PawSox starter David Pauley gave up seven runs to Louisville last night at McCoy Stadium, but only four were earned.

AP / Frank Franklin II

PAWTUCKET — David Pauley saw his six-start win streak come to an end and the Pawtucket Red Sox dropped their third straight home game, 8-7, to the Louisville Bats last night.

It is the longest home losing streak of the season for Pawtucket, which is still 22-12 at McCoy Stadium, the best home record in the International League.

Miguel Tejera took the loss for Pawtucket as Pauley recorded just his second no-decision of the season; his record remains at 8-2. Pauley’s last loss came May 3 in Syracuse, when he had his shortest outing of the season, allowing seven earned runs in four innings.

Against the Bats, PawSox manager Ron Johnson said Pauley didn’t have full command of his breaking ball, but he was pleased with the way the right-hander persevered despite some defensive issues behind him.

“David did a nice job,” Johnson said. “He went into the seventh, he had some miscues behind him, and I like the way he battled through the start.”

Pauley threw 6 1/3 innings, allowing seven hits and seven runs, though only four of those were earned. He struck out two, walked one, and also had a hit batsman and wild pitch among his 93 pitches (61 strikes).

Perfect through three innings, Pauley allowed his first baserunner in the fourth, when Bats’ leadoff hitter Michael Griffin opened the inning with a single to center. Louisville would score two runs in the frame, tying the score at 2-2.

The fifth, however, is when the problems occurred.

Adam Rosales led off with a single, then got to second on a wild pitch and advanced to third on a fly ball by B.J. Szymanski. The next batter, Griffin, hit a routine grounder to first, but Chad Spann’s toss to Pauley was over his head.

Rosales scored, Griffin ran into second, and Andy Green’s home run to left put the Bats up, 5-2.

Louisville plated two more runs in the sixth.

“Pauley was pitching to the game. He stayed composed,” Johnson said. “He kept working his pitches on a hot, humid night out there.”

The game-time temperature was a season-high 93 degrees.

In winning his previous six starts, Pauley, who turns 25 on Tuesday, had allowed 16 runs in 34 innings for a 4.24 ERA. For the season, his ERA is 4.06.

Pauley left the game after getting the first out in the seventh and with the PawSox trailing, 7-6.

“I’ve seen him with better command of his breaking ball, but I just like the way he competed tonight. He battled and his did a nice job,” Johnson said. “The numbers, to look at them they’re not great, but it was very respectable. He gave us a chance to win.”

Also overshadowed in the loss was the night Joe Thurston enjoyed. The 28-year old journeyman was 3-for-5 at the plate with a home run, and turned in a SportsCenter-worthy defensive play: in the eighth, Thurston dove behind second base to stab stop a hit from Szymanski, rolled and flipped the ball over his shoulder to shortstop Jed Lowrie. Thurston’s back was facing Lowrie when he made the play.

“I used to do that,” Johnson joked. “I’m getting used to Joe Thurston playing well.”

Despite going hitless in three at-bats on Monday, Thurston is 12-for-25 (.480) over his last six games with two homers and four RBI. Because of that, he’s raised his season average to .310, putting him just behind Chris Carter, who is hitting a team-best .315 after a 2-for-5 night.

Jonathan Van Every’s home run to the berm in the eighth made it 7-7, but Tejera allowed back-to-back hits in the top of the ninth that allowed the Bats to get the winning run.

Lowrie and Carter each singled in the ninth to give Pawtucket a shot at a comeback, but neither George Kottaras nor Keith Ginter could get another hit.

smanza@projo.com