Organizational One-Stop: 4/15/08

The Drive remained red-hot Monday with its sixth straight win while the Sea Dogs won in dramatic fashion and the PawSox split a doubleheader. The JetHawks continued to skid as they suffered their fourth straight loss. Here’s the recap:

Red Sox: Manny Ramirez hammered a flat Joe Borowski offering for a tie-breaking two-run homer to cap a three-run ninth inning as the Sox stormed back to beat the Indians, 6-4, in front of 21,802 in Cleveland, OH. Borowski, who led the AL with 45 saves last year despite a 5.07 ERA, never threw the ball harder than 83 mph as he allowed all three runs on four hits. Julio Lugo’s leadoff double sparked the rally. He went to third on a bunt by Coco Crisp and scored on Dustin Pedroia’s sacrifice fly. Kevin Youkilis had an RBI double in the first and a solo homer in the eighth while Pedroia chased starter Jake Westbrook with an RBI single in the seventh. Youkilis finished with three hits while Ramirez and David Ortiz had two hits apiece. The 2-for-5 effort by Ortiz—who snapped out of his epic 0-for-17 slump by dumping a short single into left field in the first—gave him one fewer hit than he had in his first 43 at-bats entering the game. Mike Timlin bounced back from a rough weekend against the Yankees by striking out one in a scoreless eighth inning to earn the win. Jonathan Papelbon struck out two in a perfect ninth for the save. Jon Lester labored once again and was charged with four runs on five hits and five walks with three strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings. It’s the third time in four starts he’s failed to record more strikeouts than walks. The Sox will attempt to sweep the two-game series tonight, when Tim Wakefield takes on Paul Byrd in a rematch of Game Four of last year’s AL Championship Series.

Triple-A Pawtucket: Charlie Zink allowed just one hit over five innings and George Kottaras hit two homers and finished with five RBI as the PawSox salvaged a split of a doubleheader with an 8-2 win over Louisville in the nightcap in front of 5,902 in Louisville, KY. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the PawSox, who lost the opener, 3-2. Zink, who didn’t allow a hit until there was two outs in the fifth, walked one and struck out four in one of his finest outings ever for the PawSox. Both of Kottaras’ homers were of the two-run variety. Leadoff hitter Joe Thurston was 3-for-3 with three runs scored while Dusty Brown and Jonathan Van Every each had two hits. In the opener, Chris Smith retired the first 11 batters he faced before Louisville touched him up for two runs in the fifth and the game-winner in the sixth. Smith allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits and one walk while striking out six in 5 2/3 innings. Brandon Moss had two this and an RBI while Thurston also had an RBI. The PawSox begin a four-game series at Indianapolis tonight, when David Pauley takes the mound.

Double-A Portland: Jay Johnson scored the winning run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the 11th inning to cap a two-out rally as the Sea Dogs edged Connecticut, 5-4, in front of 3,031 at Hadlock Field in Portland, ME. The Sea Dogs racked up four runs on nine hits in the first three innings before Connecticut pitchers held the Sea Dogs hitless and faced the minimum 15 batters from the sixth through 10th. Aaron Bates and Jeff Natale struck out leading off the 11th before Johnson and John Otness singled and Ryan Khoury walked to load the bases. Otness had three hits to extend his hitting streak to five games while Bates, Natale and Khoury all had two hits apiece. Jose Vaquedano continued his brilliant relief work and earned the win by striking out two and allowing one hit in one inning. Vaquedano (3-0) has thrown 8 1/3 shutout innings over five appearances, during which he’s allowed six hits and one walk while striking out seven. Starter Justin Masterson gave up two runs—the first runs he’s given up this season—on five hits and three walks while striking out three in five innings. Beau Vaughan was saddled with the blown save when he gave up two runs on three hits and one walk while striking out one in the eighth inning. The Sea Dogs host Connecticut again tonight. Their starter is to be determined.

Single-A Lancaster: Adam Mills gave up eight runs in four innings as the JetHawks suffered their fourth straight defeat with a 9-5 loss to Modesto in front of 1,019 in Lancaster, CA. The JetHawks, who gave up 42 runs in their first nine games, have been outscored 42-16 during the current skid. Mills allowed eight hits and two walks while striking out two. Richie Lentz (five strikeouts in three innings) and Blake Maxwell combined to allow four hits and one run over the final five innings. Lars Anderson was 3-for-5 with a solo homer while Argenis Diaz continued to stir offensively by going 3-for-4. Diaz is 6-for-12 in his last three games after opening the season in a 3-for-30 funk. Jon Still had two hits while Jorge Jimenez had two RBI. The JetHawks will attempt to snap their losing streak tonight, when Jimmy James is scheduled to start.

Single-A Greenville: Aaron Reza was 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBI to lead a balanced attack and a trio of pitchers combined to whiff 14 West Virginia batters as the Drive won its sixth in a row with a 9-3 victory in front of 2,942 in Charleston, WV. Manuel Arambarris hit a two-run homer for the Drive, who also received two RBI apiece from David Marks and Yamaico Navarro. Mike Jones had three hits while Anthony Rizzo went 2-for-4 in his fifth straight two-hit game. Ryan Colvin earned the win by allowing one run on four hits and one walk while striking out five in three innings. He relieved starter Jose Alvarez, who gave up two unearned runs on two hits and one walk with eight strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings. Chad Povich struck out one in 1 1/3 innings to finish it up for the Drive, who will try to stay hot tonight when it begins a four-game homestand against Greensboro.