By BRENDAN MCGAIR

Sports writer

PAWTUCKET – After slumbering through the first eight innings the Pawtucket Red Sox woke up just in time to show they still have an offensive pulse.
The PawSox collected five of their seven hits in the ninth, but it proved too little, too late in a 9-5 setback administered by Indianapolis Thursday night before 8,331.
Now losers of seven straight and nine of their last 10 games, the PawSox (43-45) continue to fade fast after spending every day of the first half except one at .500 or better.
The PawSox stood at two hits heading into the ninth before consecutive doubles by Mark Wagner and Bubba Bell got the late-game surge off the ground. A single from Jeff Natale was followed by a RBI double from Travis Denker and run-producing single by Angel Chavez.
Jed Lowrie, who went hitless in four at-bats with two strikeouts, pushed the PawSox to within four with a sacrifice fly.
You wouldn’t have guessed Indianapolis possessed the second-worst batting average in the International League, not after pounding out 18 hits. The Indians teed off on PawSox starter Kris Johnson to the tune of 11 hits and four runs in five innings. Johnson, who was touched for three hits in each of the opening three innings, struck out six and walked one. The left-hander was saddled with his 10th loss, tying Kirk Saarloos of Columbus for the most in the I.L.
Indianapolis starter Ian Snell, who until last month was stationed in Pittsburgh, allowed one run on two hits in 6 1/3 innings, striking out seven while walking five. Snell became unglued in the seventh when he plunked Natale in shoulder and walked two. He was replaced with Mike Koplove, who promptly got Chavez to bounce into an inning-ending double play.
 T.J. Large, summoned from Double-A Portland on Sunday, made his Pawtucket debut last night, tossing a scoreless sixth. Large led the Sea Dogs with eight saves at the time of his call-up.
 The four-game series continues tonight with Charlie Zink (4-9, 5.14 ERA) opposing Tom Gorzelanny (3-3, 2.77 ERA). Following Zink will be Enrique Gonzalez (Saturday), Michael Bowden (Sunday) and Billy Traber (Monday in Rochester).
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Indianapolis    111  100 032 – 9-18-1
Pawtucket         000 100 004 – 5-7-1
Ian Snell (W, 2-0), Mike Koplove (7), Chris Bootcheck (9), Denny Bautista (9) and Robinzon Diaz. Kris Johnson (L, 3-10), T.J. Large (6), Hunter Jones (7), Marcus McBeth and Dusty Brown, Mark Wagner (8). 2B: Tagg Bozied, Chris Barnwell, Steve Pearce 2, Lastings Milledge, Shelby Ford; Freddy Guzman, Mark Wagner, Bubba Bell, Travis Denker. HR: Shelby Ford, Tagg Bozied.