SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Pawtucket Red Sox jumped out to a 5-0 lead and held on for a 5-2 win over Syracuse in International League play Monday night.

Joe Thurston doubled in a run in the first inning to get Pawtucket off on the right foot.

In the fourth, the PawSox sent nine men to the plate, scoring four times. Jeff Bailey, Thurston, Chris Carter and Keith Ginter each knocked in a run.

Clay Buchholz threw five shutout innings, improving to 4-1 since joining the club. Hunter Jones pitched the ninth and earned his fourth save in four tries.

The PawSox are now a season-high 22 games over the .500 mark, marking the first time since the end of the 2003 season (83-61) thatr the PawSox have been that many games above the break-even mark. Pawtucket has won 10 of its last 11 games, 14 of 16, and 16 of its last 19. Included in that surge is a 9-1 streak on the road.

The series continues tonight as Syracuse's David Purcey (6-6) faces Pawtucket's David Pauley (10-2) in the mound matchup.