After spending the previous week on the road the Worcester Red Sox opened Polar Park last Tuesday with all the pomp and circumstance one would expect in an event planned by Dr. Charles Steinberg, and the only thing that could have damped the occasion was for the WooSox to come out on the wrong end of the final score. They made sure to not have that happen by scoring five runs in the late innings to come out on top 8-5 over the Syracuse Mets.
After falling behind after one Marcus Wilson cut that deficit in half with a solo shot to center. Down 3-1 in the bottom of the fifth Jarren Duran knotted the score with a two-run shot to right-center. Once again down a run the WooSox battled back in the bottom of the seventh and took the lead for good on Josh Ockimey’s two-run blast to right. Three pitches later Duran homered again, this time to right field. In the eighth Worcester put the game out of reach when Wilson reached on an error and then advanced to third on an errant pick-off throw. He’d score on a Michael Gettys flair to center. An Ockimey sacrifice fly would make it the 8-5 final. Marcus Walden earned the win with an inning of scoreless relief, with Kaleb Ort picking up the save.
With everything going on Tuesday it wasn’t that big of a shock that the WooSox suffered a bit of a hangover on Wednesday, and while they were battling the whole game they just ran out of gas in the late innings in a 4-2 loss to the Mets. Worcester took a 1-0 lead in the second on a Michael Gettys double and Jack Lopez RBI single. Facing a one run deficit in the seventh the WooSox tied it 2-2 on a Danny Santana RBI single to right. But Syracuse would score in the eighth and ninth for the 4-2 final. Worcester starter Daniel Gossett pitched well, allowing just two runs while striking out eight over five innings. Colten Brewer took the loss, allowing the winning run in the eighth.
Thursday was a lot like Tuesday, only without all the pregame festivities, as the WooSox fell behind only to battle back to win 7-4 over Syracuse. Worcester took a 1-0 lead in the first on a Jarren Duran single, who then stole second, and was driven in on an RBI single by Chris Herrmann. It was the first of three hits on the night for the catcher. Trailing 4-1 in the fourth the WooSox comeback would begin with a Michael Gettys RBI single. In the fifth, they’d tie the game on Josh Ockimey’s two-run blast to right center. Yairo Munoz scored on an error in the sixth to give Worcester the lead, and then in the seventh Jarren Duran made it the 7-4 final with a two-run homer to right. Matt Hall earned the win, with Kaleb Ort picking up another save.
In a season that will see a lot of “firsts” two more happened Friday night, with the WooSox and Mets playing the first extra-innings game at Polar Park. Luckily for the fans waiting for the post-game fireworks, Worcester ended the game with their first-ever walk-off win in the stadium when Marcus Wilson walked with the bases loaded to give the WooSox the 2-1 win. Wilson was also responsible for Worcester’s first run with a solo shot to center field in the second inning. Seth Blair earned the win despite an eventful tenth inning for the right-hander, getting a popout and a groundout to end the inning after loading the bases.
Things started off ugly for the WooSox on Saturday, giving up a four-spot to the Mets in the top of the first, but Worcester battled back into the contest when Danny Santana hit a two-run shot to center in the home half of the frame. Jeter Downs cut the deficit to one with a homer in the second, and in the fourth, he tied the game with an RBI single. Two batters later Jack Lopez doubled in Downs to give the WooSox the lead. After Syracuse tied it Worcester then put up a crooked number in the seventh, plating five runs. The scoring started on a Jarren Duran RBI double after two WooSox had walked, and then a Yairo Munoz sac-fly added another run. An infield single by Marcus Wilson scored the third run, and the Downs ripped a double to right to score two more for the eventual 10-5 final. Kevin McCarthy earned the win in relief.
Sunday was a matinee affair against Syracuse, but it may as well been called the Kike Hernandez Show as the Boston Red Sox outfielder, who was in town for a rehab assignment, went 2-4 with two home runs and five RBI to lead Worcester to a 7-4 win. His grand slam in the second inning, the first in WooSox history, gave Worcester a 5-0 lead. In the seventh he launched another homer to make it 6-3 WooSox. Jett Bandy drove in the WooSox first run when he was hit by a pitch just before Hernandez’s grand slam. Worcester’s seventh run came when Jack Lopez rang one off the fair pole in left field just after Hernandez’s second dinger. Raynel Espinal evened his record to 1-1 with the win, while Kaleb Ort picked up his fourth save on the season.
210Sports’ WooSox of the week
Pitcher: Kyle Hart is this week’s winner, throwing six hitless innings on Friday, striking out six batters.
Batter: Jarren Duran gets the nod this week, going 7-23 with three doubles, three homers, and six RBI. he also walked five times, scored five runs, and stole three bases.
Last week’s transactions
Tuesday, May 11: Placed Chad De La Guerra (hamstring strain) on the IL. Activated Danny Santana from the IL. Added Jack Lopez from Portland. Activated Brandon Brennan and Brandon Workman.
Wednesday, May 12: Boston recalled Eduard Bazardo from Worcester.
Thursday, May 13: Boston optioned Eduard Bazardo to Worcester.
Saturday, May 15: Boston recalled Colten Brewer from Worcester. Sent Kike Hernandez to Worcester on a rehab assignment.
Sunday, May 16: Boston optioned Colten Brewer to Worcester.
This week’s schedule
vs Buffalo (Toronto)
Monday: off
Tuesday: 6:30pm
Wednesday: 6:30pm
Thursday: 6:30pm
Friday: 6:30pm
Saturday: 4pm
Sunday: 1pm
—
Got something you loved (or hated) about the post? Head on over to the 210Sports Facebook page and leave a comment. You could comment on this post too, but fair warning, the spam filter catches lots of stuff it shouldn’t and it might be weeks before we see your comment. While you’re there, give the page a like if you could.
-30-
210Sports 