By Darryl Harding Sr –
After a short rain shower subsided Worcester Redsox were left with a crisp breezy day for their 5th game of this homestand at Polar Park. Donning the mound for the Woosox is RHP Jason Alexander with a 4.94 ERA, 2-4 record and 45 strikeouts.
Pitching scoreless innings until spelled by RHP Brian Van Belle in the 7th. Alexander threw 80 pitches, 53 for strikes, allowing two hit, with two walks and four strikeouts.
Woosox manager Chad Tracy commented on Alexander’s progression, “one of the things hes been working hard on, with our pitching coaches is getting his Vlo (velocity) up. He typically sits at 88 mph, but he pitched at like 92 mph most of the game today.”
Woosox pounced on Rochester starting RHP Joan Adon, who didn’t last a full inning. A Chase Meidroth walk, along with a Masataka Yoshida single was a precursor to Nick Sogard’s 9th homer of the year.
Blasting a three run shot to center gave the Woosox an immediate lead and was supplemented by a Mark Contreras RBI, scoring Nick Yorke and making the score 4-0. Replaced after two outs, Adon left the Red Wings with a deficit.
RHP Nash Walters came and allowed a Nick Yorke solo homer in the 2nd. Now 5-0 Walters was removed in the 4th and RHP Luis Reyes took over.
A Sogard single and two walks crammed the bases and a 3 RBI double by Contreras increased the margin to 8-0. RHP Orlando Ribalta stepped up to the rubber for Rochester in the 6th and Woosox 1st baseman Niko Kavadas was robbed of a homer with an amazing grab by center fielder Alex Call.
Van Belle continued in the 8th but let up a two run homer to Travis Blankenhorn, who leads the league with 15 jacks. LHP Jorge Benitez came in to finish and the Woosox triumph 8-2. Last game of the homestand will be played Sunday at 1:05pm.