-By Darryl Harding Sr
Not quite ideal baseball weather does not mean that Polar Park will not be buzzing with the promise of a new season. The Worcester Redsox invite the Columbus Clippers to the third game of the series.
The Sox begin the game with right handed starter Liam Hendriks, who is rehabbing from the MLB. Throwing only 18 pitches, 13 in the zone, Hendriks breezed through the inning, striking out the side, allowing only one single to Clipper 3B Will Wilson.
Hailing from Australia Hendriks commented on his performance, “the biggest thing now is just recovery. We’ll see how the stuff comes out Sunday and go from there.”
Having not played in a game as a Boston Redsox, Hendriks aspires to finally join the team, “ there are a couple of things I want to knock off, putting on that Redsox uniform… I’ll be the first Australian to do it. Just going out there and helping this team win.”
Stepping to the hill for Columbus is lefty starter Parker Messick. Messick had a superb outing, blanking the Woosox through five innings before being relieved. Skillfully finding the strike zone 50 times, out of 73 pitches thrown, Messick staunchly denied any scoring by Worcester.
With eight strikeouts and only five hits, the Sox desperately attempted to register on the scoreboard. Hendriks, after short but successfully outing, was replaced by RHP Michael Fulmer.
Arduously seeking similar results, Fulmer effectively pitched but still managed to relinquish solo runs in both the second and third innings. One a homer lined by CF Petey Halpin over the right center wall and a wild pitch that scored 1B Kyle Datres.
Fulmer completed four innings, permitting only the two runs, with five strikeouts on 68 pitches thrown. Now 2-0 advantage Clippers, runs were scarce and the score remained unchanged until the bottom of the ninth.
Woosox pitchers chalked up scoreless innings, two by RHP Brian Van Belle and two by RHP Nick Burdi. For the Clippers, RHP Zak Kent also shutout the Woosox for two innings.
Columbus gave LHP Andrew Misaiszek the ball in the eighth for an early save. It wasn’t until the bottom of the 9th that the Woosox finally scored. After two walks but also two outs 3B Nick Eaton hit an RBI single as 2B Vaughn Grissom crossed the plate.
A Columbus error left men on second and third with DH Nathan Hickey stepping to the dish. Hoping for Hickey heroics, to fans chagrin three strikes ended the game and the Woosox wished for a win.
“We got ourselves in position to win the game,” said Woosox club manager Chad Tracy, “we were one flair, one ground ball away… but we didn’t come up with it. We need to do more throughout the game to give ourselves a chance to score runs.”
Woosox continue their goal, tomorrow at 6:05 pm, endeavoring to tie the series at 2-2.