Pawtucket Red Sox fans had a lot to cheer on Wednesday. They watched Jeff Bailey get promoted and hit a home run in his first at-bat at Fenway Park this season.

Then there was the 8-7, 11-inning win in Pawtucket. The PawSox scored 5 runs in the bottom of the 9th to tie it - keyed by Jon Van Every's two-out grand slam.

The PawSox won the game with a bases loaded walk to Chip Ambres in the 11th.

Lost among the excitement was the brief, 1-inning appearance of reliever Daniel Bard. He needed only 9 pitches and recorded 3 strikeouts.

In 9 innings of work so far, Bard has allowed 1 hit (a home run), 1 run, 3 walks, and has struck out 16.

Clay Buchholz got the start after taking a few extra days off with a tweaked hamstring (5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 K).

Buchholz retired the first 8 batters, then allowed 4 straight to reach (walk, single, walk, 2-run single), before retiring 7 of the last 8 he faced.

Van Every (sprained ankle) is on a rehab assignment, although he is expected to stay with Pawtucket (unless Boston calls him up, since J.D. Drew is now the back-up center fielder with Rocco Baldelli out).

Shortstop Julio Lugo (knee) is also on a rehab assignment with the PawSox. He went 0-for-3 with 3 strikeouts and a walk.

One down note for the PawSox: Pitcher Devern Hansack was taken off the 40-man roster and waived. If no other team claims him, Hansack, 30, would be free to sign a minor league deal with the Sox.

Hansack made a splash in 2006, starting in Portland. I remember him jogging out of manager Todd Claus' office, his arms raised in triumph. Claus and Sox GM Theo Epstein followed. Hansack had not only just won the Eastern League championship game for Portland, but was promoted to Boston after the game.

Hansack threw an rain-shortened (and thus, unofficial) no-hitter in the Sox last game of the season. He came close to making the major league club out of spring training the next year, but was one of the last cuts.

He appeared in only 2 major league games (31 start) the past two seasons, unable to find the consistency of 2006.

The Sea Dogs return to Portland tonight. In their 6-4 loss in New Britain, first baseman Lars Anderson (.280) hit his second home run, and third baseman Jorge Jimenez (.400) stayed hot, going 2-for-4.

And it will be a wonder if first-round draft pick Casey Kelly ever plays shortstop again. After last year's draft, Kelly played short in the rookie leagues. But the Sox liked him as a pitcher and said he would start 2009 on the mound.

Kelly had another scoreless start Wednesday (5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K). In 15 innings, his ERA is 0.00, allowing 10 hits and 2 walks; striking out 12.

Another pitching prospect, Caleb Clay, who had been successfully following Kelly's starts, ran into trouble Wednesday (3 1/3, 7 H, 5 R, 3 BB, 1 K).

I'll check in later from Hadlock.

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