Despite the no-decision, rookie pitcher Michael Bowden worked six innings and allowed only two runs (one earned) on six hits with one walk and six strikeouts. The 21-year-old right-hander is 0-2 in five outings for the PawSox. “He did a really nice job,” said Pawtucket manager Ron Johnson. “I get excited every time he goes out to the mound. He’s fun to watch and his intensity and maturity for a 21-year-old kid — at this level — is very impressive. I was hoping to get him a couple of runs to get him the ‘W’ because he’s pitched well enough to have one.” … Pawtucket committed three errors, allowing three unearned runs as the Knights took advantage of the miscues en route to victory. PawSox Catcher Dusty Brown made two throwing errors attempting to pick a pair of runners off third and Jeff Bailey — playing left field for the first time in almost two months — made a throwing error. “I’m not going to browbeat aggressiveness,” said Johnson. “I’m going to encourage it and tell [Brown]to do it again. You don’t make big plays unless you have the intestinal fortitude to go for. And, he does, and it’s good to see.” Offensively, George Kottaras, Keith Ginter and Brown drove in the three runs for Pawtucket.

PawSox knuckleball pitcher Charlie Zink had already left McCoy Stadium yesterday afternoon and was on his way home to Providence when manager Ron Johnson called and summoned him back to ballpark.

The 28-year-old career minor-leaguer had a gut feeling what Johnson wanted, and when Zink walked into the manager’s office he quickly realized he was right. Johnson, along with PawSox pitching coach Rich Sauveur, greeted him with the news that he just got his first call to the big leagues.

“It took me two minutes to get back here. I flew.” Zink said beaming. “I was so excited. This feeling is just awesome right now.”

After 7½ seasons in the minors, Zink will officially become a major-league pitcher when he starts for the Boston Red Sox against the Texas Rangers tonight at Fenway Park.

“This is everything I have ever dreamed of,” he said. “It has come true now and I’m going to the major leagues. It’s ridiculous. I’m at a loss for words. I really don’t know what to say about it. I’ll be smiling forever now. This is just awesome. Awesome!”

Zink will replace veteran knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list with shoulder stiffness. Zink stayed in Providence last night in order to get a comfortable night’s sleep in his own bed before driving to Fenway Park this morning to prepare for his major-league debut.

Travis Beazley would have made Aaron Burr proud Monday night. The right-hander was the winner when a pitcher’s duel erupted into a JetHawks blowout. After Beazley threw six shutout innings, the JetHawks scored eight times in the top of the seventh inning to break a scoreless tie and beat Inland Empire 11-2. The win keeps the JetHawks in first place by a game and a half. Their magic number to clinch the #1 seed in the Southern Division drops to 15.

The pitching was very strong for both teams early. Beazley was in command throughout his start. He only gave up one hit, an infield single, and did not allow any other runner to reach base. Beazley struck out six. He was matched for six innings by Inland Empire starter Steve Johnson as the game was scoreless until the seventh inning.

That’s when the 66ers pitching staff fell apart. Singles by Jon Still and Michael Jones were followed by a walk to Zak Farkes that loaded the bases. A sacrifice fly broke the tie, then Matt Sheely walked to fill the bases again. The 66ers went to the bullpen, but it did not help. Luis Segovia came through in the clutch with a two-run single. The JetHawks then had three more players walk and one more batter was hit by a pitch. Two wild pitches and an error factored in as the JetHawks emerged with an 8-0 lead. The total matched their biggest inning of the season and led to the win.

Lancaster had only 11 hits in the game but ended up walking nine times. Farkes drove in three runs for the JetHawks with a single and two walks. Still had two hits and two walks.

The Drive found themselves down early as the Legends needed just one hit to plate a pair of runs in the top of the first. Felix Doubront struggled to find the strike zone as he walked three in the frame, including a bases loaded free pass to Kyle Miller. Max Sapp added a sacrifice fly for the Legends second run.

Experiencing issues with the mound and a high pitch count, Doubront lasted just 4.0 innings but fanned five and only allowed one more baserunner in his final three innings before being relieved by Jose Alvarez (7-8). Adding 4.0 innings in relief, Alvarez allowed a run on Jason Fixler’s RBI-single in the sixth before shutting down the Legends so that the Drive could mount their comeback.

The first four Greenville batters all reached base to start the seventh, including an RBI-single by Carlos Fernandez, before Lexington’s JT Tilghman was lifted for Fernando Abad (1-6) with no outs. Ryan Kalish cut the Drive’s deficit to a run with a sacrifice fly.

The momentum swung in the Drive’s favor in the eighth as David Marks reached base by being hit by a pitch, setting up Mailman’s heroic homer which just squeaked inside the right-field foul pole. It was the 19-year-old’s second two-run homer in as many days.

Having blown chances in his last two save opportunities, Felix Ventura got back on track, tossing a perfect ninth to earn his 17th save of the season.

In what ranks as one of the Lowell Spinners' wildest games of the year, it was only fitting that a wild pitch would be their undoing.

Michael Tomoleoni's third-strike wild pitch allowed Kyeong Kang to reach first base to start the 10th inning, and by the time it was over the Hudson Valley Renegades had scored five times to break a 9-9 deadlock and beat the Spinners 14-10 last night in front of a rain-soaked SRO crowd of 5,030 at LeLacheur Park.

The loss was the fifth in a row at LeLacheur for the first-place Spinners, who nevertheless retained their four-game edge in the New York-Penn League's Stedler Division.

"When you look at the big picture, every little thing matters," sighed Spinners manager Gary DiSarcina.

Ronald Bermudez led the Spinners with three hits.

The Spinners had an early 4-0 lead in this one, fell behind 7-4 in the top of the fifth, then scored five runs themselves in the bottom of the inning to take a 9-7 edge.

But the Spinners, who have yet to win a game this season in which they trailed by two or more runs, couldn't hold onto the advantage. Kang, who drove in seven runs in the three-game series, belted a two-run homer off Jorge Rodriguez in the seventh after an an error by third baseman Will Middlebrooks put a runner on base, tying the game at 9-9.

The Spinners, who had been shut out in three of their previous four games at LeLacheur, wasted a golden opportunity to win it in regulation.

They loaded the bases in the eighth inning with one out, but Joshua Satow struck out Deshaun Brooks and retired Luis Sumoza on a fly to escape that jam.

"When you have the bases loaded and one out and don't score, you don't deserve to win," DiSarcina lamented.