By: Ryan Sheahan
Bobby Dalbec belted two home runs in the Worcester Red Sox (1-0) to a 6-5 win over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (0-1) in game one of a six-game set at PNC Field on Tuesday night. With the win, the WooSox move to 1-0 in the second half of the 2024 minor league season.
Prior to the series opener, the Boston Red Sox announced several transactions that shook up the WooSox roster. RHP Josh Winckowski, who was initially scheduled to start for Worcester on Tuesday, was recalled to Boston along with C Tyler Heineman and RHP Isaiah Campbell. LHP Cam Booser, RHP Bryan Mata, LHP Joely Rodriguez, and C Mark Kolozsvary were all added to the WooSox active roster.
In game one, the WooSox got the scoring started in the top of the second after Mark Contreras’ RBI knock scored Niko Kavadas, who began the rally with a two-out single. However, the RailRiders struck back in the bottom half of the frame, scoring three times on four hits off WooSox starter Brian Van Belle. At the end of two, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre led Worcester, 3-1.
The following inning, Van Belle retired one batter before being lifted from the game with men on first and second. Chase Shugart entered for the WooSox on the mound, but hit the first batter he faced to load the bases. The Texas native would settle down to pick up two strikeouts and get out of the inning without allowing a run to cross.
With one out in the fourth, the WooSox cut the lead to one after Mickey Gasper scored on Contreras’ 110.7 mph double to right. Though it was the only run Worcester scored in the inning, the offense carried the momentum into the fifth.
Nick Yorke began the inning with a one-out single that set up Bobby Dalbec’s two-run home run to straight away center. It was his ninth long ball of the year and gave Worcester a one-run lead. Eddy Alvarez followed Dalbec’s homer with a walk and advanced to third on Kavadas’ second hit of the game. With first and third, Gasper stayed red hot, lining a single to center to give the WooSox a 5-3 lead.
Gasper entered Tuesday with a .424 batting average and 1.264 OPS since being promoted to Worcester on June 4. After collecting two hits and a walk in the series opener with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, the Merrimack, New Hampshire product raised his average to .444 and has reached base safely in 10 of his 11 games with the WooSox.
Shugart remained in the game through the sixth and kept the RailRiders scoreless in 3.2 innings of work while striking out four. Joely Rodriguez relieved Shugart in the seventh, making his first appearance since being placed on the Injured List on May 11. The 32-year-old did not allow a hit in his scoreless outing.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre cut the lead to one in the eighth following Jorbit Vivas’ RBI double off Lucas Luetge, but Bobby Dalbec answered in the top of ninth. The WooSox outfielder launched his second homer of the game––a 415-foot blast that gave the WooSox an insurance run heading into the final frame.
Down to their last three outs, the RailRiders did not go down quietly after Carlos Narvaez’s solo shot brought them within one. After a one-out single, Luetge retired the next two batters he faced to end the ballgame. With the win, Shugart earned his third victory of the year while Luetge picked up his fifth save. Chase Meidroth, though, saw his 31-game on-base streak snap as Worcester moved to 1-0 to begin the second half of the 2024 minor league season.
The WooSox and RailRiders will play in game two of their six-game series at 6:35 p.m. on Wednesday at PNC Field. After his rehab assignment was transferred to Worcester on June 25, Bryan Mata will start for the WooSox opposite Tanner Tully (1-5, 7.04) for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Radio coverage begins at 6:15 p.m. on 98.9 Nash Icon, 100.1 The Pike, and the WooSox Radio Network.
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