for him…On the ride home he’ll be getting a phone call and a congratulations, that’s for sure.”

When Jeff Bailey got caught stealing second base in the bottom of the second inning, it snapped a 16-for-16 PawSox successful stolen base streak that they compiled over a span of six games.

-----ROB LEE

Posted by Thom Cahir  at 10:30 PM to PawSox | Permalink