By Jonathan Burgos –
The Worcester Red Sox return Home at Polar Park in a six-game series against the Rochester Red Wings for their take away two Tuesdays. This Tuesday takeaway is movie box candy buy one get one free. Worcester is coming off a series lost against the Triple A Scranton Wilkes Barre ( AAA-Yankees Affiliate. ) who took two out of four games, dropping the final game on Sunday, 6-5 and failing to earn a split of a 6-game series. Tonight on the mound for Worcester is RHP Brian Keller who is (3-3, 3.15). On the mound for Rochester is RHP Logan Verrett who is (5-7, 4.15) on the season. Worcester looks to get back on the winning column as they look to take game one of the series, first pitch 6:45pm.
Top of the first starts off with Keller striking out #17 John Nogowski with a fastball down looking for the first out. Red Wings Daniel Johnson singles on a ground ball to right fielder Pedro Castellanos, #12 Andrew Steveson scores, Josh Palacios to 3rd. # 15 Jake Alu flys out on a sacrifice to center fielder Ryan Fitzgerald, Palacios scores to make it a 2-0 lead. Bottom half of the inning starts with Connor Wong ripping a double down the third base line on the first pitch. At the end of one frame Red Wings 2, Worcester 0.
Top of the second goes 1-2-3 ining for Keller. Bottom of the half starts off with a swing and a miss from Castellanos strike three called on a 80mph breaking ball. #12 Jaylin Davis goes down swinging on a 80 mph breaking ball. Verrett throws a 80mph pitch to get #2 Jeter Downs swinging and missing for the final out of the second inning. Score remains the same 2-0, Rochester.
Top of the third Johnson slashes a fastball for a double to left field, Stevenson scores to make it 3-0 Rochester. Alu flys out to center field for the sacrifice Nogowski scored to make it 4-0 Rochester. Bottom of the half kicks off with Wong doubling off a 90 mph to center field for his second double of the game. #16 Emmanuel Valdez hits a liner to the short stop, Wong gets caught in a run down, gets out, Valdez steals a bag to be safe a second. #52 Ronaldo Hernandez doubled on a 77mph pitch line drive to center field, Valdez scored to make it 4-1 Rochester. At the end of three frames Rochester 4, Worcester 1.
Top of the fourth starts off with a sacrifice bunt from Palacios, throwing error (E-3) by Casas. Steveson reaches on a fielder’s choice out, Downs throws to catcher Wong for the 6-2 play. Bottom of the half Fitzgerald hits a two out double but that is all as the Woosox fail to make anything happen. Score remains the same: Rochester 4, Worcester 1.
Top of the fifth Keller gets Johnson swinging with a 98 mph fastball for the first out. Another 1-2-3 inning for Keller as his pitch count is at 90 pitches going into the late stages of the game. Bottom of the frame Stevenson gets Wong down swinging on a 89 mph pitch for the second out of the inning. After five innings the score was Rochester 4, Worcester 1. New pitcher comes in for Keller, #55 Matt Strahm. Strahm comes in for a rehab assignment. Keller went (5IP, 4BB, 3H, 4ER, 3SO, 3.30ERA).
Top of the sixth Strahm gets #9 Adrian Sanchez down looking for the 90mph fastball. 1-2-3 inning for Strahm. Bottom of the frame starts with a pitching change for Rochester #35 Will Harris comes in for Verrett. Verrett went (6.0IP, 5H,1R,1ER, 0BB, 5SO, 3.98Era). Bottom half was scoreless as Harris was able to hold Worcester but couldn’t get anything going. Rochester 4, Worcester 1.
Top of the seventh started with a pitching change. Durbin Feltman came in for Strahm. Strahm went (1IP,1SO) for a total of 14 pitches. Bottom of the half starts off with Fitzgerald stealing second with two outs. That was the only play as Worcester struggled to get the bats going. At the end of seven Rochester 4, Worcester 1.
Top of the 8th starts with another pitching change RHP #30 Caleb Simpson comes in for Feltman. Feltman went (1IP) for a total of 10 pitches. Caleb goes 1-2-3 inning as the Woosox look to get the momentum going in the late innings. Bottom of the eight pitching change for Rochester as #71 Mason Thompson comes in for Harris. Harris went (1IP, 1H) for a total of 15 pitches. Worcester strands a pair of runners on the bases and they still can’t get anything going for them.
Top of the final inning Kelob Ort comes in for Simpson. Simpson went ( 1IP, 1SO ) for a total of 10 pitches. Ort threw 10 pitches total that first half. Bottom and last chance for Worcester to get back in to the game. Pitching change as RHP #50 Jordan Weems comes in for Thompson. Thompson went (1IP, 2H, 1 SO, 1.46) for a total of 19 pitches. Worcester down to their final out #49 Nick Sogard goes down swinging for the final out of the game. Final score Rochester 4, Worcester 1.
Worcester falls 4-1 in the first of a six-game series. Woosox are back at it again tomorrow at Polar Park first pitch 12:15 p.m.
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