PAWTUCKET –– It was the same old story for Pawtucket against Durham on Monday: just enough pitching, not enough offense.

Pawtucket dropped its second straight game to the Bulls, 3-2, as the PawSox couldn’t muster enough hits to get past Durham starter Wade Davis.

“We had some opportunities, but like we’ve talked about before, we have to find a way to drive in some runs. It’s tough to win with two runs. That’s tough to do,” Pawtucket manager Ron Johnson said.

The tailspin continued for Pawtucket starter Enrique Gonzalez, who lost his fifth straight game despite a reasonable effort. Gonzalez allowed two runs on a string of hits in the second inning, and a third on Henry Mateo’s first home run of the season.

Gonzalez was pulled in the fifth inning with men on second and third. Billy Traber came in to clean up the mess. He did so expertly, inducing a grounder that froze the runners for the first out, striking out Durham’s Ray Olmedo for the second out, and getting a fly ball to deep right to end the inning.

“Those runs could kill us, so you’re just trying to get out there, hold them at bay. You don’t try and do too much. Just pound the zone, and get outs. That’s all you think about –– at least, that’s all I think about,” Traber said.

Traber threw three perfect innings, then finally allowed a hit during his fourth inning of work. In the meantime, the PawSox did what they could to scratch out a few runs.

Freddy Guzman manufactured the first Pawtucket run all by himself in the seventh, singling to right field to get himself on base. Once there, the fleet Guzman stole second easily, and then on the next pitch tried for third on Durham catcher John Jaso. He had the base stolen cleanly, and Jaso’s rushed throw evaded third baseman Matt Hall, allowing Guzman to come home

The second run also took some work, with Chris Carter doubling for his third hit of the game, and then leaving the game for pinch runner Chip Ambres. A groundout moved him over, and Ambres scored on a groundout by Aaron Bates.

Pawtucket faces Durham Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. in the last of this four-game set.

dbarbari@projo.com