PAWTUCKET –– It was very costly to go around hitting people Sunday at McCoy Stadium.

 Durham reliever Joe Bateman started the bottom of the seventh by hitting Pawtucket outfielder Chip Ambres with a pitch. It led to a four-run inning, giving the PawSox a 4-1 lead.

 The score stayed that way until the ninth. Pawtucket reliever Hunter Jones began that inning by hitting Durham designated hitter John Jaso with a pitch. It sparked a four-run inning and a 5-4 victory for the Bulls.

 “It was a little odd,’’ Pawtucket manager Ron Johnson said of blowing a three-run lead in the ninth. “We don’t usually do that.’’ The fact that hit batsmen played such a big role were not the only unusual aspects of the day for the crowd of 7,412.

 As Johnson pointed out, having the Pawtucket bullpen fail to deliver is a rarity. The Pawtucket pen had converted 21 of 24 save opportunities and had an overall earned run average of 2.68 entering the game.

 Also, the Sox are not accustomed to losing in the daylight. The team is now 15-5 in day games.

 Finally, having a one-run decision usually is good news for Pawtucket. The Sox began the day 13-5 in one-run contests, the best mark in the International League.

 Pawtucket had only one hit through the first six innings and trailed, 1-0. In the seventh, Durham reliever Joe Bateman hit Ambres with a pitch. Jeff Natale then worked a walk. Sean Danielson tried to bunt the runners over, but Bateman fielded it and threw out Ambres at third.

 Dale Thayer, who carried a 1.19 earned run average in 18 appearances, was brought on to pitch for the Bulls. He got Angel Chavez on a fly ball to center for the second out. Freddy Guzman followed with a bloop to right that fell just inside the line. Natale scored easily to tie the game, but Danielson was held at third.