By Tiffany Williams –
Following a tough 3-4 loss during their home opener on Friday, and with Saturday’s game postponed due to relentless rain, the Worcester Red Sox were determined on Sunday to turn things around, and they delivered an emphatic response, dominating their opponents with a stunning 12-0 victory, proving themselves as The Young and the Restless Boys of Summer.
Michael Fulmer took the mound for Worcester on Sunday. The seasoned 32-year-old hurler had recently bounced back from right elbow UCL revision surgery, which sidelined him for the entirety of the 2024 season. In his four innings of work, Fulmer showcased remarkable precision, throwing 54 pitches, 36 of which found the strike zone. He allowed only two hits, striking out five of the 13 batters he faced. In the first inning, after firing a pair of 88 mph cutters, he decisively struck out Luis De Los Santos. The third inning saw him again dominate the plate, striking out both Chris Williams and Omar De Los Santos. In a brilliant display of skill, he struck out De Los Santos once more in the fourth, followed by Joey Meneses, solidifying his strong comeback.
In the bottom of the first, Trayce Thompson ignited the Worcester crowd with a sharp single that sliced through the infield and reached center fielder Omar De Los Santos. Roman Anthony capitalized on the play, crossing home plate to put Worcester on the board 0-1.
The third inning saw more fireworks, as Brandon Sproat unleashed a blazing 96.9 mph sinker, which Marcelo Mayer deftly connected with, driving a ground ball to center. Nate Eaton bolted home while Roman Anthony added his first run of the day, leveling the score. Then, Vaughn Grissom expertly handled an 80.3 mph changeup from Kevin Herget, hitting a soft ground ball that trickled into left field. As Nick Sogard crossed home plate, Worcester surged ahead with a 0-4 lead.
Nathan Hickey continued the assault in the fifth inning, connecting with an 88.8 mph four-seam fastball and smashing a line drive to right field for his second double of the season. Vaughn Grissom’s swift legs added another run, stretching Worcester’s lead to 0-5.
The scoring frenzy continued in the bottom of the fifth, with both Marcelo Mayer and Trayce Thompson crossing home to make it a commanding 0-7.
In a thrilling bottom of the sixth, Roman Anthony unleashed his potential, connecting with an 84.1 mph cutter from Justin Hagenman and sending a towering 412-foot homer rocketing off the bat, reaching a blistering exit velocity of 109.6 mph. Worcester’s lead expanded to 0-8, leaving the crowd electrified.
Not to be outdone, Trayce Thompson also got in on the action during the sixth, hitting a powerful 382-foot homer off an 80.2 mph slider, with Nick Sogard also scoring. The scoreboard now read 0-10, a testament to Worcester’s dominance.
Roman Anthony returned to the spotlight in the bottom of the eighth, connecting with a 91.5 mph sinker from Hagenman and launching a 383-foot homer, sending Nate Eaton home for good measure.