By Darryl Harding Sr.
Faced with a beautiful day for baseball at Polar Park the Worcester Redsox look to extend their winning ways having taken the last 10 out of 11 in the win column. Woosox play a shortened series against the Toledo Mud Hens and compete in the third game of five.
Starting for Worcester on the mound is RHP Jason Alexander, with 94 strikeouts in 106.2 innings pitched. Alexander breezed through the first five innings and minus one inherent hanging slider, that Mud Hens’ DH Eddys Leonard blasted for a 380 foot homer, he was shutdown allowing only three hits, throwing 69 pitches, 50 in the zone.
As for the Mud Hens, starter lefty Lael Lockhart was even more impressive. With only two hits relinquished, Lockhart spun a scoreless contest through all five innings pitched. 1-0 in a pitchers duel Alexander was relieved by left hander Cam Booser, who struck out the side.
Replacing Lockhart for Toledo was RHP Ricky Vanasco, who continued the Mud Hens lock down performance posting a goose egg in the sixth. Still a onerun Mud Hens advantage Bailey Horn donned the hill striking out two and permitting no increase.
Woosox chance came in the seventh inning after a walk to C Reese McGuire, Vanasco was spelled by RHP Devin Sweet. Sweet gave up consecutive singles to CF Mark Contreras and DH Chase Meidroth that loaded the bases, followed by a walk to 3B Enmanuel Valdez to tie the ballgame.
2B Vaughn Grissom popped up a sacrifice fly that gave the Woosox a 2-1 lead, scoring Contreras. Desperately trying to maintain a lead, reliever LHP Zach Penrod unfortunately walked two of the first three batters faced.
After the runners advanced on a Bligh Madrid ground out, Woosox skipper Chad Tracy opted to bring on RHP Yohan Ramirez for a 4 out save. For the first time since his Woosox debut in early August, Ramirez granted a three run homer to Toledo slugger SS Andrew Navigato.
The now 4-2 Toledo lead was never able to be overcome and the Woosox fall to the Mud Hens. Tracy commented on Ramirez outing, “he’s been getting it done for us… and will again. He just hung a slider out there and yhey took advantage.” Next game Woosox look to bounce back at 645pm on Friday.