-By Darryl Harding Sr
A crisp fourty-three degrees blankets the MiLB festivities as the Woosox face the Columbus Clippers in this fourth game of the series. Clippers hold a slight 2-1 advantage as Worcester attempts to get the bats working effectively and even things up.
Rehabbing for the third time, Woosox put RHP Brayan Bello on the bump. Bello joined the Boston Redsox in 2022 and his rehab started beautifully. Unfortunately finding trouble in the second, Bello kicked off with a triple and DH Kody Huff RBI single.
Bello then proceeded to load the bases and all it took was a sacrifice fly and a forced grounder to register a crooked number on the scoreboard. Sizzling a sinker in the mid-nineties, Bello toiled through but Columbus struck first leading 3-0.
The league leading Guardians AAA-affiliate, began the contest with lefty Doug Nikhazy. Seemingly flawlessly, Nikhazy expediently worked passed Woosox batters, tolerating zero runs recorded through four innings played.
Working through four innings, Bello settled in throwing sixty-four pitches, fourty-five in the zone, with five strikeouts and four hits allowed. RHP Cooper Criswell climbed the hill for the Woosox and immediately was confronted with the fiery Columbus arsenal of hitters.
A double followed by a 2B Juan Brito two run homer, catching a change up center mass and taking it for a 397 foot ride, Worcester combatted the Clippers red hot bats. An additional run scored on yet another Huff RBI single and Columbus increased their lead to 6-0
Woosox finally alleviated the shutout, chalking up two runs in the fifth. DH Roman Anthony lined a two run RBI, scoring CF Nate Eaton and C Seby Zavala. Trending in the right direction, now 6-2, Woosox only backtracked as Brito attacked again with an RBI single, making it 7-2.
In for relief, just optioned up from the AA Portland Sea dogs, left hander Brendan Cellucci showed a bit of nervousness. After minor issues with control, an errant toss to first base and a wild pitch, Cellucci dug in and got through the inning unscathed.
Woefully Cellucci next inning was not as successful and the Woosox relinquished two more runs making it 9-2. LF Will Brennan’s two RBI single acted as the nail in the Woosox coffin.
Columbus pitchers RHP Bradley Hanner, RHP Andrew Walters and RHP Nick Mikolajchak all had single scoreless innings and the Woosox bats prove unreliable and ineffective.
Woosox RHP Jacob Webb did not grant any additional runs in the ninth but with a seven run deficit it seemed too little too late. Mikolajchak continued on in the ninth to finish out the game and the Woosox fall to the Clippers 9-2.
“Bello did alright.They strung some hit together then he got his change up involved, once he did… he got his work in… and threw the ball really well,” commented club manager Chad Tracy, “from that point on, we didn’t play well in any phase of the game… so… we got work to do.” Woosox are at it again tomorrow at 4:05 pm.