The Richmond Braves got some of the lead out last night. But then they absorbed a little too much Zink.

Weighed down by a 3-17 skid the past three weeks, the R-Braves lightened their load by winning the first game of a doubleheader with Pawtucket 7-6. Scott Thorman scored the winner on a wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh inning before 1,951 at The Diamond.

The Braves, though, couldn't solve the knuckleball of Charlie Zink in the second game and fell 6-1.

Richmond easily could have added the first game to its slide. The Braves built a 4-1 lead after three innings. It was 4-4 after the fifth.

Richmond assumed a 6-4 lead in the bottom of the sixth on Derrick Arnold's two-out, two-run single. Pawtucket tied it in the top of the seventh -- minor-league doubleheaders are seven innings -- on Jonathan Van Every's two-run homer off Jonathon Rouwenhorst.

Thorman led off the bottom of the seventh with a walk, took second on Barbaro Canizares' single and went to third on Diory Hernandez's sacrifice bunt. He scored when Lincoln Holdzkom threw a pitch to the backstop.

"We'll take'em any way we can get'em right now," said R-Braves manager Dave Brundage, whose team is 41-52.

GAME 2: Zink was a conventional pitcher before becoming a knuckleballer a year after signing with the Red Sox in 2002. Since 2005, he's 41-18.

Zink, who mixes in other pitches with his knuckler, allowed five runs and five hits in 81/3 innings against Richmond on June 23. This time, he yielded five hits and one unearned run while improving to 10-2.

"He threw the ball much better than he did at their place," Brundage said. "He probably only threw two fastballs. He was ahead of us the whole game."

R-Braves starter Brian Lawrence gave up only four hits and two runs -- one earned --in six innings. Pawtucket broke open the game with a four-run seventh off reliever Jorge Julio.

"[Lawrence] pitched to his spots and gave us a chance to win," Brundage said.

LOADING UP: Braves outfielder Carl Loadenthal had four hits in the doubleheader, extending his hitting streak to eight games. Loadenthal is batting .464 (13-28) during the streak. He has raised his average to .316.

NO CONTACT: Outfielder Brandon Jones had his eyes dilated during a visit to get one of his contact lenses fixed and was unavailable to play last night.

IN BETWEEN: Left-hander Chuck James, who has been up and down with Atlanta while trying to get his pitching mechanics in order, is 3-4 with a 2.58 ERA. James had an up-and-down outing in his start Sunday. He allowed five runs -- on seven hits and four walks -- but struck out six in 51/3 innings.

"I'd say he's in between being a good pitcher and being an average pitcher," Brundage said. "He's trying to find himself. He's trying to make adjustments, which is a good thing."

REST UP: Reliever Zach Schreiber found out he doesn't need reconstructive Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. On Monday, Schreiber saw orthopedic surgeon James Andrews, who recommended rest and rehabilitation for inflammation. Schreiber thought he was dealing with a partially torn ligament.

UP NEXT: Richmond completes the series with Pawtucket and the homestand with a 7 p.m. game today at The Diamond. Right-hander Chris Resop (2-0, 1.50 ERA) is scheduled to pitch against righty Edgar Martinez (3-1, 4.26).