Ramos bunts to cap rare cycle for PawSox

While the rest of the country celebrated Independence Day, Henry Ramos partied like it was 1999.

Boston's No. 22 prospect legged out a bunt single in the top of the ninth inning to complete the first cycle for Triple-A Pawtucket since Michael Coleman accomplished the feat on June 4, 1999, as the PawSox topped the Charlotte Knights, 7-4, at BB&T Ballpark.

On Sunday, Ramos played hero with a two-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the 16th inning to lift Pawtucket over Columbus, 5-4. On Monday, he catapulted the first pitch he saw from Charlotte starter Jacob Turner over the wall in left-center field in the first inning for a solo blast.

The 24-year-old led off the fourth by doubling to left. He drove in two runs in the fifth with a triple to right. But he had to wait until the game's final inning to complete the cycle after striking out on four pitches in the seventh.

Fortunately for Ramos, the PawSox offense powered on to give him another chance against Knights reliever Blake Smith with one out in the ninth. The Puerto Rico native pushed a bunt down the third-base line on Smith's first pitch and beat the throw to first by third baseman Jake Peter.

The historic feat provided another high point in a resurgent season for Boston's 2010 fifth-round pick. In 2015, Ramos sustained a left knee injury in his fifth game with Double-A Portland. Though he returned to the Sea Dogs on July 8, he finished the year with a .244 average, no home runs and eight RBIs in 37 games.

"I tried to swing at every pitch," Ramos told the Portland Press Herald back in May. "I didn't have patience. I tried to get three base-hits in one at-bat."

The switch-hitting outfielder has experienced a very different 2016. He hit .281/.333/.406 with the Sea Dogs during the season's first two months before earning his first Triple-A callup on June 6. He has a .309 average with four homers and 22 RBIs with Pawtucket.

Now Ramos can add a cycle to his list of accomplishments this season.

"It feels great, to do what I love," he told the paper.

PawSox left fielder Chris Marrero went 3-for-5 and plated two runs while falling a triple short of the cycle.

Starter Roenis Elias (6-3) allowed four runs on eight hits and two walks while fanning two over six innings, and Kyle Martin notched his fifth save by striking out one in a perfect bottom of the ninth.

Turner (4-7) yielded seven runs on 13 hits and struck out eight over 6 2/3 frames for Charlotte.