•HIGHLIGHTS: Pawtucket’s Josh Wilson led off the game with a line-drive homer to left. It was his second round-tripper in 16 games since having been obtained from the Pittsburgh organization on Aug. 2. … Charlie Zink, in his first game back for the PawSox after one game in Boston, was masterful, but wound up saddled with a tough loss. Zink (13-5) permitted only three hits in seven innings. Unfortunately, that included solo homers by Hector Luna (second inning) and Danny Sandoval (seventh). The knuckleballer whiffed seven and did not walk a batter. … George Kottaras slugged his 22nd homer of the year, leading off the ninth.

•KEYS TO THE GAME: Small ballpark. The homers by Luna, into the PawSox’ bullpen in left, and Sandoval, to right-center, each barely cleared the fence. … The Chiefs were able to manufacture a run off each off Pawtucket relievers Chris Smith (eighth inning) and Marcus McBeth (ninth). … Jeremy Accardo’s whiff of the newly acquired Jason Lane with runners at second and third and two outs in the eighth preserved Syracuse’s 3-1 lead.

•THEY SAID IT: “I stuck with what I do,” said Zink. “I threw pretty much all knuckleballs. Up in Boston (eight runs allowed in 4 1/3 innings to the Rangers), I threw too many of my secondary pitches, which weren’t major-league-caliber, to a good-hitting team. Tonight I was really happy with my control and the defense.”

•NOTES: Outfielder Jonathan Van Every, who had missed the previous 11 games because of a strained oblique, returned to the starting lineup, but had to leave in the fifth because of a stiff neck. He was replaced by Sean Danielson. … Right-hander Devern Hansack was placed on the disabled list because of a right-forearm contusion. Edgar Martinez will start in his place Friday night, with Michael Bowden given an extra day off. He’ll pitch Saturday. … Outfielder/first baseman Lane was signed as a free agent. … McBeth, a right-hander, was claimed off waivers from Louisville. … Sandy Madera, who had homered in two of his last four games, fouled a ball off his ankle on the road trip and was out of action. … Utilityman Gil Velazquez made his first start of the year at first base. … Joe Thurston picked up his 16th bunt single of the year, one pitch after Wilson’s homer, but he ran into an out on an ill-advised gamble, trying to tag up and go to third on a routine fly ball to medium-deep left-center, killing a first-inning uprising.

•ON DECK: Pawtucket’s David Pauley (13-4, 3.45) will pitch against Syracuse’s Brian Wolfe (2-2, 2.39) tonight in the second game of the three-game series. The first 3,000 fans 14 and under will receive a back-to-school notebook. The cover features pictures of the five PawSox All-Stars — Jeff Bailey, Thurston, Zink, Van Every and Chris Carter.

skrasner@projo.com