Finally.
After struggling to score runs — let alone win games — the Pawtucket Red Sox ended one of the more painful droughts in franchise history.
The PawSox entered Saturday’s game against the Buffalo Bisons having lost five of last seven games and having been blanked in three consecutive games.
Moreover they had failed to score a run in 34 innings and managed only 15 hits during this slump.
Chris Carter’s two-run double and Paul McAnulty’s single accounted for three sixth-inning runs as Pawtucket rallied for a 3-2 victory at fog-shrouded McCoy Stadium.
“I know we’re going to score runs,” said PawSox manager Ron Johnson. “I’m not going to jump off the ship now.
“I know these guys. Everybody’s trying – they’re trying too hard, right now. Sometimes as a manager the hardest thing is to do nothing. I have confidence in these guys that they’ll bust out.”
That’s exactly what happened in the sixth inning which began with Buffalo leading, 2-0.
Jonathan Van Every and Chip Ambres singled with one out off former PawSox Kyle Snyder and Chris Carter crushed a 1-0 pitch off the center-field fence for a game-tying double.
Carlos Muniz relieved Snyder, and after fanning Dusty Brown, Paul McAnulty lined an RBI single to center for a 3-2 lead.
Buffalo almost tied it in the eighth — but failed to do so thanks to Ambres.
With Fernando Martinez on third and one out, Javier Valentin lofted a fly ball to left field. Martinez alertly tagged up and tried to score. But Ambres threw him out with a perfect strike to Dusty Brown.
Charlie Zink (2-4) earned the win by tossing six innings of six-hit ball and Fernando Cabrera notched his sixth save by retiring the side in order in the ninth.
EXTRA BASES: Boston signed outfielder Freddy Guzman and assigned him to Pawtucket … Guzman was hitting .214 in 13 games with Tacoma (Seattle) before he was released on May 11 … To make room for Guzman on their roster, the PawSox traded outfielder Jeff Corsaletti to Pittsburgh for future considerations … Corsaletti hit .128 in 13 games.
Reliever Javier Lopez, who was designated for assignment by Boston, accepted an assignment to Pawtucket … Lopez was 0-2 with a 9.26 ERA in 14 relief appearances or the Red Sox …. Daisuke Matsuzaka was scheduled to throw a side session Sunday morning before Pawtucket’s game with Buffalo.
