The box score looks ugly.
Mike Shawaryn gave up six runs over 61/3 innings.
And you call this right-hander a Red Sox pitching prospect?
Actually, yes. Shawaryn showed his worth with five scoreless innings – after a struggling first – before he tired in the seventh. The Reading Fightin Phils beat the Sea Dogs 7-1 in the first game of a doubleheader Tuesday night at Hadlock Field.
The Phils made it a sweep with a 6-5 win in the second game. Zach Green’s solo home run in the sixth inning broke a 5-5 tie.
The losses ended the Sea Dogs’ four-game winning streak.
In the first game, Shawaryn entered the contest with a 3.12 ERA (10th best in the Eastern League) and 1.04 walk/hits per inning (second best), and had not allowed a walk in his previous 192/3 innings.
So, it was obvious Shawaryn (3-6) was out of sync in the first inning. He needed 30 pitches, allowing two runs on two singles, two walks and a run-producing wild pitch.
“Trying to get settled in and a get a feel for pitches,” said Shawaryn , whose ERA increased to 3.45. “You try to dig in and find what’s working.”
The Sea Dogs’ bullpen began to stir, but Shawaryn retired three of the last four batters in the inning.
“He really grinded through that first inning,” Sea Dogs Manager Darren Fenster said. “For him to be able to pitch us into the seventh in a one-run game, it’s a credit to him.”
Over the next five innings, Shawaryn needed only 51 pitches (two hits, no walks) as Reading kept a 2-1 lead.
“He started locating the fastball a lot better and mixing pitches in better counts,” catcher Austin Rei said. “He got ahead and attacked more.”
The sliders and cutters worked much better once he located the fastballs.
But the grind “took a lot out of him,” Fenster said. “He hit a wall.”
The seventh began with Shawaryn’s third walk, a sacrifice bunt, and then a two-run homer by Austin Bosart, who pounced on a high fastball.
“It was a long game and I wasn’t able to execute that fastball away, and left it up,” Shawaryn said.
Two singles followed, and Shawaryn left the game, down 4-1, with one out and two runners on. Reliever Trevor Kelly gave up two doubles as the Phils went up 7-1.
Reading pitcher Ranger Suarez (3-3) threw a complete-game five-hitter (minor league doubleheader games are seven innings).
The Sea Dogs got their run in the fifth on singles by Rei, Danny Mars and Chad De La Guerra.
This was Shawaryn’s worst result since he gave up seven runs to Reading on May 14. He may not want to see the Phils again. He has allowed 15 earned runs in his three starts against Reading (8.28 ERA). In his other 10 starts, he’s allowed only 15 earned runs (2.29 ERA).
After the sweep, Reading improved to 29-40; Portland dropped to 26-43.
NOTES: The announced paid attendance was 4,343 … Mars went 4 for 8 for the night, extending his hitting streak to eight games (hitting .367) … Former Sea Dogs infielder Heiker Meneses, 26, played second base for Reading in the second game. He signed with the Phillies as a minor league free agent … Jon Lester bobbleheads were given out to the first 1,000 fans. The next bobblehead giveaway features NESN announcer and Maine native Tom Caron on June 30 … Thursday’s game begins at 6 p.m. because of fireworks afterward.
Kevin Thomas can be reached at 791-7411 or:
kthomas@pressherald.com
Twitter: @ClearTheBases
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