Organizational One-Stop: 4/14/08

The Sea Dogs snapped a two-game losing streak Sunday behind the left arm of Dustin Richardson and the Drive remained red-hot thanks to a timely hit by David Mailman. But the JetHawks allowed more than 10 runs for the third straight game and the PawSox were rained out. Here’s the recap:

Red Sox: No Jonathan Papelbon and no Hideki Okajima? No problem for the Sox, who navigated the final four innings without their vaunted 1-2 punch to outlast the Yankees, 8-5, in front of another sellout crowd of 37,876 at Fenway Park. David Aardsma walked two in two hitless innings and Javier Lopez and Manny Delcarmen combined to record the final six outs in order to preserve the win. Starter Daisuke Matsuzaka (four runs on five hits and six walks with two strikeouts in five innings) and Mike Timlin (one run on three hits while failing to record an out in the eighth) were not as efficient as the Yankees threatened to storm back from a 7-1 deficit. The Sox chased Phil Hughes before he could record an out in the third and hammered him for seven runs (six earned) on six hits and three walks. Jacoby Ellsbury and Kevin Youkilis each had two RBI for the Sox while Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia, Manny Ramirez, Sean Casey and Coco Crisp all had two hits apiece. The Sox begin a brief two-game series in Cleveland tonight, when Jon Lester is scheduled to start against the Indians.

Triple-A Pawtucket: The PawSox’ game against Louisville in Louisville, KY was postponed due to rain. It will be made up as part of a doubleheader tonight, when Chris Smith and Charlie Zink are scheduled to start for the PawSox.

Double-A Portland: Dustin Richardson carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning and teamed with Daniel Haigwood on a two-hitter as the Sea Dogs avoided a series sweep by beating New Britain, 5-1, in front of 4,139 at Hadlock Field in Portland, ME. Trevor Plouffe’s RBI triple with two outs in the sixth ended Richardson’s pursuit of history. Richardson, who opened his first start of the season April 7 with four no-hit innings against Connecticut, allowed just the one hit and three walks while striking out four in six innings. Haigwood, making only the fourth relief appearance of his career, earned his first professional save by allowing one hit and striking out three in three innings. Ryan Khoury hit a three-run homer in the fourth for the Sea Dogs, who also received RBI hits from Jay Johnson and Aaron Bates. Johnson and Bates each had two hits. The Sea Dogs begin a series against Connecticut tonight, when Justin Masterson is scheduled to take the mound at Hadlock Field.

Single-A Lancaster: Lake Elsinore scored nine runs in the first three innings as the sloppy JetHawks (four errors) suffered through their third straight rout with a 12-4 loss in front of 1,369 in Lancaster, CA. The JetHawks were outscored by Lake Elsinore 33-11 in the final three games of the four-game series. The JetHawks gave up just 42 runs in their first nine games. Starter Travis Beazley was victimized by three errors by second baseman Chih-Hsien Chiang as he gave up eight runs—just three earned—on seven hits and one walk with three strikeouts in 1 1/3 innings. Scott Lonergan gave up two runs on six hits and one walk with one strikeout in 3 1/3 innings while Josh Papelbon, the last of four JetHawks pitchers, allowed only one hit and struck out one in three shutout frames. Jason Place was 3-for-5 with two RBI while Chiang had two hits and an RBI. Reid Engel and Mickey Hall also had two hits for the JetHawks. It was the seventh multi-hit effort in 10 games this season for Engel. The JetHawks begin a three-game series against Modesto tonight, when Adam Mills is scheduled to start.

Single-A Greenville: David Mailman’s two-run single with two outs in the eighth snapped a tie and lifted the Drive to their fifth straight win, this one a 3-1 victory over West Virginia in front of 1,161 in Charleston, WV. Mike Jones’ RBI single earlier in the inning tied it for the Drive. Anthony Rizzo had two hits for the fourth straight game while Che-Hsuan Lin extended his hitting streak to nine games by going 2-for-4. Ryne Lawson earned the win by allowing three hits and walked two while striking out three in three shutout innings in relief of Terumasa Matsuo, the veteran of Japanese independent leagues who made his American debut and allowed one run on two hits and three walks while striking out five in four innings. Joseph Guerra notched the save by striking out one in two perfect innings. The Drive will go for the four-game sweep today, when Chris Province starts in West Virginia.