cuzitt, are any of those DSL guys legit prospects or are they there just to have a team

Which 3 guys?

•HIGHLIGHTS: Pawtucket’s Josh Wilson led off the game with a line-drive homer to left. It was his second round-tripper in 16 games since having been obtained from the Pittsburgh organization on Aug. 2. … Charlie Zink, in his first game back for the PawSox after one game in Boston, was masterful, but wound up saddled with a tough loss. Zink (13-5) permitted only three hits in seven innings. Unfortunately, that included solo homers by Hector Luna (second inning) and Danny Sandoval (seventh). The knuckleballer whiffed seven and did not walk a batter. … George Kottaras slugged his 22nd homer of the year, leading off the ninth.

•KEYS T O THE GAME: Small ballpark. The homers by Luna, into the PawSox’ bullpen in left, and Sandoval, to right-center, each barely cleared the fence. … The Chiefs were able to manufacture a run off each off Pawtucket relievers Chris Smith (eighth inning) and Marcus McBeth (ninth). … Jeremy Accardo’s whiff of the newly acquired Jason Lane with runners at second and third and two outs in the eighth preserved Syracuse’s 3-1 lead.

One is a hitter and an outfielder/first baseman. The other is a pitcher. One joined the team yesterday. The other returned from a rehabilitation assignment a week ago. They each have considerable big-league experience.

And if they each have their wishes granted, Jason Lane and Kyle Snyder will be back in the majors when the Boston Red Sox can expand their roster on Sept. 1.

But while they’re playing for the Pawtucket Red Sox over the final 12 days of the regular season, including last night’s game against the Syracuse Chiefs at McCoy Stadium, Lane and Snyder hope they can show enough over that stretch and maybe in the playoffs to warrant a call to Boston.

Lane joined the PawSox after being granted his release on Monday from first-place Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, the New Yankees’ top farm club and the team that was leading Pawtucket by 2½ games in the I.L. North Division heading into last night’s action.

He was quickly plugged into the starting lineup, in right field.

Snyder, meanwhile, is working his way through a frustrating season that began in Boston and has wound up in Pawtucket, where the right-hander endured two trips to the disabled list because of groin issues before being restored to the roster on Aug. 13.

“That would be the goal,” said Lane of a call-up to Boston, “but it’s something that’s out of my hands. Hopefully they have a need at the next level.”

Jamie Romak’s 3-run homer in the third inning gave the Curve (59-71) the lead for good as they beat Portland (68-58), 7-6, Tuesday night in the series opener at Blair County Ballpark. Portland had their 6-game winning streak snapped and dropped their 4th straight road game.

Kris Johnson (8-8) suffered the loss for Portland, giving up 10 hits, six runs (five earned) without a walk and fanning three. Johnson entered the game, allowing two home runs in 120 IP but yielded 2 long-balls in five innings. In addition to Romak’s homer, James Boone clubbed a 2-run shot in the sixth inning.

Dan Reichert (2-3) struggled through his start with command but managed six innings on four hits, three runs (two earned) to earn the win for Altoona. Juan Mateo worked two scoreless frames and fanned two for the Curve.

The Sea Dogs rallied in the ninth inning, scoring three runs off Juan Mateo with two outs. Jorge Jimenez blooped a run-scoring double down the right-field line and Zach Daeges crushed a 2-run homer into the left-field seats. Ronald Belisario relieved Mateo and threw one pitch, getting Lars Anderson to ground out to second base and notch his 8th save of the year.

Greensboro opened the scoring with three run in the second inning Tuesday, but Greenville snapped a five-game losing streak by out-scoring the Hoppers 12-3 through the final seven frames en route to a 12-6 series-opening victory.

The Drive drove in three in the third to even the score and later grabbed the lead with a pair of runs in the sixth inning. Greensboro plated another run in the sixth to tie the game again and get starter Alex Sanabia off the hook, but the bullpen gave up five runs in the seventh and another two in the ninth to earn the win.

Catcher Tyler Belcher led the Hoppers with his 3-for-4 performance which included his second home run of the season. It was Greensboro’s second home run of the night as the Hoppers hit back-to-back jacks in the second inning. Tom Hickman hit a two-run blast to put the Hoppers on top right before Belcher belted the second of his career.

