The Providence Journal

Carolyn Thornton - PawSox 6, Clippers 2

Much like Friday night’s 5-3 win over the Clippers, Pawtucket took control of the game in the third inning, collecting three runs on four hits. After Jeff Bailey slugged his 20th homer, Joe Thurston reached first with his 11th bunt single. Jed Lowrie drove him in with a double off the left-field wall, then scored on Bryan Pritz’s two-out liner to right to put the PawSox up, 3-1.

PawSox starter David Pauley gave up his second run in the fourth, when Frank Diaz scored from third on Yurendell de Caster’s double-play ball. But Chris Carter (a solo blast in the fifth inning) and Jonathan Van Every (a two-run bomb in the eighth) each belted their 16th homers of the season to provide some added insurance.

Michael Tejera and Eric Hull each pitched one inning of scoreless relief to preserve the lead.


Carolyn Thornton - PawSox’ David Pauley makes pitch for call-up to Boston


Johnson includes David Pauley on the rather lengthy list of players who have performed well enough in Pawtucket to earn even brief trips up to Boston this season. In the middle of his second full year with the PawSox, the 25-year-old right-hander has been extremely consistent on the mound this season.

Coming into yesterday’s game against Columbus, Pauley — who last season led the PawSox both in starts (26) and innings pitched (153 2/3) and was second on the team in strikeouts with 110 — was 6-0 with a 4.18 ERA through his last eight starts.

Improving to 9-2 overall and lowering his ERA to 3.78, he went seven innings last night against the Clippers, leaving the game staked to a 4-2 lead after giving up five hits, striking out two and walking two.

Allan Lessells - Dogs bounce back with lopsided win at New Hampshire; Starter Kris Johnson and reliever Daniel Bard combine for Portland's fourth shutout of the year.

Left fielder Jeff Corsaletti had three of the Sea Dogs' 11 hits. Bubba Bell had a home run and a double, Andrew Pinckney a couple of doubles, and Sandy Madera two singles and two RBI.

Johnson's longest outing of the season – by a third of an inning – earned him a 4-0 lead.

He left with one out in the seventh after walking Scott Campbell. Bard came on and got Aaron Mathews on a long fly to center and struck out Travis Snider on a fastball that registered 97 mph on the stadium radar.

Johnson allowed six hits, struck out four and walked three while improving to 5-3.

Bard gave up a double in 2 2/3 innings.

Kevin Gray on Baseball: Kyle Jackson starting over

Jackson (3-1, 5.40 ERA) has pitched effectively for long stretches -- April was a productive month -- but there have been cold streaks in which the Alvirne of Hudson graduate was hammered.

In the past month, New Hampshire's Travis Snider belted a pair of homers against Jackson, and Ryan Klosterman took him deep in a 17-10 slugfest win for the Fishers.

Overall, Jackson (33 strikeouts, 19 walks) is pleased with the command of his pitches, especially after walking a career-worst 48 batters last season.

"It's gone well. A had a little rut with some bad outings but other than that, it's been pretty good. My control has been a lot better," said Jackson, a 32nd-round pick in 2001.

Truth be told, eyes lit up inside the Fisher Cats clubhouse when players learned Jackson would be starting today. In his last three outings at Merchantsauto.com Stadium, he has given up 10 earned runs in 7 1/3 innings.

"I've left a lot of pitches up when I've been here. I just need to keep the ball down and the results will come," Jackson said. "I'll keep on pounding and won't change my approach. Just keep hitting my spots."

Willie T. Smith III - Crawdads' big innings take little shine off Drive's Mill League night

The Drive (2-1) suffered their first loss of the second half of the season after Hickory (1-2) scored a combined seven runs in the fourth and fifth innings.

Trailing 1-0, Hickory scored three runs in the fourth, with the big hits back-to-back doubles by first baseman Miles Durham and left fielder Erik Huber.

The Crawdads backed up the fourth inning by knocking in four in the fifth.

It was Durham who again came up with the big hit, a three-run homer to left.

With the exception of left fielder Jered Stanley and designated hitter Ty Weeden, the Drive bats were impotent as the team managed few challenges to Hickory starting pitcher Brad Lincoln and relievers Matt McSwain and Harrison Bishop.

Stanley had two home runs and two doubles, knocking in three runs and scoring three, while Weeden added two doubles.

Right fielder Ryan Kalish also had two hits in four at-bats.

The Lowell Sun

Carmine Frongillo - 10th-inning homer breaks shutout, and the Spinners

This game was dominated by pitching as each team only managed three hits.

