THE KEY: It came from one swing of the bat by Scranton/Wilkes Barre centerfielder Colin Curtis.

 The Yankees led the Sox, 2-1, in the eighth inning of a well-played game. Scranton loaded the bases with one out on two walks and a hit batsman. Lefty Hunter Jones was brought in to face the left-handed hitting Curtis. Jones fell behind 3-0. He got two strikes and then a foul ball. On the seventh pitch, Curtis crushed a drive over everything in right, the third grand slam allowed by Pawtucket pitching this season.

 Travis Denker homered in the second, his third of the year, for the Pawtucket run.

 The crowd of 10,924 was the second largest of the season. The only one larger was 11,982 for the home opener -- when it was as warm as it was for Friday’s game.

 ON AGAIN, OFF AGAIN: The loss continued an unusual pattern for the PawSox. For 11 straight games, the team has alternated wins and losses. Six times Pawtucket has reached six-games over .500, within one of its season best, but has been unable to win its next game.

 DEFENSIVE PLAY OF THE NIGHT: Freddy Guzman has been the Sox centerfielder most of the time sine he joined the team. This time, the PawSox had Bubba Bell in center and Guzman in left. The speedy Guzman handled the switch well, racing to the Pawtucket bullpen and robbing Shelley Duncan, the league leader in home runs and RBI, of a two-run homer in the fifth.

 QUOTE OF THE NIGHT: ``It was a good ball game tonight. It got away from us in that one inning.’’ -- Pawtucket manager Ron Johnson.

 UP NEXT: The same two teams meet again Saturday, but this time it is scheduled to be at PNC Field in Moosic, Pa. Charlie Zink (4-7, 4.48) is scheduled for the PawSox and Kei Igawa (6-3, 3.80) for the Yankees in a 7:05 game.