THE SCORES: Game 1, Scranton Wilkes-Barre 3, PawSox 2 (11 innings); Game 2, Scranton Wilkes-Barre 4, PawSox 1.

THE HIGHLIGHTS: Scheduled as the first of two seven-inning games, the Game 1 marathon was decided in the bottom of the 11th by Juan Miranda's two-out single, which scored Kevin Russo from second base. It came off of reliever Fernando Cabrera (0-2), the last of five PawSox hurlers.

On the flip side, there was no suspense surrounding Scranton's win in the nightcap. PawSox knuckleballer Charlie Zink (4-8) was hit hard early on by the Yanks, who built up a 4-0 second-inning lead and never looked back.

KEYS TO THE GAMES: The bullpens dominated the opener. With the score deadlocked 2-2 after three innings, relievers on both sides helped nurse the game along for seven scoreless innings. Pawtucket's Jose Vaquedano and Hunter Jones each tossed two scoreless frames. However, their efforts were trumped by Yankee fireballer Mark Melancon (4-0), who held Pawtucket to one hit and a walk over the final three frames.

In the nightcap, PawSox hitters were held by Scranton starter Kei Igawa (7-3) to just one run, which came in the sixth on Jeff Natale's RBI double.

PROSPECT WATCH: PawSox Game 1 starter Michael Bowden continues on an uphill climb in search of his lost rhythm. The 22-year old righthander hasn't seen the end of the fifth inning in three of his last four starts and has won just once in his last 10 outings. He left this one after 4 1/3 innings, and although he allowed just one earned run, he did issue five walks and hit a batter. On the upside, Bowden routinely got the jump on Yankee hitters, throwing first-pitch strikes to 14 of the first 19 men he faced.

THEY SAID IT: “It was just a battle,” said Bowden. “I was walking guys, they were getting hits. I was working from the stretch the whole game. I just didn't set any kind of tempo.”

WOULD YOU BELIEVE: A foul ball struck by Scranton's Yurendell deCaster sailed back through the open press box window and into an adjoining rest room, shattering a mirror. The mirror, like the notoriously dysfunctional PNC Park drainage system, was installed in 1989.

NEXT UP: Pawtucket was slated to bus down to Allentown, Pa., to begin a two-game set with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. RHP Clay Buchholz (6-1, 2.05) will face Pigs' RHP Carlos Carrasco (5-7, 4.70). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.