Greensboro added solo runs in the third, sixth and eighth innings, but was out-matched 12-3 in the final seven frames.

The Drive kicked it into gear with seven runs in the final three innings and pounded out 16 hits against the Hoppers including three each by Carlos Fernandez and Oscar Tejeda. Despite blowing a save opportunity, Ryne Miller earned the win for Greenville after allowing two runs on three hits in 2 2/3 innings of relief work for Chad Povich.

Portland's ninth-inning rally fell short and Altoona ended the Sea Dogs' six-game winning streak with a 7-6 victory Tuesday night at Blair County Ballpark.

The loss, combined with Binghamton's 3-2 win over New Hampshire, left Portland with a two-game lead over the Mets for a playoff spot in the Eastern League Northern Division.

Portland trailed 7-3 after eight but scored three runs with two outs in the ninth on an RBI double by Jorge Jimenez followed by a two-run homer by Zach Daeges.

After a single by Aaron Bates, Ronald Belisario relieved and got Lars Anderson to ground out to second base for the final out.

The Sea Dogs took a 3-1 lead in the top of the third, but Altoona rallied to go ahead 4-3 in the bottom half on a three-run homer by Jamie Romak.

With a rare day off last week, California native Lars Anderson ignored the threatening weather and took in the other coast, visiting the Portland Head Light.

As with everything he experiences, Anderson looked, learned and let his mind take over.

"The Atlantic Ocean is beautiful and terrifying," he said. "Dark, gray water. Big storm clouds. Reminded me of a song by a band called Brand New called 'Crack the Sky.' It's about shipwreck as a metaphor for love.

"That song was replaying in my mind while we were there. They make a reference to a Montauk Point. I think there's a Montauk lighthouse in New York. Kind of took me there for a little bit, which was pretty cool, to have music transport you like that."

Lars Anderson is 20 years old. He's a thinker, a poet, and maybe a future first baseman for the Boston Red Sox.

The young man who could eventually wow them at Fenway Park spends a few moments before every game at Hadlock field lying still in the outfield grass.

"Looking at the sky. Breathing and visualization," Anderson said. "It feels good, too, man. It's like a full body stretch."

Why the sky?

"You can find influence in anything. Just look in the sky and think about how far that goes, and what stops you?" Anderson said.

There is no reason to believe anything will stop Anderson, at least in his quest for the major leagues.

He has become a standout baseball player everywhere he's landed, including Portland, where he's batting .356 in 28 games for the Double-A Sea Dogs, with five home runs, a .459 on-base percentage and a 1.081 OPS (slugging average plus on-base percentage).

Anderson, the thinker, is 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, and knows how to play baseball.

As well as Anderson can interpret a Bob Dylan song or quote from one of his favorite authors (Charles Frazier, Barbara Kingsolver and David James Duncan, to name a few), Anderson also can analyze the situation when he steps into a batter's box.

The Lancaster JetHawks sent the High Desert Mavericks to another disheartening loss Tuesday night at Clear Channel Stadium. For the second straight game, Lancaster struck in the seventh inning, pulling in front for an 8-5 win. The JetHawks finish a sweep of the Mavericks and have now won four straight. Upon the conclusion of the Lancaster game, Rancho Cucamonga was trailing Lake Elsinore. A Quakes loss would move the JetHawks back into first place in the second half and cut their magic number for clinching the best record in the South to seven.

High Desert jumped out to an early 4-0 lead. The JetHawks got a solo home run from Michael Jones, but still trailed 5-1 going into the sixth inning. However, Lancaster took advantage of chances against the Mavericks bullpen.

After scoring a run to close the gap to three in the sixth inning, the big rally came in the seventh. Aaron Reza started the frame off with a solo homer. Singles by Luis Segovia and Kris Negron, as well as a walk to Yamaico Navarro, loaded the bases. Ryan Kalish cleared them with a double to center field, giving the JetHawks their first lead. Navarro helped pad the lead with a two-run single in the ninth.