PawSox clinch division title with win

(WPRI) - Saturday night’s game ended with empty champagne bottles scattered on the McCoy Stadium infield; a toast to the newly-crowned 2011 International League North Division Champions – the Pawtucket Red Sox.

At the outset of Saturday’s ballgame a victory seemed well in hand when Pawtucket jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the first inning. However the PawSox found themselves trailing in the later innings and needed an eighth-inning comeback against the Scranton Wilkes-Barre Yankees to get the 12-7 win and earn their first playoff berth since 2008 and their first I.L. North Division Championship since 2003.

With the PawSox trailing 7-5 in the eighth inning and runners on second and third base, DH Ryan Lavarnway connected on a Kevin Whelan fastball that just cleared the wall in left-center field for a three-run, go-ahead homer.

The PawSox would go on to score four more insurance runs to complete the seven-run eighth inning and take a five-run lead into the ninth inning.

Randy Williams recorded the final three outs for the victory- including striking out Jorge Vazquez on a full count to allow his teammates to pour onto the field and mob the pitcher’s mound in celebration.

Scranton starting pitcher Manny Banuelos was unable to get through the second inning, but the comeback by his offense bailed him out for the no-decision. He allowed nine batters to reach on four hits and five walks, but the big blow was Will Middlebrooks’ two-out, grand slam to turn a 1-1 tie into a 5-1 lead.

Middlebrook’s grand slam was the third of his professional career and the first since July 5, 2010 when he was playing for High-A Salem. It was his first extra-base hit as a member of the PawSox. Prior to hitting the homer, he was 6-for-44 (.136) in 13 games since being promoted from Double-A Portland. This was Middlebrooks’ third four-RBI game of 2011 as he had two at the Double-A level.

Pawtucket has two games remaining in the regular season, and both games will come against the Rochester Red Wings.