PAWTUCKET - Healthy once again, Bobby Kielty is a Major Leaguer playing minor-league baseball for the Pawtucket Red Sox.

Such is the situation for the situational outfielder, who signed a minor-league deal with the Boston Red Sox over the winter months and declined an "out" clause in his contract to remain with the organization coming out of spring training.

First it was a groin strain, a bone spur in his left hand, then an oblique strain for the 32-year old outfielder, reducing his AAA duty to 20 games for the PawSox this season, with only courtesy calls from Boston to check on his health.

Kielty returned to the Pawtucket lineup Wednesday night after a month-long absence with two hits, but the Syracuse Chiefs came up with a 6-5 verdict as a result of Danny Sandoval's two-out, two-strike, RBI-bunt single down the third base line in the top of the ninth inning.

"It's nice to get back and play," said Kielty. "It's just a matter of being healthy and staying healthy the whole year." Kielty was a victim of outfield numbers with Boston, the inability to move Coco Crisp and the promotion of Jacoby Ellsbury. He batted just .167 (3-for-18) in 12 spring training games with Boston.

Then when he was activated by the PawSox from May 30 to June 8, Kielty had trouble finding his groove at the plate, batting .203 with 13 hits, 14 walks, 13 RBI and 21 strikeouts.

"He's been our everyday guy (outfielder) from the beginning of the year, but he has to stay healthy," said PawSox manager Ron Johnson.

Well-rested and ready to play at the major league level, Kielty, batting in the No. 2 spot of the order, stroked a double into right center field in his first trip to the plate and a leadoff single into left in the fifth inning.

Kielty elected not to take advantage of an "out" clause in his contract which would have enabled him to choose free agency were he not on Boston's major league roster at the outset of the season. After belting a pinch-hit homer for Boston in game No. 4 of the World Series against Colorado, Kielty knew his value (599 career MLB games).

"Right now, it's working on my timing (at the plate) a bit," said Kielty, who went 2-for-5. "It's just a matter of getting my swings in."

In addition to his two hits, Kielty attempted a bit of defensive chicanery in right field in the second inning, making a diving (alleged) catch of a low liner for what might have been the third out of the inning. He lifted his glove high after the dive, but the right field umpire ruled it to be a trap and an RBI-single for Sandoval.

Prior to be activated to the PawSox roster, Kielty had played the previous two nights with the Class A Lowell Spinners, having three hits and three RBI.

Syracuse used a two-out, two-strike, two-run RBI-single by leadoff batter Wayne Lydon in a three-run second inning to take the lead; took a 4-1 lead on Eric Kratz' leadoff homer in the fourth; and tied the score at 5-5 in the sixth on a two-out error (just his fifth in 46 games) by PawSox shortstop Jed Lowrie.

The PawSox rallied for three runs on three hits, including an RBI-triple by Dusty Brown and a homer by Chad Span to tie the score, then took the lead in the fifth on two hits and Brown's RBI'sacrifice flyball. The setback snapped a three-game win streak for the IL-North Division-leading PawSox, just their second loss over the past 13 games.

Foul Balls

When Chad Spann socked a two-run homer to left field in the fourth inning to knot the score at 4-4, it was just his second homer of the season, his first since May 15. Over his previous 14 games, Spann had gone just 8-for-51 (.157) ... Knuckleballer Charlie Zink (8-2, foes batting .209 against him) hurls for the PawSox in tonight's 6:15 start ... PawSox manager Ron Johnson indicated that he has not heard otherwise from Boston and has penciled in Clay Buchholz as Saturday's starting pitcher. Foes are batting just .222 against him ... Jed Lowrie had an 11-game hit streak snapped with an 0-for-5 night ... PawSox reliever Hunter Jones (3-2, 3.42 ERA) has 28 K's in 261/3 innings ... PawSox No. 9 batter Jon VanEvery has a .369 on-base percentage with 76 hits and 30 walks, but also has totaled a team-high 103 strikeouts ... Former King Philip High standout SS Mike Lyon, via Northeastern, is batting .313 through 10 games (with only five strikeouts) for the Staten Island Yankees ... 1B-OF Jeff Bailey, 2B Joe Thurston, OF's Chris Carter and VanEvery along with Zink were named to the IL All-Star team ... Fireworks are set for McCoy Stadium after tonight, Friday and Saturday's games ...The PawSox have hit HR's in 23 of their last 27 games, 47 over that stretch ... PawSox starter Edgar Martinez labored (78 pitches) over three-plus innings against Syracuse, allowing six hits and three walks ... Catcher Dusty Brown had two hits and two RBI, including an RBI-triple in a three-run fourth inning and a SF-RBI for a 5-4 lead in the fifth inning, He had gone just 4-for-36 (.114) in the previous 10 games ... After a great start to the season, Jeff Bailey (.296) is in a 5-for-39 funk.