After taking on Rochester and having the worst week in the franchise’s short existence in Worcester the WooSox headed back to Polar Park to take on the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders looking to get back to their winning ways. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out so well on Tuesday as Worcester’s ninth-inning comeback fell just short in a 9-7 loss.
Things started off about as well as they could for Worcester when Jarren Duran launched a solo shot in the bottom of the first, but starting pitcher Tanner Houck struggled in the fourth and left after the frame trailing 2-1. Jeter Downs got the run back in the home half with a homer to left, but reliever Marcus Walden coughed up that lead the next inning. In the sixth Johan Mieses doubled in a run to make it 4-3 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
In the ninth, the RailRiders opened it up with a five-spot against relievers Zac Grotz and Caleb Simpson, but the WooSox battled back by loading the bases in the last of the frame. A Jonathan Arauz sacrifice fly scored a run and Duran followed with a three-run blast to left, but unfortunately, that was it for the scoring.
On Wednesday the rains came, but not before the two squads were able to get a couple of innings in after a short delay. RBI singles from Chris Herrmann and Jarren Duran gave the WooSox a 2-0 lead after two. The game was then suspended due to heavy rain and lighting, with the rest to be completed before Thursday night’s contest.
So to Thursday the teams went, and Worcester was finally able to break their franchise-worst six-game losing streak with a solid effort in a 6-2 win over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in the heavy drizzle. After a Railraiders third-frame homer made it 2-1, the WooSox regained their two-run lead on a fifth-inning Jack Lopez sac-fly. A Marcus Wilson two-run homer in the sixth and a Chris Herrmann solo shot in the seventh capped the scoring for Worcester. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre grabbed a run in the eighth for the 6-2 final.
Raynel Espinal improved his WooSox record to 7-1 with the win in what goes into the books as a five-inning relief stint and struck out six. Kaleb Ort was his usual dominant self, having a solid ninth inning in the non-save situation.
Per the rules, Thursday’s regularly scheduled game was reduced to a seven-inning contest, not that it mattered as it rained most of the game, with the eventual final fifth inning being played in a downpour. With puddles forming on the infield the umpires halted the game with the WooSox trailing 1-0, and less than an hour later the game was declared final.
The rains continued on Friday, and unfortunately for the fans attending the only people who seemed to not realize there was no chance to get the game in was the WooSox. It was rescheduled as part of a doubleheader on July 14th.
It was still raining a bit on Saturday, but the heavy stuff stayed to the south just off long enough for Worcester to scrape out a 4-3 win. All the WooSox runs came in the third frame. The first was off a wild pitch, and then Yairo Munoz followed with an RBI single. Jeter Downs knocked in the third on an infield out, and then Munoz stole home to make it 4-0. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre scored a run in the fifth and two in the sixth but that was all the scoring in the contest.
Starter Kyle Hart struggled on the mound, allowing five hits and walking five batters in five innings, but still earned the win as his bullpen kept the RailRaiders in check. Kaleb Ort earned his eighth save of the season with a scoreless ninth, striking out the final two batters of the game.
Sunday was a rare early evening start on the July 4th holiday, and a bumpy ninth inning almost turned a win into a loss as the WooSox managed to hold on to earn a 5-4 victory. Worcester was down a run entering the home half of the fourth but by the end of the frame had the lead for good. Jarren Duran began the inning with a triple to center field and then scored on a double by Yairo Munoz. A few batters later Munoz would score on a Johan Mieses sacrifice fly.
In the sixth, a Franchy Cordero double scored a run, and in the eighth, a Chris Herrmann double made it 5-1. Daniel Gossett, who earned the win in relief of Tanner Houck, ran out of gas in the ninth as Scranton/Wilkes-Barre managed to score three times. Kaleb Ort didn’t have his best stuff, but with the tying run 90-feet away managed to strike out the final two batters for the win.
210Sports’ WooSox of the week
Pitcher: Kaleb Ort is this week’s winner, earning two saves and striking out five in 2.2 innings over three appearances.
Batter: Jarren Duran is this week’s winner, going 6-17 with a triple and two home runs. He also knocked in five runs and scored five himself.
Last week’s transactions
Tuesday, June 29: Worcester activated Johan Mieses and Raynel Espinal from the TIA. Added Tate Matheny from Portland.
Thursday, July 1: Boston placed Christian Arroyo on a rehab assignment in Worcester.
This week’s schedule
at Lehigh Valley (Philadelphia)
Monday: off
Tuesday: 7pm
Wednesday: 7pm
Thursday: 7pm
Friday: 7pm
Saturday: 6:30pm
Sunday: 1:30pm
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