PAWSOX 3, CHIEFS 2

The highlights: The PawSox used clutch hitting and three strong pitching performances by ace Clay Buchholz and relievers Marcus McBeth and Hunter Jones who combined to limit Syracuse to four hits with nine strikeouts to survive a stiff test from the Chiefs, winning a thrilling battle, 3-2, in front of a crowd of 8,476 at McCoy Stadium.

With the score tied at 2-2, the PawSox loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the ninth inning and Freddy Guzman (2-for-5) drove in Paul McAnulty with a RBI single for the game-winning hit.

"I tried to hit the ball hard the first two pitches I saw and at least get a sacrifice fly," Guzman said. "When I got two strikes I choked up and then put the ball in play."

"Freddy's got skill," Pawtucket manager Ron Johnson said. "He brings a dimension to the game that we don't have and that's plus, plus speed."

Buchholz (6 innings, 4 hits, 1 earned run, 6 strikeouts, 2 walks) outdueled Syracuse's Horacio Ramirez (5 innings, 5 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, 1 strikeout), who was designated for assignment on June 6 by the Kansas City Royals after going 0-for-2 with a 5.96 ERA in 19 games. Buchholz did not get the win because the score was tied at 2-2 when he left the game.

"He comes out and commands the zone," Johnson said of Buchholz. "He has been real good this year. I'm real excited about what he's doing."

"Everything felt a lot better than the last outing," Buchholz said. "It's definitely a step in the right direction."

McBeth (2 innings, 0 hits, 2 strikeouts) and Jones (1 inning, 0 hits, 1 strikeout), who got the win, pitched well in relief.

Jeff Bailey gave the PawSox a 2-0 lead when he blasted an 83-mile-per-hour, 3-and-2, Ramirez pitch over the wall in left field for a two-run home run, but Syracuse would not go down without a fight.

The Chiefs took advantage of a Jed Lowrie error to slash Pawtucket's lead to 2-1, and Ryan Langerhans tied the score at 2-2 with a RBI double hit down the first-base line in the top of the sixth inning. The Chiefs would later load the bases with one out in the sixth but Buchholz got Kory Casto to ground into a 6-4-3 double-play, setting the stage for Guzman's game-winning hit.

"I felt in control for the most part and the [sixth inning] got a little bit out of hand but minimizing damage, that's the name of the game," Buchholz said. "The double play is the pitcher's best friend."

Hot streaks continued: Bailey's home run extended his hitting streak to eight games. He is 11-for-29 (.379) with two doubles, eight walks, and a home run over that span . . . With a single in the bottom of the seventh inning, Angel Chavez extended his hitting streak to nine games. He is hitting 13-for-34 (.382) with three doubles and six RBI in his streak . . . Guzman went 2-for-5 Saturday night and is now 25-for-80 (.312) in his last 24 games with three doubles, a triple, and three RBI.

Great road trip: The PawSox won five of their eight games on their latest road trip to Durham and Norfolk when they faced the top two teams in the International League's South division.

"It was a good trip," Johnson said. "Anytime you can go 5-3 on the road against clubs with the kind of numbers that they have, that's pretty good stuff."

Johnson, an avid country music and Kenny Chensey fan, was tempted to go to a Chensey concert that took place at the Virginia Beach Amphitheater on Thursday, but didn't. Several of his players went, however, including Buchholz, John Otness, and trainer Greg Barajas who scored them third-row tickets.

roblee@projo.com