Scranton Scrapes by Woosox 10-8
-By Darryl Harding Sr
A beautiful day for this second game, in a shortened series, against the Scranton RailRiders. Woosox look to tie the series after a low production offensively yesterday.
Beginning the contest for Worcester is right hander Isaac Coffey, with a 1-1 record in just over 26 innings pitched. Continuing their offensive onslaught the RailRiders posted a crooked number in the first inning.
Back to back homers quickly gave Scranton the advantage with blasts by RF Everson Pereira and CF Spencer Jones. Instantly down 2-0 it looked like Worcester was headed for similar results as yesterday.
Woosox, donning old-school Pawsox uniforms, wasted no time righting the ship and gaining a lead. The formerly listless bats of yesterday were lively and vibrant.
A RailRiders throwing error scored one on a Nate Eaton, Kristian Campbell double steal. This was followed by a 3B Blaze Jordan two run homer that gave the Woosox an early lead 3-2.
Woosox increased the lead with a 2B David Hamilton triple that turned into an inside the park homer on a Scranton throwing error. Clinging to a 4-2 lead, Coffey unfortunately relinquished a two run homer to RailRiders 2B Jose Rojas.
Coffey left after the third with the game knotted 4-4. Throwing seventy-four pitches, forty-six for strikes, Coffey was replaced by righty Jose De Leon.
To the chagrin of Woosox fans, Worcester bats went quiet while the RailRiders managed to score a single run in both the fifth and sixth innings, followed by two runs in the seventh.
Now losing 8-4, Woosox approached their final three innings to regain the lead and the victory. Squandering the seventh, with a goose egg, Woosox took advantage of the eighth racked up four runs to tie the game 8-8.
Seven consecutive singles were responsible for Worcester’s comeback. Gordon, Garcia and Thompson loaded the bases and Sogard, Hickey, Hernandez and Hamilton brought runs home.
Desperately attempting to maintain a tie in the ninth, Woosox ran into Rojas, who was on fire. Smashing his third homerun of the game, Rojas administered the crushing homer off a slider low and inside.
An additional run was walked in making the score 10-8. A valiant effort saw the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, but walk off heroics were not in-store for the Woosox and 10-8 was the final.
Woosox Defensive Coach, and stand-in skipper Iggy Suarez commented on Worcester’s struggle, “credit to our guys…kudos to them, battling like that and making it exciting. Giving ourselves a chance right there at the end…that’s all we ask for, especially in a game like that.”
A courageous undertaking that fell a tad short leaves the Sox with one last chance in this homestand to snatch a victory. The last game will be played Sunday at 105 pm.
