By BRENDAN MCGAIR

Sports writer

PAWTUCKET – The Pawtucket Red Sox saw firsthand why Tommy Hanson is regarded as one of the top pitching prospects in the game. Translation: it was a local night from an offensive standpoint turn for the locals.
Hanson scattered three hits en route to registering his first Triple-A win, blanking Pawtucket over six innings in a 5-0 Gwinnett win before 5,863 at McCoy Stadium.
Hailed by Baseball America as the Atlanta Braves’ top prospect (No. 4 in all of baseball), Hanson justified the hype, striking out nine while issuing just two walks.
“I’m not going to say it was fun to watch because it wasn’t, but those are the kind of guys that you see why he’s rated where he is,” remarked PawSox skipper Ron Johnson. “It was a very good performance.”
Pawtucket starter Charlie Zink, fresh off six no-hit innings in his last start, didn’t have his butterfly pitch do its usual dancing act. The reigning International League Pitcher of the Year was tagged for five runs on nine hits in six innings, walking five while fanning three.
“I’m sure Charlie’s not happy with today, and he’ll probably tell you that,” Johnson said.
The only tight spot Pawtucket placed Hanson in came in the top of the first. Sean Danielson led off with a double, and followed by a walk to Paul McAnulty with one down. Chris Carter blooped a single into left field to load the bases.
Hanson settled down, getting the next two Pawtucket hitters – Dusty Brown and Chip Ambres – to gaze at strike three.
“I was just trying to be aggressive in that situation,” said Hanson, who lowered his ERA to 1.69 and now has 38 strikeouts in 26 2/3 innings. “I wanted (the Pawtucket batters) to put the ball in play, but I ended up with two strikeouts.”
“You’ve got to get at least one run at that point,” said Johnson.
It was smooth sailing for the rest of Hanson’s outing. The PawSox managed just one hit – a base hit by Angel Chavez in the second – over the last eight innings. Pawtucket was shutout for the first time this season.
“Usually I’m off in the first, then I settle in,” said Hanson about how starts typically progress.
“Everything went pretty well (after the first).”
The Braves broke open a 1-0 game by nicking four runs on four hits off Zink in the fourth. Diory Hernandez clubbed a run-scoring single in the frame as part of a 3-for-4/ two RBI night.
 If there was a bright spot for the PawSox, it was the three scoreless tossed by Chris George, who struck out three.
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EXTRA BASES: Zink plunked three Braves with his knuckler, raising his season-total to nine in four starts. He’s on pace to shatter the Pawtucket for the season (11), which Zink equaled a season ago. “It’s just command issues,” says Johnson. … Jeff Natale (left oblique strain) is eligible to come off the disabled list today. … Infielder Ivan Ochoa tweaking his hamstring while running the bases Wednesday in Syracuse. He’s officially listed as day-to-day.
Johnson said outfield prospect Zach Daegas (right ankle sprain) is down in Florida and will remain in a protective for at least a couple more weeks.
Michael Bowden, one of the hero’s from last weekend’s series with the Yankees, starts for Pawtucket tonight against Gwinnett’s Kris Medlen. Bowden has totaled 16 innings this season, allowing one run over that span. … Following tonight’s contest (6:15 first pitch) will be the first of several fireworks shows this season.