Spinner starting pitcher Hunter Strickland set the tone for the game by retiring the first 14 Vermont batters in order. In five innings of work, Strickland allowed only 1 hit and struck out five.

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Strickland was at the top of his game. He went right after hitters, working both sides of the plate and appeared to have command of all his pitches. He only faced 16 batters in five innings.

"I felt really good," said Strickland. "I felt like I had command of all my pitches. It was a good day for me. You have good and bad days and today was a good one.

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Spinners relievers Kyle Weiland (3 innings pitched, no hits allowed) and Alex Hale (2 innings pitched, 2 hits, 1 run) followed Strickland's lead and turned in solid efforts. Hale gave up the homer to Jacobsen.

"The pitching has been outstanding," said I can't emphasis enough how happy I am with the way it's going. I think its contagious one kid watches another kid and that kid wants to go out and duplicate what he did.

The Spinner hitters, meanwhile, are still a work in progress. Mitch Dening singled with one down in the first. The other Lowell hits came off the bats of Will Middlebrooks (double in second) and Ricardo Burgos (infield single in eighth).

Storm Avoids Getting Swept by JetHawks

Lancaster never led in the game, although they stayed within striking distance. The Storm had built up a five run lead against JetHawks starting pitcher Chris Province. Lancaster closed the gap in the sixth inning. Back-to-back singles by Lars Anderson and Jon Still led to a two-run double by Daniel Nava. Two walks, a wild pitch, and a hit batter helped the JetHawks to two more runs, making it a one run game.


The JetHawks got the tying run into scoring position with one out in the eighth but did not score. An error and and an overthrow helped the Storm to three insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth.


Lars Anderson led the JetHawks with three singles. Argenis Diaz continued his hot hitting with two hits. Jon Still added a pair of singles.


The JetHawks will now have their All-Star break. Still, Jorge Jimenez, and Richie Lentz will represent Lancaster at the California League-Carolina League All-Star game Tuesday night in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Spinners can't support strong pitching


LOWELL — Hunter Strickland, Kyle Weiland and Alex Hale combined to allow just three hits, but one of those three was a lead-off home run in the top of the 10th inning, propelling the Vermont Lake Monsters to a 1-0 victory over the Lowell Spinners in front of the standard 5,030 fans last night.

Lowell's pitching staff continued to stymie opposing batters, striking out nine more batters and walking just two to bring their season strikeout-to-walk ratio to 53:8. After pitching in relief on opening night, TD Banknorth Player of the Game Strickland earned the start and pitched five scoreless innings, allowing just one hit, striking out five on just 53 pitches.

Red Sox beat the Pirates, rain


BRADENTON — Kenneth Roque and Mike Almanzar had two hits apiece to spark the Red Sox to a 5-2 Gulf Coast League win over the Pirates on Saturday at Pirate City.

Roque scored two runs and stole two bases in the game, which was called after eight innings due to rain.

Jeremy Kehrt allowed one hit in the final three innings for a save. Jorge Rodríguez got the win in relief.

Rick O'Brien - Thriving under pressure; Unionville's Hissey drew crowds of scouts everywhere he went. It didn't slow him down.

Hissey did not disappoint, either in warm-ups or game action. In 22 games, as the leadoff man or No. 3 hitter, the 6-foot-1, 180-pounder batted .509 with 28 runs, 15 RBIs, eight doubles and two triples.

For his accomplishments and helping lead the Indians to the semifinals of the PIAA District 1 Class AAA playoffs, Hissey is The Inquirer's Southeastern Pennsylvania baseball player of the year.

"He was under so much pressure all year long," DeDonato said. "But he was very consistent. That enabled him to have a good year."

Walked 29 times by cautious pitchers, the quick-footed Hissey stole 26 bases. "If you weren't hustling in the field, he would easily turn a single into a double," DeDonato said. "He really put a defense on its toes."

Hissey, a lefthanded batter and thrower, also has quite an arm. That made opponents wary about running on the centerfielder.

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Hissey expects to come to terms with Boston within the next month (the signing deadline is Aug. 15) and begin his professional career. If that happens, he will suit up for the Red Sox in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League. Boston's rookie-level squad plays at City of Palms Park in Fort Myers, Fla.

Projected as a centerfielder (or rightfielder) in the pros, Hissey will participate in a workout for Red Sox draftees on July 1 at Fenway Park. "I'm anxious to get started," he said. "I can't wait to get out there and show what I can do."