Pawsox season ends with loss to Durham
Sunday, September 15, 2013
A great end-of-season run for the defending Governors' Cup champions has finally come to an end.
The Durham Bulls beat the Pawtucket Red Sox 7-0 Saturday night at McCoy Stadium to claim the 2013 International League title, winning the best-of-five series 3-games-to-1.
It took 14 innings for someone to score in Friday night's marathon, but Durham struck quickly Saturday night...it took just five batters to score the game's first run. With two outs, knuckleballer Charlie Haeger walked Tim Beckham on four pitches. Vince Belnome then singled and Jason Bourgeois followed with an RBI single to put the Bulls in front 1-0. In the 2nd, Mike Fontenot single with one out before Kevin Kiermaier homered to right, the first HR in the series by either team, putting Durham on top 3-0.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTDurham starter Merrill Kelly set the tone early on the mound, retiring the first 10 batters he faced. Kelley threw six shutout innings overall, allowing just two hits while striking out seven.
Jonathan Diaz had both of the Pawsox hits in the loss. Pawtucket claimed their first Governors' Cup title in 28 years last season, advancing this year to the finals in the first year of leadership under new manager Gary DiSarcina. The Pawsox won 19 of their last 23 regular season games to claim the IL North Division crown, and reach the championship series. The Bulls, current Triple A affiliate of Tampa Bay, have now won four IL titles since 2002.
