Both Pawtucket starters fall victim to lack of support in a doubleheader loss to Buffalo in cold and windy conditions.

01:00 AM EDT on Monday, April 25, 2005

BY DAN HICKLING
Special to the Journal

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- You know it's a tough day when not one, but two outstanding starting pitching performances go to waste.

That's exactly was happened to the Pawtucket Red Sox yesterday as they squandered great work from both Chris Narveson and Abe Alvarez, and dropped a doubleheader to the Buffalo Bisons by 2-0 and 5-3.

Both lefties were victims of non-support, although Narveson, who allowed Buffalo just one hit in five innings, escaped with a no-decision.

Alvarez, who also went five innings in the nightcap, took the loss when Buffalo "little-balled" its way to five runs in the sixth.

"It was a good day to pitch," said PawSox skipper Ron Johnson, teeth still chattering from the near-freezing temperatures and blustery gales, "and the pitchers took advantage of it. Both guys did a great job. We just couldn't get on the board."

Narveson, making his second start of the season, held the Herd hitless through the first four innings, walking just one batter and hitting another.

However in the fifth, Ryan Garko spoiled Narveson's no-hit bid when he fisted a 2-2 fastball into shallow right for a single.

Garko eventually moved to third, but was stranded when Narveson got Darnell McDonald to ground out to short.

Narveson was relieved in the sixth by former Bison Jack Cressand, who was tagged for both runs by his old mates.

Brandon Phillips stroked a leadoff single, then raced home when John Rodriguez tripled off the top of the fence in right-center.

Mike Kinkade then singled, bringing in Rodriguez.

Pawtucket managed just four hits off Bison hurlers Brian Tallet and Fernando Cabrera.

Cabrera threw the final three innings, striking out six, including three in the seventh after giving up a leadoff single to Kevin Youkilis.

Picking up where Narveson left off, Alvarez confounded the Bisons with his off-speed offerings, holding them to just three hits through five scoreless innings. He pitched to just two hitters over the minimum in that span.

Alvarez set down the first eight men before Dusty Wathan singled to right, although Wathan was promptly gunned down by Mike Lockwood after rounding first base too far.

The unraveling began in the sixth, when the slow-footed Wathan dropped down a suprise bunt to open the inning. Brandon Phillips beat out a bunt, and both runners moved up when Wathan beat the throw from Alvarez to third baseman Tim Hummel when Jake Thrower hit a come-backer to the mound.

Alvarez was relieved by Anastacio Martinez, whose first pitch was slugged by Kinkade into center, bringing in the first two runs.

Trailing by 5-0 in the top of the seventh, the PawSox did scrape up three runs, but that was the best they could do.

AROUND THE BASES: Alvarez is the top-rated pitching prospect in the Red Sox system, while Kelly Shoppach is the top catcher. Nonetheless it has been versatile vet Shawn Wooten behind the plate for all but one of Alvarez's four starts this year.

That battery combination has been a product of coincidence, not design, according to Johnson.

The PawSox will wrap up their stay on the shores of Lake Erie tonight. RHP Jeremi Gonzalez (0-1, 2.77) is slated to go for Pawtucket against RHP Kyle Denney (0-1, 2.65). But that plan could be scrubbed if RHP Wade Miller joins the club to make a rehab start.