Last modified: Thursday, June 18, 2009 2:20 AM EDT John Smoltz pulls on his Pawtucket Red Sox hat for perhaps the last time Wednesday. Smoltz is expected to be called up to Boston. Smoltz, Buchholz go back-to-back for Pawtucket BY PETER GOBIS SUN CHRONICLE STAFF PAWTUCKET - Was it the 42-year old Hall of Famer that was more effective on the pitching mound for the Pawtucket Red Sox? Or the 24-year-old right-handed phenom? Is John Smoltz more ready to pitch for the Boston Red Sox than Clay Buchholz? Now that's a question that Pawtucket Red Sox manager Ron Johnson prefers not to answer, detouring commentary to the Boston brass. But it will be Smoltz heading to Boston, after making his third rehab appearance for the PawSox Wednesday at McCoy Stadium, while Buchholz has to wait his turn and future fate by laboring at the AAA-level. Smoltz headed to the showers and up to Boston, while Buchholz headed to the showers with his fifth victory of the season and to his condo in downtown Providence after the PawSox staged a 9-3 victory over Charlotte before a crowd of 10,071. Smoltz allowed three hits over his four innings of work, while Buchholz allowed two hits during his four innings of work. Smoltz struck out two and threw 61 pitches (36 for strikes), Buchholz struck out six and threw 80 pitches (47 for strikes). "They're both major league pitchers, absolutely," said PawSox catcher Dusty Brown. "They're a little different, they both threw well. Smoltz is more of a fastball, hard slider, hard split-finger. Clay is more of a drastic change of speed guy - he throws hard in the 90s, a big curveball, slider." The PawSox erased a one-run deficit and a potential loss for Smoltz, the PawSox starter, by scoring five fifth-inning runs on five hits with Brown stroking a two-out, two-run single into left field and Travis Denker following with an RBI-single into right field. That gave Buchholz a four-run lead, however the PawSox ace then yielded his seventh homer of the season, a two-out, two-run shot over the right field wall to Charlotte catcher Cole Armstrong - his first of the season. "He'll go up there and help that club out," said Buchholz of Smoltz. "That's the thing for me, I have to bide some time here until situations arises that I can go up there. Everybody has the common goal to be in the big leagues -- the timetable is not on my side right now." The PawSox gave Buchholz a six-run lead to work with through the final three innings after scoring four sixth-inning runs on four hits - Angel Chavez, Bubba Bell and Paul McAnulty having RBI-singles. Buchholz was throwing in the mid-90s with his fastball and mid-80s with his breaking ball pitches. In his previous six starts, he had four no-decisions - allowing 28 hits, while striking out 33 in 40 innings, and walking just five. Charlotte had runners on base against Smoltz in three of the four innings that he worked, while the Knights had runners on base against Buchholz in four of the five frames that he worked - retiring the side in order only in the seventh (on 12 pitches). "I fell behind in the count for the most part," added Buchholz, who hadn't pitched in eight days. "For starting pitchers, routine is the biggest key. Not going out there and throwing for six days feels like two weeks. It was a positive outing. "Nobody wants to be AAA. He (Smoltz) made sure I knew the situation, the scenario, what he was doing," added Buchholz. "He just said he was rooting for me, that he couldn't wait to see me up there. That says a lot about a guy fighting for the same spot as me." FOUL BALLS -- The Big Red of North Attleboro High was omni-present with Rocketeer softball team members Jacki O'Neil and Jess Berkley patrolling left and right field respectively. A night earlier, Rocketeers Sarah Brown, Alicia Patalano and Jill Brunelli tracked down the wayward foul balls Rookie OF Bubba Bell, just up from Portland, had his first IL hit, a first-pitch, RBI-single into right field in the fifth inning to knot the score at 1-1 Another rookie, 1B Aaron Bates, has hit safely in seven of his eight IL games since being summoned from Portland as well, an RBI-chopper down the third base line in the five-run fifth inning. Bates led the EL in hits with 70 and was fourth in hitting (.340) Jeff Bailey has been in an offensive funk since returning from Boston, in 13 games going 12-for-52, having two hits and striking out twice Wednesday Knuckleballer Charlie Zink (4-5, 3.96) is slated to start for the PawSox in tonight's homestand finale On the Charlotte roster is RHP Justin Cassel (3-6, 4.64), the brother of former Patriot QB Matt Cassel OF Paul McAnulty had three hits, tying him with Chris Carter for the team lead in multiple-hit games at 14 The PawSox are 19-5 when scoring more than three runs 210-game MLB-winner in 20 seasons with Atlanta, John Smoltz threw just six pitches in a 1-2-3 first inning, but 24 in allowing two hits and a leadoff homer to ex-PawSoxer Keith Ginter in the third inning Former Red Sox hurler Kason Gabbard is slated to pitch for AA-Portland tonight.