Cup of Coffee: Pawtucket drops game two in extras

9/11 Cup of Coffee: Leading the Governor's Cup 1-0, the PawSox sent Brian Johnson to the mound in hopes of taking a commanding 2-0 advantage. 

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Durham Bulls (TB) 4, Pawtucket Red Sox 3

Johnson, making his Triple-A debut, was solid in a no decision. The left-hander hurled six innings, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks, punching out seven. Miguel Celestino followed Johnson, tossing two scoreless innings of relief, striking out three. Heath Hembree was charged with a blown save, as he allowed the game's tying run in the ninth inning. John Ely took the loss and left the game with an injury, allowing an unearned run on three walks in his 1 1/3 innings of relief. 

Once again, the Pawtucket offense got out to a quick start, plating a run in the first inning on a Ryan Lavarnway RBI ground out. In the second, a Corey Brown two-run home run gave the PawSox a 3-0 advantage. Mikie Mahtook brought the Bulls to within one with his own two-run home run in the top of the third. The game would remain 3-2 in favor of the PawSox until the ninth, when Vince Belnome cracked a one-out solo home run to knot the score 3-3.

The game would go into extra innings, where Pawtucket loaded the bases in the bottom of the 10th, but failed to score. In the top of the 11th with one out and one on, Lavarnway was called for catcher interference, allowing Ali Solis to take first. The very next batter, Mike Fontenot, brought home the winning run with an RBI single.

The PawSox were just 2 for 12 with runners in scoring position and left 12 men on base. Game three of the series will take place Thursday evening in Durham as Henry Owens looks to put Pawtucket back in the driver's seat. 

Photo Credit: Corey Brown by Kelly O'Connor.

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