Greenville walks off with win

5/25 Cup of Coffee: While Pawtucket was nearly no-hit and Portland pitching had no answer for Reading, Greenville scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth to walk off with a victory.

Unlike their big league counterparts, Pawtucket could not figure out Tampa Bay pitching, as they fell to the Durham Bulls 1-0. The PawSox were only able to muster an Aaron Bates single in the eighth inning as Durham starter Jeremy Hellickson was magnificent. Kris Johnson was the tough-luck loser for Pawtucket, going 6.0 innings, allowing 1 run on 3 hits. Dustin Richardson pitched the final 2.0 innings of the contest, allowing only a walk while striking out 5. Pawtucket has now dropped six of their last eight.

Two late runs could not help the Sea Dogs overcome a large deficit as they succumbed to the Reading Phillies (PHI) 7-2. Portland starter Ryne Miller had problems finding the plate, allowing 5 walks and 2 wild pitches during his outing. In all, Miller threw 4.2 innings, allowing 4 runs (3 earned) on 3 hits while striking out 5. Ryne Lawson followed Miller out of the bullpen and did not fare any better, pitching 2.1 innings allowing 3 runs on 3 hits. The Sea Dogs were held scoreless until the seventh, when they broke through on Chih-Hsien Chiang's RBI double. Yamiaco Navarro added an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth for the second and final Portland run. Navarro and Matt Sheely both had two hits to lead the Sea Dog offense.

Despite being outhit 14-7, the Greenville Drive rallied from a 7-3 deficit in the bottom of the ninth to stun the Charleston RiverDogs (NYY) 8-7. Drake Britton made his return from the disabled list, pitching the first 1.1 innings, allowing 1 run on 1 hit, striking out 1 and walking 2. Chris Court made his professional debut for Greenville as he followed Britton, going 2.2 innings allowing 2 runs on 5 hits. Vladimir Frias knocked in the first Greenville run on his third inning double. The Drive would not score again until the sixth, when Jeremy Hazelbaker walked, advanced to second on a errant pickoff throw, stole third and came home on a wild pitch. In the eighth, Ronald Bermudez laced his thirteenth double of the season to bring home Derrik Gibson with the third Greenville run. With things looking bleak, the Drive rallied in the bottom of the ninth. Joantoni Garcia led off the inning with a single, which was followed by a Zach Gentile walk and a Christian Vazquez RBI double. Gentile scampered home as Frias reached on a throwing error. Vazquez scored when Reymond Fuentes reached on another error. After Gibson struck out, Hazelbaker finished a long at-bat by doubling home the tying and winning runs. Tom Ebert picked up the victory for Greenville, having a rough outing, allowing 4 runs (3 earned) on 8 hits in his 5.0 innings of work.

Player of the Night: Dustin Richardson, who went 2.0 scoreless innings while striking out 5 in Pawtucket's 1-0 loss.

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