PawSox score only win of the night

4/24 Cup of Coffee: Casey Kelly finally gave up an earned run, but that wasn't all the bad news as the bats went cold in losses for Portland and Greenville. The PawSox gained the only win of the night for the affiliates.

A two-run home run by Jorge Jimenez and a Daniel Nava two-run triple provided enough offense for Michael Bowden and the PawSox pitching staff as Pawtucket topped Buffalo (NYM), 5-3. Jimenez went deep to right with two down in the third inning to pull the PawSox even at two in the bottom of the third, and Nava tripled to score a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth before scoring on a Bubba Bell sacrifice fly. Bowden had a rough opening inning, but rebounded to throw 4.0 innings, allowing 2 runs on 6 hits. He struck out 3. Robert Manuel got the win, throwing 2 scoreless innings of relief. Alan Embree threw a perfect seventh, and Fernando Cabrera allowed a run but earned the save.

In Trenton, Kelly allowed his first earned run of the season, but it was the bullpen that held responsibility for the Sea Dog's 9-1 thumping by the Thunder (NYY). Kelly went 3.1 innings, allowing an earned run and 6 hits while striking out 3. Ryne Lawson entered in relief, threw 3.0 innings and allowing 5 runs (4 earned) on 5 hits. Jason Rice entered with the bases loaded in the seventh, but did not fare much better. All three inherited runners scored, and he allowed a three-run home run to make it 9-1 in the eighth. Portland could not get much going offensively, with Lars Anderson collecting the only RBI on a sacrifice fly in the first. Juan Apodaca, Ray Chang, Jason Place, and Anderson had a hit apiece in the loss.

Much like the story for Portland, Salem's bullpen could not keep the Red Sox in the game either, as they fell 8-4 to Frederick (BAL). The Sox jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the third on a two-run double by Tim Federowicz, but Frederick drew even in the fifth to chase starter Alex Wilson. Wilson struck out 6 in 4.2 innings of two-run ball. Oscar Tejeda singled to put Salem up 3-2 in the top of the seventh, but the Keys posted a five-spot on reliever Mike Lee in the bottom half of frame. Ryan Lavarnaway hit his fifth home run of the year to bring the Sox back to within three runs, but it was too little, too late. Blake Maxwell gave up a run in his 1.0 inning of work. Tejeda led the Sox from the leadoff spot, going 3 for 5 with an RBI and a double.

The Drive did not fare much better, managing just a single run in a 5-1 loss to West Virginia (PIT). Yieper Castillo got the start for Greenville and took the loss. He allowed 3 runs, 1 earned, in 4.0 innings, striking out 5 and walking 3 while allowing just 3 hits. Jordan Flasher and Cesar Cabral each allowed a run in relief appearances, while Dennis Neuman threw a scoreless eighth for the Drive. Greenville scored its only run of the game on a Zach Gentile single in the second. Gentile and Dan Butler each had a pair of hits in the loss.

Player of the Night: Jorge Jimenez, whose two-run home run helped the Sox affiliates to their only win of the evening. He went 2 for 4 in Pawtucket's 5-3 victory over Buffalo.

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