A day after being shut down by Syracuse's pitchers, Pawtucket starter Lenny DiNardo and relievers Scott Cassidy and Jason Kershner blank the New Yorkers.

01:00 AM EDT on Friday, April 22, 2005

BY KEVIN McNAMARA
Journal Sports Writer

PAWTUCKET -- A day after being dominated by the Syracuse SkyChiefs' pitching staff, the Pawtucket Red Sox returned the favor yesterday at McCoy Stadium.

Lenny DiNardo and relievers Scott Cassidy and Jason Kershner combined to shut out the SkyChiefs, 2-0. Syracuse managed seven hits but only two runners reached third base.

"That was about as clean a game as you can get right there," said Pawtucket manager Ron Johnson. "I'm happy because we've bounced back twice now after a whipping. That's a good sign."

Syracuse beat the PawSox, 11-3, on Wednesday night behind some dominating starting pitching from Francisco Rosario. Yesterday, DiNardo started and threw five strong innings. Cassidy followed with an even more impressive effort, striking out six and coming within one out of completing four more shutout frames. After a two-out double in the ninth by the SkyChiefs's Eric Crozier, Johnson pulled Cassidy in favor of closer Kershner. He ended things quickly, retiring pinch-hitter Andy Dominique on a short fly ball to right field.

The win snapped a two-game losing streak and improved the PawSox' record to 5-9 this season. Pawtucket headed out of town for a trip to Buffalo and Rochester after the win.

"This makes a seven-hour bus ride a lot easier," said Johnson. "I'm pleased because right now I'm trying to control our chemistry. We have guys who have done what they're not going to do -- guys hitting under .200, and not pitching as well as they'll pitch for us. We're hanging in there."

After spending most of last season in Boston for his first taste of big-league experience (0-0, 4.23 E.R.A. in 23 games), DiNardo is itching to return to the majors. Efforts like yesterday's will speed his ride back. The 25-year- old lefty is starting for the PawSox, but with a limit of about 80 pitches. He's also seen as a long-relief option by Boston. Yesterday, he fought through some shaky stretches early on but bounced back thanks to a combination of a sharp cut fastball and a slider and kept the SkyChiefs off balance.

DiNardo hit the first batter of the game (Aaron Hill) and gave up two singles to load the bases, but a 4-6-3 double play ended the first-inning threat. Two singles and another hit-batsman in the fourth gave Syracuse some life, but another double play helped DiNardo out.

"I was a little inconsistent early in the game and left the ball up a bit, and when I do that I can get in trouble," DiNardo said. "I made an adjustment and got the ball to sink a bit, and that helped a lot."

DiNardo made a curious rise to the majors, skipping both Double A and Triple A after Boston selected him in the Rule 5 draft in December of 2003. He allowed 17 runs in 27 2/3 innings with the Red Sox before injuries moved him to the sidelines. He made one rehab start with Pawtucket, but now realizes the value of earning Triple-A experience as either a starter or reliever.

"Of course I want to be in Boston. I want to be in the Hall of Fame, but it takes time," DiNardo said with a smile. "I have a full season under me in the majors and I learned a lot, but this will really help me. I'd like to be a starter, but I'll do anything I can to get to the big leagues."

DiNardo left after five scoreless innings, and the 29-year-old Cassidy followed smoothly in the sixth. He retired 11 of 13 batters before leaving in the ninth.

The PawSox finally scratched out some runs for their pitchers in the sixth inning. A leadoff bunt single by George Lombard and a walk to Dave Berg put two runners on base. Kevin Youkilis followed with a drive to the left-center wall, but Lombard apparently thought the ball would be caught and advanced only one base. After a short fly ball for one out kept the bases loaded, Syracuse replaced starter Justin Miller with Chris Baker, who walked Kelly Shoppach to force in Lombard with the game's first (and eventually winning) run. Justin Sherrod made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly deep to center that scored Berg.