HIGHLIGHTS: Jeff Bailey to the rescue again. One night after Bailey hit two home runs to help Pawtucket to an 8-6, 10-inning victory over Columbus, Bailey led the first-place PawSox (48-31) to a 7-6, 10-inning triumph over defending Governor’s Cup champion Richmond (38-40) by going 3-for-4 with 2 doubles, 3 RBI and 2 walks.

With the score 6-6, the bases loaded and the count full, Bailey walked to force in the winning run (Bryan Pritz).

“I was just zoning the strike zone down and looking for a pitch in my spot rather than chasing some of [Jorge Julio’s] pitches,” Bailey said. “He came out and threw me a bad slider, and after you get 1-0, you get a lot more comfortable. … I just tried to see the ball as best as I could when it was 3-2. I saw that it was a little high and in, and that was it.”

The PawSox were able to overcome a two-homer effort by Scott Thorman, who crushed a solo shot over the right-field fence in the top of the 10th that gave Richmond a 6-5 lead. But Pawtucket pinch-runner Chad Spann scored on a fielding error by Richmond second baseman Derrick Arnold, who bobbled Jonathan Van Every’s routine grounder with two out in the bottom of the 10th, setting up Bailey’s walk-off walk.

NOTES: The International League announced yesterday that Van Every was named the batter of the week for the period of June 16-22. Van Every led the I.L. with four home runs and eight RBI in six games while hitting .318, sparking the PawSox to five wins in six games as the club surged into first place. Van Every entered last night’s action ranked fourth in the I.L. in home runs (17) and third in runs scored (54). Van Every was 1-for-3 last night with a double, a walk and two runs scored. … Pawtucket is 5-1 in extra-inning games this season.

SOUNDS OF THE GAME: Pawtucket manager Ron Johnson said of pitcher Charlie Zink, who had the longest outing by a PawSox pitcher this season (8 1/3 innings, 5 hits, 4 earned runs, 4 walks) and a Triple-A career-high 10 strikeouts: “I thought he pitched a (heck) of a game.”

roblee@projo.com