•HIGHLIGHTS: Catcher George Kottaras was Mr. Clutch once more as the PawSox rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth to beat Rochester, 7-6.

Pawtucket caught a break when an error by Red Wings first baseman Matt Macri allowed the tying run to score. Kottaras, who had two walk-off homers last season and who had the hit that won Pawtucket’s longest game this season, on June 12 against Louisville, lashed a single to right to score Keith Ginter with the winning run.

“George has a knack for doing that,” said Pawtucket manager Ron Johnson.

“I don’t really change my approach I just go up there, try to have a good at-bat and make things happen,” Kottaras said. “It happened in my favor.”

•THE DEBUT: Michael Bowden, the latest in the line of highly rated pitching prospects to come through the Boston system, made his McCoy debut and struggled. He went 5 2/3 innings and allowed nine hits and five runs.

“He was elevated with his stuff,” Johnson said. “That’s one thing all pitchers find as they move up the ladder. Your margin for error becomes much smaller.”

Bowden, at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, looks like an athlete . He has an unusual delivery in that he comes directly over the top. But he does it with a slight hesitation in his motion.

“It looks like he’s short-arming the ball, but he’s really not,” Johnson said.

Bowden showed the outstanding control he has been noted for. He did not walk a batter. Including his first two starts on the road, he has pitched 15 2/3 innings for the PawSox with no walks and 13 strikeouts, six last night.

Five of the first six hits Bowden allowed were for extra bases, including home runs by Randy Ruiz and Ryan Jorgensen. Bowden retired the side in order only once, in the third.

•INJURY UPDATE: Joe Thurston, who is battling for the I.L. batting title, sat out last night’s game but is expected to play tonight.

•NEXT UP: Francisco Liriano, once of the top young pitchers in the majors, goes for Rochester tonight. At least he is scheduled to. There are reports that Minnesota is considering calling him up today. Liriano, coming off arm surgery, is 10-2, with a 3.28 ERA and has won his last 10. Edgar Martinez (5-2, 4.09) goes for the PawSox.

pkenyon@projo.com