FIRST GAME: CHARLOTTE 1, PAWSOX 0, 8 INNINGS

SECOND GAME: PAWSOX 3, CHARLOTTE 2

The highlights: When in trouble, a team often looks to its leaders to get it back on track.

Chris Carter and Fernando Cabrera filled that role for Pawtucket Tuesday night. The PawSox had been shut out in the first game, and were trailing, 2-0, in the second when Carter got the offense going.

Carter hit a drive to left in the bottom of the fourth. Michael Restovich, the Charlotte left fielder, raced back and reached up as he neared the low wall in front of the PawSox’ bullpen. The ball went off Restovich’s glove and into the bullpen. It went for a two-run shot, since Freddy Guzman, who had walked, was on first.

To that point, Pawtucket had gotten only two runners past first base in the first 11 innings.

Pawtucket won it with a run in the fifth when Dusty Brown doubled to the gap in left-center to open the fifth. Travis Denker followed with a broken-bat double inside the line in left to score the winning run.

Cabrera came on in the sixth and shut down the Knights as he recorded his 12th save in 12 chances.

Offensive woes: Charlotte’s 1-0 victory in eight innings in the opener was the 16th shutout of the season in which the PawSox have been involved. Pawtucket is 9-7 in those games. It also marked the 21st time in the last 31 starts in which Pawtucket has scored three or fewer runs. Josh Kroeger’s home run just inside the line in right off Hunter Jones won it for Charlotte.

Prospect watch: Lefty Kris Johnson, making his first appearance in 16 days, went 4 1/3 shutout innings in the opener. He allowed two hits, walked three and struck out five.

"We talked about whether the rest would help him. It did. He was crisp,’’ PawSox manager Ron Johnson said of Kris Johnson.

Late change: In the second game, Pawtucket opted not to start the scheduled Charlie Zink, and instead went with a bullpen game. Rocky Cherry went the first two innings and allowed two runs, one earned. He was followed by Jose Vaquedano and Cabrera.

Quote of the night: "When you lose the first game, 1-0, and you’ve got a bullpen game going in the second, you’re happy to get a split,’’ Johnson said.

Next up: John Smoltz will return to McCoy for another start before being activated by Boston. He is expected to go three innings, then be relieved by Clay Buchholz (4-0, 1.75). Jack Egbert (1-4, 4.50) is expected to go for Charlotte.

pkenyon @projo.com