By Ryan Sheahan
In the penultimate game of the first half of the 2024 season, the Worcester Red Sox (35-39) shutout the Columbus Clippers (31-42) 2-0 in the fifth game of their six-game set on Saturday at Polar Park. The weather impeded the game from starting at its scheduled time of 4:05 p.m., but after a one hour and fifty-six minute rain delay, the WooSox and Clippers took the field on a cool June day.
Richard Fitts got the start for Worcester, looking to rebound from his previous outing in Buffalo. In that June 15 start, Fitts surrendered just two runs but lasted only two innings due to a high pitch count. On Saturday, the big WooSox right-hander was sharp early, striking out six while allowing just one hit in his first three innings of work.
Worcester pushed the first run across in the third inning after Nick Sogard scored on Jamie Westbrook’s sacrifice fly. The WooSox offense would draw three walks in the inning but fail to add more. At the end of three, Worcester led, 1-0.
In the top of the fourth, Fitts ran into a bit of trouble, allowing hits to the first two batters he faced. With first and third and nobody out, Fitts buckled down and struck out two of the next three to escape the frame without allowing a run.
The Alabama native would remain on the mound for the fifth inning, where he went three up and three down on 14 pitches. It was an excellent bounce-back outing for Fitts, who had struggled with command in his first two June starts. On Saturday, the 24-year-old finished with a season-high nine strikeouts and a final line of 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 9 K.
Brian Van Belle entered on the mound for Fitts to begin the sixth and continued Fitts’ dominant start. The right-handed reliever punched out three over 2.2 scoreless innings––and received some outstanding defense from his centerfielder. With a man on first and one out in the seventh, Mark Contreras robbed Columbus second baseman Raynel Delgado of a hit in shallow left-center.
The following half inning, Worcester put four men on base with two walks, a hit, and a hit by pitch, but a caught stealing cost the WooSox an insurance run. At the end of seven innings, the score remained 1-0.
Van Belle continued on the mound to begin the eighth and retired the first two batters he faced before being relieved by Luis Guerrero. With the new pitcher, the Clippers started to make some noise, loading the bases with two outs. However, the WooSox flamethrower got out of the jam to hold the lead.
In the bottom of the frame, Worcester got their much-needed insurance run. Mickey Gasper led off the inning with a 408-foot solo blast to right-center, giving the WooSox a two-run advantage. It was Gasper’s second home run––and first at Polar Park––since being promoted to Worcester on June 4. With two hits on Saturday, Gasper is now hitting .424 with a 1.264 OPS in 10 Triple-A games this year.
Guerrero started the ninth for the WooSox, but after allowing a one-out single, Lucas Luetge came on to face the top of the Clippers lineup. It would take the southpaw just six pitches to record the final two outs and secure the 2-0 win for Worcester. With the win, Fitts earned his fifth victory of the season, and Luetge picked up his fourth save.
The WooSox and Clippers will wrap-up their six-game series and the first half of the 2024 season at 1:05 p.m. on Sunday afternoon at Polar Park. Worcester will send Grant Gambrell (3-6, 4.57) to the mound opposite Will Dion (2-2, 6.09) for Columbus. The game will be broadcasted live on NESN+ and radio coverage begins at 12:45 p.m. on 98.9 Nash Icon and the WooSox Radio Network.
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