The Pawtucket leadoff hitter reaches base three times, steals two bases and scores twice in fueling a win over Buffalo.

01:00 AM EDT on Sunday, April 23, 2006

BY PAUL KENYON
Journal Sports Writer

PAWTUCKET -- Adam Stern reported to Pawtucket ready to play. Boy, did he ever.

The Rule V draftee who was sent down by Boston made his PawSox debut a terrific one last night as he helped Pawtucket beat Buffalo, 6-2, at McCoy. Stern reached base three times on a single, double and a walk, stole two bases and scored twice. He looked like an ideal leadoff hitter, which is the role he will be groomed for with the PawSox.

"He made his presence felt really earlier, didn't he?" managed Ron Johnson said. "It looked like Sterny was ready to go. He really put a spark in the front part of that lineup."

Stern, who was last seen at Fenway Park making catches as he dove forward and ran into the Green Monster, jumped into his new duty with both feet. And his feet were one of the most impressive aspects of his night.

He wasted no time making an impression. Leading off the bottom of the first, he fell behind 1-2, worked the count full, then slapped a single to right. As Buffalo starter Jeremy Sowers was throwing his first pitch to No. 2 hitter Tyler Minges, Stern took off. He got a huge jump and stole second standing up.

Two pitches later, with Minges still up, Stern took off for third. Minges lined a single to right-center, easily scoring Stern. It was textbook baseball executed by both Stern and Minges and Pawtucket had a 1-0 lead before a batter had been retired.

In the second, still facing Sowers, a lefty who is one of the top prospects in the Cleveland Indians organization (0.47 E.R.A. entering the game), Stern drilled a 1-1 pitch just inside the bag at first for a double. Alejandro Machado, who had walked and stolen second, scored. On the first pitch to Minges, Stern took off for third.

He not only stole it, he got up and raced home when the throw went into left, giving Pawtucket a 3-0 lead. Stern took his trip to the minors in stride.

"It's not a problem," he said. "I'm just getting excited to play again and play every day. It's been awhile. Going out there every day is going to be a change."

"You've got to look at it like it's not just coming down here. You've got to come here because there's a plan for you," Stern said, speaking in the second person. "I'm going to go out there and play every day, against lefties, against righties. There could be a future for you up there, so you've got to take it."

"We need to get him some at-bats. He's a guy that the organization obviously thinks a lot of," Johnson said. "He needs to play. This is going to be a valuable opportunity for him. He's a guy that could be an everyday player in the big leagues and those guys need to play."

Stern's performance overshadowed an outstanding effort by Pawtucket Red Sox starter and winner Marc Deschenes. The UMass-Lowell graduate, who has spent most of his career as a reliever, went six innings, allowing only two hits and one run. He did not walk a batter and struck out three. Tim Bauscher and Craig Breslow finished up nicely.

"Marc did an outstanding job," Johnson said of Deschenes. "We've asked him to do a lot of things. He's picked us up from the last part of last year. He's coming out of the pen. We have a situation where we need him to start. He's filled that role and done and outstanding job."

Despite the chilliest weather of the season, and light rain that fell during the game, the contest drew 6,239.

"I tell you what, I tip my hat to the people," Johnson said. "I looked out there when we got started and I thought, 'This is unbelievable.' You've got to salute the fans in this area. They're outstanding."

pkenyon@projo.com / (401) 277-7340