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PawSox 6, Chiefs 2: Red-hot Bailey paces seventh-inning rally

08:33 AM EDT on Monday, May 5, 2008

By EVAN SWEENEY
Special to The Journal

•THE HIGHLIGHTS: Pawtucket brought new meaning to the term “seventh-inning stretch.” With the score 2-1 in their favor, the PawSox battered the Chiefs’ bullpen for five hits and four runs in the top of the seventh, cruising to a 6-1 lead en route to a 6-2 win.

Once again, the spark came from the bat of Jeff Bailey. After having led off the game with a solo homer, Bailey singled in the first of the four runs in the seventh with a line drive to left. Bailey later scored when Keith Ginter poked a two-run single up the middle.

•KEY TO THE GAME: Pawtucket’s victory started at the pitcher’s mound.

Starter Michael Tejera allowed just four hits in 5 2/3 innings. After Chris Smith gave up a run to the Chiefs in the seventh, Abe Alvarez stepped in with a man on and got out of the eighth by forcing three straight weak fly balls. Eric Hull closed the deal in the ninth. With runners in scoring position, Hull caught Buck Coats looking, giving Pawtucket the win and splitting the series.

•PROSPECT WATCH: After a strong outing in Rochester last Tuesday in which he got a no- decision, Tejera came out just as strong yesterday in Syracuse. His only earned run came on a solo shot in the first. After that, Tejera didn’t surrender more than one hit in an inning. “When you lose a couple games, you are looking for people that are streak stoppers,” said manager Ron Johnson. “He came out today, and he went out and gave us a really good effort. We hit a home run, they hit a home run, so you can take the first inning and throw it away, and then tonight he just simmered down and let us creep into it a little bit.”

•THEY SAID IT: “He is rolling,” Johnson said of Bailey, who went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a home run in yesterday’s game. “I would like to know what his numbers are since I put him in the leadoff spot. He’s going crazy. He’s hit three homers. I mean, he’s just going crazy.”

Since being put in the leadoff spot on April 28, Bailey has batted .419, with 8 RBI, 10 runs and three home runs. Before April 28, he was batting .263. Now he’s up to .318.

•NEXT GAME: The PawSox return home after a nine-game road trip — their longest of the season — to face the Durham Bulls tonight (6:15). Right-hander Charlie Zink (3-1, 2.76) will face Mitch Talbot (2-3, 5.74).

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