Last modified: Sunday, June 29, 2008 1:19 AM EDT Pawtucket's Pauley dazzles Braves BY PETER GOBIS / SUN CHRONICLE STAFF PAWTUCKET - An International League-best 10 wins, a season-best nine strikeouts, 10 straight outings without a loss ... it's been a great trip to the mound this season for David Pauley. Pauley scattered just four hits through seven innings of work Thursday, the final six being shutout frames, in hurling the Pawtucket Red Sox to a 4-1 victory over the Richmond Braves at McCoy Stadium. "Everything was good, I made good pitches when I needed to and the guys made the plays behind me," said the righthander, who improved to 10-2 on the season, having allowed merely four earned runs through his last 21 innings of work. "He's becoming professionalized," said PawSox manager Ron Johnson of Pauley, now in his fourth year in the Red Sox organization after coming over from San Diego in the Jay Payton trade in 2004. "When pitchers become a player, it's not about delivery, it's not about trying to throw strikes, it's pitching the game. He's becoming reliable, you can count on what you're going to get." After yielding a run on two hits in the first inning, Pauley weaved his way through the Braves' order, retiring the side in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings. After the first inning, only once thereafter (in the third) did Pauley allow a leadoff batter to reach base, while walking just two. "One run wasn't going to win this game, all I had to do was bear down, let them (Richmond) get themselves out, keep the innings short," said Pauley. After the first inning, only in the third did Richmond ever advance a runner into scoring position against him. "The quality of his changeup, it's becoming a good pitch," added Johnson. "He's executing his location, he's throwing it at the right times." And the PawSox picked the right time to break a 1-1 tie by scoring three runs in the seventh inning to get Pauley the win. Jed Lowrie smacked a two-run double into the left field corner and Bryan Pritz added a two-out RBI-single. The PawSox had tied the contest in the second when Chris Carter hammered a leadoff double off Braves; lefthander Chuck James and scored when Chad Spann's ground ball was misplayed. "I guess the changeup was good," said Pauley in regard to his strikeout pitch. "I got a lot of swings and misses on it." Pauley has worked five innings or more in each of his last 10 starts, not having suffered a loss on the mound since May 3. Against Richmond, he threw 101 pitches, 71 for strikes. "It's good to have something other than my sinker to keep them off balance," added Pauley of his breaking ball. Johnson admires Pauley's patience and poise, not just his pitching. "It's very impressive. I like the innings when he comes out and maybe gives up a run or something happens, watching his composure and his continual attempt to make pitches. You never get that feeling, like the first inning there, that things would spin out of control." Foul balls Boston reliever Mike Timlin began a 30-day rehab assignment with the PawSox. Timlin was placed on Boston's disabled list June 21 with left knee tendonitis after going 3-3 with a 7.06 ERA in 24 relief appearances. The 42-year old Timlin was sharp, coming on in the eighth inning, with a 1-2-3 frame, getting two flyball outs and fielding the final out himself, throwing just 10 pitches IF Keith Ginter extended his hitting streak to seven games, IF Jed Lowrie extended his streak to six games and OF Bryan Pritz had his second straight multiple-hit game with two, giving him hits in nine of the last 10 games "I can't say enough good things about him," PawSox manager Ron Johnson said of the 25-year old Pritz, a Urichmond product. "This game is about opportunity -- when you get it, do something with it. He's earning his playing time" LH reliever Hunter Jones the ninth inning with two strikeouts, giving him 10 over his last 7.2 innings of work without allowing an earned run Edgar Martinez (2-1) hurls for the PawSox tonight in a series opener at Rochester The PawSox have the most wins (51) in AAA baseball and the best home record (31-14) in the IL The PawSox closed out the homestand at 7-1 Members of the Hockomock YMCA were on hand 2B Joe Thurston drew three walks. He had just 18 through 71 games Johnson was doubly thrilled, his alama mater Fresno State, won the NCAA College World Series and his son had two hits in the A-level, Texas League all-star game. Richmond 100 000 000-1 5 1 Pawtucket 010 000 30x-4 8 1 James, DeSalvo (6) and Sammons. Pauley, Timlin (8), Jones (9) and Brown. W-Pauley (10-2). L-James (3-3). A-6,033.