PAWTUCKET — The 3,492 fans who braved the rain at McCoy Stadium Tuesday night saw a  pitchers’ duel between Pawtucket ace Clay Buchholz and Durham’s Carlos Hernandez.

When it was over, neither had gotten a win. Both pitchers left with the score tied at 1-1.

An unlikely hero won the game for the PawSox. Dusty Brown, who had only one hit in his previous 21 at-bats, drove in Aaron Bates with a single to left field in the bottom of the ninth inning, giving the PawSox a 2-1 victory.

Buchholz didn’t have his best stuff, but he battled all night long and allowed only one run on five hits over five innings plus two batters. Hernandez matched him by scattering six hits over six innings, giving up one run and two walks with five strikeouts.

John Jaso gave the Bulls a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth when he blasted a 93-mph Buchholz pitch over the fence in right.

Pawtucket tied it in the bottom of the fifth when Travis Denker hit an RBI groundout to first base. Angel Chavez scored from third on the play.

In the top of the ninth, Jonathan Van Every, in his first start since going on the seven-day disabled list on June 1,  saved a run with a spectacular diving catch on a two-out Ray Sadler shot to deep center.

Buchholz is ERA leader

Because Gwinnett ace Tommy Hanson got called up to Atlanta, Buchholz  leads the  league in ERA.

He has a 4-0 record and a 1.74 ERA.

As good as Buchholz has been on the mound, it’s his maturity that Johnson has been impressed with the most.

“He’s done a really nice job,” Johnson said. “I think the biggest thing that has stood out in my mind this year is we constantly discuss and talk about the players about their maturity.

“Whether he throws well or not, what I have been impressed with is the way he’s handled, very professionally, everything that has gone on on the mound from Opening Day in his first start of the year in Buffalo when he went three innings and threw over 70 pitches and it didn’t go his way. His mannerisms, composure, the way he’s handled himself have been the same through the nine-inning complete game with Louisville. That’s what you look for because you know he’s got the ability.”

Hitters must step up

It’s no secret that much of the PawSox’ success this year is due to their outstanding pitching staff.

The PawSox are in a battle for first place in the International League North with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Syracuse and Rochester despite being tied with Buffalo for the worst team batting average (.229) in the league. In addition, they are averaging only 3.25 runs per game.

Pawtucket’s hitters have to perform better if the PawSox are to be successful the rest of the season.

“Pitching has carried us,” Pawtucket manager Ron Johnson said. “It’s going to have to change a little bit because, not that I believe that our pitchers aren’t very good. They are, but the weather is heating up and when that happens, the balls start carrying a little bit farther and the hitters get more into the zone. This is about the time where the hitters are going to start taking over, so it’s that time of year when our offense is going to step up a little bit if we are going to remain competitive.”

Chris Carter leads the players on Pawtucket’s active roster with a.279 batting average. He has 13 doubles, 14 RBI and three home runs. Jeff Bailey is second with a .264 average. But he has only eight RBI, having spent a considerable amount of time in Boston.

“I’ve been doing this a long time so I know that there are ups and downs,” Johnson said of his hitters.  “But I’m kind of at the point where I’m thinking, ‘OK, it’s go time,’ Guys are getting close to that 200 at-bat plateau.

“Baseball is a very humbling game, and the one thing we do know is that you can’t force it. But I do believe we have the talent to be a successful offensive team. Looking at the players and when you look at the lineup, it’s not a bad lineup. It’s a lineup that can produce more than two runs a game, so hopefully we can get that going.”

The PawSox have a team ERA of 3.34, which ranks third in the league. They were first or second until May 23.

Smoltz goes Thursday

John Smoltz (1-0, 1.50 ERA) will make his fifth rehab start and second for Pawtucket when he pitches the opener of Pawtucket’s doubleheader against Syracuse on Thursday.

Smoltz beat Durham, 2-1, in his PawSox debut last Saturday, allowing one run on one hit in six innings with three strikeouts.

Smoltz and Buchholz have been intertwined since Jan. 13, when the Red Sox signed Smoltz to a one-year deal. With the veteran in the fold, it meant someone was going to have to go to Pawtucket, and it was Buchholz.

Charlie Zink (4-4, 3.67 ERA) will start Thursday’s second game.