Those were some great pictures from Randy. I plan on getting up to Hadlock field in Portland sometime this summer, but as someone who has spent his entire life in Rhode Island, a 4 hour ride is a huge event. So it'll just take a little doing.
Let's take a look at how the Paw Sox did last week.
Pawtucket Red Sox - 44-46, 5th place, 7.5 GB - (CHA 9/PAW 2, CHA 9/PAW 5, PAW 9/OTT 3, PAW 7/OTT 3, SYR 2/PAW 1, PAW 12/SYR 3, PAW 4/SYR 0)
A 3-4 week dropped the Paw Sox to into a tie for last place in the International League, but they're a little closer to first at only 7.5 games behind this week. They're 2 games under .500 and continue to plod along, having a pretty mediocre season. The offense had a good week scoring 38 over the 7 games, but the pitching struggled a bit behind bad starts by Curt Schilling and Abe Alvarez on top of a bad week in the bullpen by Cla Meredith. Schilling was beat up in his only start of the week going 5 IP and allowing 5 runs on 2 walks and 8 hits. The good news is that he was overpowering enough to strike out 8. He eventually settled down over the course of the week. He finished the week taking the mound on two consecutive days pitching a scoreless inning both times. Alvarez dropped to 7-4 on the year earning the loss by allowing 7 runs in 8 innings. He struck out only 3 while walking 2 and allowing 8 hits, 1 of them a home run. Meredith is starting to get knocked around every time he takes the mound for the Paw Sox. After dominating in Portland to start the year and being smacked around in Boston for a few games, Meredith has a 5.40 ERA in 26.2 IP for Pawtucket. He's struck out more than a batter an inning with 27 K's, but he's walking 5.4 batters per 9. He likely just needs some time to adjust to the higher level before he starts to dominate once again.
Like I mentioned a few days ago, Jon Papelbon had a hell of a AAA debut going 6 innings and allowing only 1 run on a solo home run. He allowed three hits and didn't walk a batter while striking out 7. So far the guy hasn't missed a step after the promotion. He should've had the win in that game, but Schilling and Meredith blew the game in a big way.
As always Kelly Shoppach and Roberto Petagine led the way for the bats. Justin Sherrod and Chip Ambres pitched in as well. Alejandro Machado hit his first home run of the year...and it only took him 250 AB's to do it. Petagine went 9-28 with 6 walks. He hit 2 home runs, knocked in 7, and scored 4 times. Shoppach went 7-26 with 2 home runs and 7 RBI. He only walked once, but he only struck out 4 times, a great week long total for him. Sherrod went 7-19 with 3 home runs to bring his line up to .276/.345/.473 for the year. Ambres went 6-19 on the week with 2 doubles and 2 steals. He walked 4 times and struck out only twice. Machado's burst of power brought his SLG all the way up to .366 after that home run and a 6-22 week.
Dustin Pedroia is starting to slow down a little bit after returning from the DL. He currently has a .262/.380/.381 line in 42 AAA AB's. His power isn't showing up yet with only 4 extra base hits, 3 doubles and 1 triple, but he is still finding ways to get on base. Give him a little bit of time and he'll come around.