Aardsma

THE HIGHLIGHTS: Things just got a bit more interesting atop the International League North standings.

The two-time defending I.L. North champion Scranton/Wilkes Barre Yankees (71-46) moved to within a half-game of the first-place Pawtucket Red Sox (71-45) yesterday at McCoy Stadium with a 5-2 victory over the PawSox.

Scranton Wilkes/Barre pitcher Ian Kennedy scattered six hits and struck out seven through seven innings to cool off the PawSox’ bats.

But it was the PawSox who drew first blood.

In his first at-bat as a member of the PawSox, Josh Wilson drove in Dusty Brown with a bloop single to left to give Pawtucket a 1-0 lead in the second inning.

“That was great,” Pawtucket manager Ron Johnson said. “Josh Wilson is a good player. I was happy for him. To come up there in his first at-bat, and I know when you join a club you want to be part of the mix, so to come out in his first at-bat and get that RBI single [was great]. He also went out and made a couple of nice plays at short.”

The PawSox’ lead was short-lived.

Matt Carson tied the score in the third when he ripped a two-out double off the left-field wall that scored Bernie Castro. The next batter, Juan Miranda, ripped a single up-the-middle that scored Carson and put the Yankees ahead, 2-1.

Ben Broussard led off the top of the fourth with a solo home run that gave the Yankees a 3-1 lead.

Gil Velazquez briefly got the PawSox out of their hitting slump when he hit a solo home run to right-center that cut the Yankees’ lead to 3-2, but Scranton Wilkes/Barre added two more runs in the ninth to secure the win.

NEW ADDITIONS: The PawSox added right-handed pitchers David Aardsma and Bartolo Colon to their roster yesterday. Aardsma is on a 30-day injury rehab assignment from Boston, and Colon is expected to begin his rehab assignment tomorrow at Scranton/Wilkes Barre.

Aardsma, who pitched one inning yesterday, striking out two batters and not allowing a hit, was injured during a relief appearance for Boston in Anaheim on July 18.

“He was real good, so that was good to see,” Johnson said, adding that Aardsma’s splitter was his best pitch. “He threw good stuff. The ball came out of his hand well. He said he had no problems with the groin, so that was real good.”

In 38 relief appearances this season for Boston, Aardsma is 3-2 with a 2.75 earned-run-average (39 innings, 29 hits, 14 runs, 12 earned runs, 26 walks, 41 strikeouts, 1 home run).

Aardsma is scheduled to pitch another inning tomorrow at Scranton Wilkes/Barre.

Colon began the season with the PawSox and was 2-0 with a 0.64 ERA in three starts. He was promoted to Boston on May 21 and made six starts for the Red Sox, going 4-2 with a 4.09 ERA (33 IP, 37 H, 18 R, 15 ER, 9 BB, 26 SO).

Colon was placed on Boston’s DL on June 17 after suffering a lower-back strain on June 16 in Philadelphia when he swung at a pitch during batting practice.

PAWSOX DEBUT: Wilson, who started at shortstop yesterday, made his Pawtucket debut by batting seventh in the order. He went 1-for-3 with an RBI and was hit by a pitch.

Boston signed Wilson on Saturday and designated him for assignment to Pawtucket. With Indianapolis, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Triple-A team, this season Wilson hit .276 in 97 games (81-for-293), with 18 doubles, 1 triple, 5 home runs, 32 RBI and 11 stolen bases.

roblee@projo.com