Last Inning Heroics Turn a Shutout into a Walk Off Win for the Woosox 4-3
By Darryl Harding Sr-
The last Worcester Redsox game of the season at Polar Park was won in dramatic fashion. The opponent, the Syracuse Mets, did exceptionally well throughout the first eight innings and shut out the Woosox.
Coming into the bottom of the 9th retaining a 3-0 lead, Syracuse brought in RHP Shintaro Fujinami. Sizzling velocity is Fujinami’s specialty with a four-seam fastball reaching 100 mph.
Luckily Fujinami can have issues with his location and the Woosox skillfully took advantage of this fact. Needless to say the 3 runs recorded by the Mets were off two pitches, a two run 360 yard blast by RF Carlos Cortez and a solo shot by DH Austin Allen.
Besides this Woosox pitchers had managed to keep the game in reach but having only three outs left with a Mets pitcher throwing fire, things seemed bleak. Clutch hitting is what brought the Woosox comeback into play.
Two consecutive singles by Woosox 2B Vaughn Grissom and 3B Jamie Westbrook put men on base after Worcester hadn’t chalked up a hit since the 3rd inning. Fujinami struck out the next batter and that would be the last out recorded.
A 4 pitch walk followed by a 5 pitch walk not only scored a run, now 3-1, but left the bases loaded as Fujinami was relieved. RHP Max Kranick was next up and found no success relinquishing two singles in a row to LF Corey Rosier and CF Roman Anthony, both with RBIs.
Now tied 3-3 with the bases jacked it is only proper that Woosox 2024 MVP and League leader in walks, DH Chase Meidroth stepped to the plate. As fate would have it, Meidroth registered a 4 pitch walk-off walk to win 4-3.
“The two hits by Grissom and Westbrookhto get it started were huge,” commented Woosox skipper Chad Tracy, “we started stringing them together after that, took the walks when they were there.To end the last game at home that way is something else.” Woosox, technically still in the hunt, hope to catch Columbus and extend the season. They head to Pennsylvania for the final series of the season.
