|
By BRENDAN MCGAIR Sports editor PAWTUCKET – The Pawtucket Red Sox found the great equalizer, and his name is Devern Hansack.
Hansack made sure the PawSox would not bus to PNC Field, site of tonight’s third game, pinned in a two-games-to-none hole. Though he was on a strict pitch count, Hansack tossed six hitless innings as Pawtucket squared its opening round Governors’ Cup series against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre at a game apiece, winning by a 3-1 final.
With the exception of Jason Lane, who one night after getting ejected delivered a RBI single and a solo home run, the burden fell on the entire Pawtucket pitching staff to save the day. Hansack teamed up with relievers Jon Switzer, Beau Vaughan and Hunter Jones to hold the Junior Yankees to one run on two hits.
Hansack was making his second start since coming off the disabled list with a right forearm contusion last weekend. Johnson said the plan was for the native of Nicaragua to throw between 75-80 pitches. He ended up throwing exactly 80 pitches.
“To me you become a bad employee if you lose your head in that situation,” said Johnson when asked if he entertained the thought of staying with Hansack. “but he was phenomenal against the league’s best club.”
“It all starts with Hansack,” said Lane. “He set the tone and dominated.”
What Johnson ended up getting was a complete reversal from the 7-1 drubbing Pawtucket absorbed in the opener. “As tough as (Wednesday’s) game was, we didn’t well in any aspect,” said Johnson. “(Last night) we played well.”
Hansack recorded all eight of his strikeouts in the first four innings. The lone run Scranton scratched off Hansack came without the benefit of a hit, making his outing eerily similar to the eight inning no-no Matt Young tossed for Boston 16 years ago.
Yankees catcher Chris Stewart drove in Nick Green, who reached via walk, on a groundout in the fifth.
With his pitch count creeping towards its target, Hansack worked a perfect sixth. His no-hit performance remained intact thanks to the fine diving stop turned in by Gil Velazquez to end the sixth. Normally Velazquez is Pawtucket’s shortstop, but on this night he was at first base.
Juan Miranda’s bid for extra bases went for not as Hansack raced over to cover first. Johnson ran out to check up on his pitcher with the count full on Miranda, but the look in Hansack’s eyes said there was still unfinished business.
“They didn’t want to make a move there,” said Johnson. “I knew he was getting tired, but Devern said he wanted to finish strong.”
Lane plated the first run of the game. The Pawtucket outfielder drove in Jonathan Van Every with a single in the third.
Pawtucket doubled its pleasure an inning later when Jeff Corsaletti deposited an Ian Kennedy offering into the metal bleachers in right-center. Kennedy matched his totals from his August outing in McCoy, allowing two runs in seven innings.
Scranton’s first hit came against Switzer as Ben Broussard led off the seventh with an infield single. A double by Eric Duncan placed runners in scoring position, but on came Vaughan, who threw just one pitch and escaped with a groundout.
Jones, who has slid into the closers’ role with Chris Smith currently in Boston, nailed down the final four outs for the save.
Playing against his former club, Lane tacked on a big insurance run with a solo homer into the Scranton bullpen leading off the eighth. “It’s nice to be able to come through and help drive in some runs,” said Lane.
***
One of the unfortunate drawbacks to the Governors’ Cup playoffs thus far is the sharp drop off in attendance. Pawtucket drew 3,521 for Wednesday while Louisville was only slightly better at 3,521. Thursday’s figure at McCoy was 3,070.
Blame the opening of school or the fact high school sports are in full swing, but Johnson says no question there’s a difference in energy level. “You could hear everything (Wednesday),” said the skipper.
***
EXTRA BASES: The series shifts to Moosic, Pa. for Game 3 tonight. Newcomer Adam Mills makes his Pawtucket debut against Kei Igawa, Scranton’s 14-game winner. … A few more notes on Mills. The 23-year-old allowed just two home runs in 63 innings with Double-A Portland. Mills is a graduate of the University of Charlotte, where he was a finalist for the Roger Clemens Award in 2007. The award is considered college baseball’s version of the Cy Young. … Michael Bowden is expected to throw two innings in relief tonight. … Thursday’s win by Pawtucket means there will be a Game 4 on Saturday night. Bartolo Colon, who Johnson says will be on a 90-pitch count, gets the nod for Pawtucket against Phil Hughes. … Clay Buchholz allowed three runs in six innings in Portland’s Eastern League playoff contest at Trenton on Thursday, striking out nine while walking one. All three runs Buchholz allowed came in the sixth. Portland fell to Trenton, 4-3, to fall in a 2-zip series hole. … The other International League series is also all even at one game apiece as Louisville pasted Durham, 19-3. … Afterwards the Yankees announced that Melky Cabrera was recalled by New York. ...The only Pawtucket players not to see action in the first two games are Sandy Madera and Jose Vaquedano. |
Horoscope
