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July 30, 2007
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- While hot dogs were selling for a dime a pop at Cooper Stadium last night, runs certainly went at a premium price.
So the story has went for the PawSox of late. Pawtucket had went a week straight without scoring more than four runs and had struggled against Columbus all season.
You could sense the PawSox starting to snap out of their funk Sunday and last night Pawtucket did just enough to snag a 3-1 win from the Clippers.
"The total game ‹ from pitching to defense to the timely hitting to the fundamental stuff -- I was really impressed with this team," said Pawtucket skipper Ron Johnson.
The victory also helped the PawSox end a five-game losing skid to Columbus, which already clinched the season series heading into tonight¹s finale.
Pawtucket hopes to get the split in this four-game set via the back door by sending the rehabbing Curt Schilling to the bump.
Mike Burns (3-7), a late replacement for original starter Devern Hansack (stiff neck), was nearly untouchable in six innings of work. The right-hander gave up just four hits and a run while fanning four in his second straight quality start.
George Kottaras' three-run home run was all that Burns needed, and the PawSox bullpen, which allowed eight runs in four innings Sunday, got the job done despite some hairy moments.
"The season is winding down and we feel like we have a team that can make a push (for the playoffs)," Burns said. "But every time it seems like we get on a roll, we let two, three or even four things get away from us. It was a big win." Pawtucket entered the game hitting a meager .205 against Columbus in the first six games of 2007. The PawSox, which entered the day ranked next-to-last in the International League in batting, were worse with runners in scoring position (2-for-21 in this series) and abandoned 15 runners in Sunday¹s 10-6 loss.
Pawtucket took advantage of Columbus starter Chris Michalak's second-inning yips. The left-hander (3-5) hit two batters in the inning -- Michael Tucker and Bobby Scales -- around a pair of outs.
Kottaras, symbolic of the PawSox's woes with ducks on the pond, put a charge into a 2-1 fastball from the former Cincinnati Red, turning it into the game-winning blast over the right-field fence.
Kottaras was hitting just .147 with runners in scoring position, but extended his hit streak to five games with the bomb.
"The mission is to try to score as many runs as you can and take advantage of your opportunities," said Kottaras, who now has six homers on the year.
Since replacing Kason Gabbard in the rotation, Burns has a 3.55 earned-run average in seven starts and has allowed just three runs in his last 12 2/3 innings.
His only blemish came in the fourth when, after retiring nine in a row, allowed a solo home run from Michael Restovich. It was Restovich¹s second shot in as many nights.
Burns' teammates saved another run in the sixth. With two down, Kory Casto walked and Restovich looked like he was going to play the role of spoiler when he sent a gapper to center. David Murphy tracked the ball down, sent a perfect relay to Alex Prieto, and his strike to Kottaras was in plenty of time to nail Casto.
"They made a heckuva play," Burns said.
Then in the eighth, reliever Craig Hansen allowed a bunt single to Brandon Watson and a slicing double to left by Clipper killer Bernie Castro. In a pickle, Hansen rared back and threw gas by both Casto and Restovich to thwart the rally.
Closer Travis Hughes also gave Johnson some nail-biting moments in the ninth, allowing two straight hits to open the frame, and wild pitched the runners into scoring position with one down. But Hughes mowed down the final two batters to pick up his 14th save.
Pawtucket relievers recorded the final eight outs by strikeout.
"(Sunday) we played five innings and then we caved," Johnson said. "Today, we played nine innings, and that's what you need when you play a team like this." Prieto had two hits, including a double, for the PawSox, who despite having just five hits on the night went 2-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
The win guaranteed Pawtucket its second consecutive winning month (15-12) with just today¹s game left.
And when all was said and done, the PawSox were eating steak and the Clippers were left to their weiners.
--DONN WALDEN, Special to the Journal
Posted by Chris Venditto 
at 10:37 PM to PawSox
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