APRIL 22Nd GWINNETT (5-8) at PAWTUCKET (7-6) 1:35 Pm
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APRIL 22nd GWINNETT (5-8) at PAWTUCKET (7-6) 1:35 pm Gwinnett Braves LHP Luis Gohra (NR) vs. Pawtucket Red Sox RHP William Cuevas (1-0, 4.35) Sweep Dreams - The Pawtucket Red Sox and the Gwinnett Stripers (AAA-Atlanta) play the finale of their 3-game weekend series this afternoon at 1:35 pm at McCoy Stadium. The PawSox have taken the first two games of the series the past two nights beginning with a 5-4, 11-inning victory in the series opener on Friday night and then last night a 6-0 blanking of the Stripers. This is the second straight series the Sox have won the first two games and go into the finale with the chance for a 3-game sweep. They did so earlier this week in Columbus…winning the first two games, 9-6 & 4-3 before failing in their bid for a sweep with a 2-0 loss in the finale on Wednesday. A victory today would mark Pawtucket’s first series sweep since last August 7-9 when the Sox swept a 3-game set vs. Charlotte here at McCoy. Better Than Even – Pawtucket has won 4 of their last 5 games to move over the .500 mark at 7-6 for the first time in 2018 - and for the first time since last July 30 when they were 54-53. A victory today would give them their first 3-game winning streak since they put together a 5-game winning streak last August 7-11. This Homestand – This 7-game homestand (in 6-days) runs through Wednesday at McCoy. The homestand continues tomorrow when the Toledo Mud Hens (AAA-Detroit), owners of the best record in the league at 11-3, visit for what will now be a 4-game series in 3-nights. Tomorrow (Monday) will be a make-up doubleheader (from last Sunday’s rainout in Toledo) beginning at 4:35 pm with the PawSox the home team in the opener and Toledo the “home team” in the nightcap. The Sox and Hens will play single games on Tuesday & Wednesday nights (both at 6:15 pm) to conclude Pawtucket’s second homestand of the year. So Far - The Sox (currently 2-0 on this 7-game homestand) went 2-3 on their first homestand – splitting an abbreviated 2-game set vs. Lehigh Valley and then dropping 2 of 3 to Buffalo. The PawSox recently finished 3-3 during their annual Ohio roadtrip – losing 2 of 3 during an abbreviated series in Toledo but winning 2 of 3 in Columbus earlier this week. Throwing Strikes – Pawtucket pitchers lead the International League with 154 strikeouts as they have posted strikeout games of 20 (April 9), 18 (last night), 15, 14 (twice), 13, 11 (twice), and 10 (twice) already this season. Furthermore, they have reached double figures in strikeouts in six consecutive games since last Saturday in Toledo. Getting the Best of Gwinnett – Pawtucket has now won 27 of their last 39 games vs. Gwinnett overall dating back to the 2012 season. The PawSox won the final five games vs. the Braves during the 2012 season (finishing 6-2) and the first five meetings of the 2013 season (also finishing 6-2) to compile a 10-game winning streak against Gwinnett. The Sox were 5-3 vs. the Braves in 2014, 4-2 vs. Gwinnett in 2015, 3-2 vs. the G-Braves in 2016, 2-4 in 2017, and 2-0 in 2018. Prior to 2017, Gwinnett had had just one winning season vs. the PawSox (6-2 in 2009) since moving from Richmond that year. The 2017 Season-Series vs. Gwinnett – The PawSox finished 2-4 vs. Gwinnett last season (going 2-2 here in Pawtucket but 0-2 in Lawrenceville, GA). Almost exactly one year ago (April 21-23) the clubs played an abbreviated series at Gwinnett with the then- Braves winning the first two games, 3-2 and 5-2. The finale on April 23 in Georgia was rained out. Less than a week later the clubs met at McCoy. The PawSox rolled in the opener on April 28, 10-1. Gwinnett swept the make-up doubleheader the next night (necessitated by the rainout in Georgia) by scores of 2-1 and 3-1 (in 9-innings). The Sox gained the split awith a 2-0 victory in the series and season-finale last April 30 at McCoy. The teams will meet 6 times this season…these three at McCoy and then three more at Gwinnett from July 20-22. NEXT ON TAP - The probable pitching match-ups for the upcoming series vs. Toledo at McCoy: Mon. 4:35 pm DH G1 LHP Blaine Hardy (1-0, 0.79) vs. RHP Chandler Shepherd (0-0, 8.31) G2 LHP Josh Turley (1-0, 3.00) vs. TBA Tues. 6:15 pm LHP Chad Bell (0-0, 2.70) vs. RHP Marcus Walden (NR) Wed. 6:15 pm RHP Artie Lewicki (2-1, 5.79) vs. TBA Stats vs. the Braves (now Stripers) Last Season – Pawtucket hit just .222 in the 6 games vs. Gwinnett last year with 3 HR. PawSox pitchers were 2-4 with a 2.55 ERA vs. the Braves. The PawSox out-scored Gwinnett by an 18-14 margin in the 2017 season-series. Southern Hospitality – The PawSox finished 13-13 vs. the IL South last season…9-6 here at home vs. Southern foes but 4-7 in Southern cities. A Look Back Before We Go Forth – Pawtucket finished 67-75 last year and in 4th-place in the IL North for the second straight season. They dropped to a season-low 9-games under .500 on August 26 at 62-71. On July 18, 2017 the PawSox were a season-best 6-games over .500 at 50-44. Sad Endings and Close Calls – Pawtucket lost 22 games during an opponent’s final at-bat of the game in 2017 (compared to 8 such victories during their own last AB). The PawSox went 14-19 in 1-run games, 14-23 in 2-run games, and 5-10 in extra innings. Home vs. Road – Pawtucket finished 34-36 in games played at McCoy Stadium last season. Thus they finished with just their second losing season at McCoy in the last 8 years. The Sox went 33-39 on the road. Pawtucket pitchers had a 3.53 ERA at home compared to 4.15 on the road. The PawSox hit .254 at McCoy with 73 HR compared to .262 on the road with 64 HR. Defense Tops, Hitting Above Average, Pitching About Average – Pawtucket led the league with a franchise-best .987 fielding pct. last season (making an IL low 64 errors in 4,936 total chances) – also a club-record for fewest errors in a season. Pawtucket’s Team ERA was 7th in the IL at 3.84. They were 1st from June 17-20 at 3.41. The PawSox finished 5th in the league in Team Batting (.258) – their .259 average on August 16 equaled their season-high. Series Business – Pawtucket finished 13-17-12 in their 42 series last season (13 series wins, 17 losses, and 12 series splits). In 2016 the Sox went 20-17-7 in their 44 series played. Northern Exposure – Pawtucket wound up 42-48 vs. their IL North rivals last season. They finished 12-14 vs. the IL West and 13-13 vs. the IL South. In 2016 the Sox went 44-45 vs. the IL North. The Sox struggled to a 36-55 record vs. North rivals in 2015. Until 2015, the Sox had only one losing season vs. North opponents in the previous seven years from 2008-2014 (going 32-48 in 2009). BOSTON RED SOX DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM – Portland (6-7) – The Portland Sea Dogs (AA) rallied for 3 runs in the top of the 8th to tie the game and then a run in the 9th to go ahead en route to a 6-5 victory at Trenton last night. Luke Tendler’s 3-run double tied things in the 8th and Cole Sturgeon single and scored the tie breaking run on a wild pitch in the 9th. Sturgeon was 2-for-4 with a walk, run, and RBI. Mike Shawaryn started – 6 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 3 SO. Trey Ball gave up 2 runs in the 7th but then struck out the side in the 8th to get credit for thew win. Trevor Kelley notched SV #1 with a scoreless 9th. Salem (9-8) – The Salem Red Sox (A) suffered a tough loss at Winston-Salem last night as the Dash rallied for 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th without making an out to stun the Sox, 4-3. Joan Martinez (1-1) was the victim in the 9th as he could not record an out – 0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 0 SO. Roniel Raudes had a fine start – 6 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 4 SO. Jordan Weems was perfect in relief – 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO. Santiago Espinal led-off the game with a solo HR for Salem. Greenville (3-13) – The defending South Atlantic League Champion Greenville Drive (A) continued to struggle in the early going this season as they were blanked by Kannapolis, 7-0 last night. Alex Scherff was the starter and loser – 2 IP, 5 R. Victor Acosta and Pedro Castellanos had 2 hits apiece. UPCOMING PROMOTIONS & SPECIAL EVENTS AT McCOY STADIUM TUESDAY OSOS POLARES de PAWTUCKET 6:15 pm vs.