•HIGHLIGHTS: Justin Masterson, Hunter Jones and Chris Smith provided the pitching, and Jeff Bailey added the power as the PawSox posted a victory over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees and closed out an eight-game homestand with a split. In his first triple-A start, Masterson threw 90 pitches in six full innings, allowing four hits and two runs (one earned). When Jones got the ball in the seventh, Pawtucket was holding a 3-2 lead. But Jones — who went 2 1/3 innings — and Smith — who got the final two outs of the night — held the Yankees scoreless. Bailey had his third two-homer game of the homestand, and now has 13 home runs in the month of May and a .319 batting average for the season. … Yankees starter Dan McCutchen was tossed from the game in the fifth after twice throwing behind Bailey, and Scranton manager Dave Miley was ejected shortly thereafter for arguing with home plate umpire Brian Kennedy. Kennedy had ejected Yankees’ third-base coach Alvaro Espinoza from Tuesday’s game.

•KEY OF THE GAME: Masterson’s ability to pitch out of a tough spot. In the fourth, he had runners on first and second (a hit-batsman and a walk), and two outs. An error by PawSox second baseman Joe Thurston plated one run, cutting Pawtucket’s lead to 3-2, but Masterson quickly got a groundout to end the inning. Scranton was shut out the rest of the game.

•THEY SAID IT: “I keep getting … not in awe, but I see the quality of talent that continues to come through the system,” said PawSox manager Ron Johnson, speaking of Masterson and the other young players in the Boston organization.

•NOTES: Bailey is 50-for-144 (.347) with 15 home runs and 39 RBI over his last 36 games. He had six homers during the PawSox’ eight-game homestand that ended last night. … Pawtucket’s 21-9 home record is tied for team best. The 1977 PawSox had the same mark after 30 home games. … Pawtucket is now 5-3 against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season, more than doubling its win total against the Yankees last year (2-14).

•UP NEXT: The PawSox will board an early morning flight and head to Durham, N.C., where Clay Buchholz will make his second rehab start (torn nail on right middle finger) in the series opener against the Bulls. Buchholz threw four innings against Rochester on Sunday.

smanza@projo.com