-By Darryl Harding Sr
Sunny and 81° today as the Worcester Redsox play the Lehigh Valley Ironpigs in this last game of the series. Woosox lead 3-2 in games and the Ironpigs attempt to even up the series final.
Right handed starter Richard Fitts rifled from the mound to begin. To the dismay of Fitts, the Ironpigs scored first off of a single by Lehigh catcher Garrett Stubbs making the score 1-0.
As Woosox fans have realized lately, Jhostynxon “the password” Garcia is “en fuego” and he instantly gave the Woosox the lead with a two run homer. His third homer in as many games, Garcia’s offensive production has been amazing.
2-1 quickly became 3-1 when DH Nathan Hickey hit an RBI sacrifice fly. This crooked number by the Woosox was attributed to Lehigh starter RHP Adonis Medina.
Medina lasted through four innings and gave up an additional run in the third, due to a throwing error that scored Garcia. Fitts settled down and locked in, relinquishing only the one run in the first.
Completing six innings Fitts threw seventy-nine pitches fifty-one for strikes. With five KOs Fitts was relieved by RHP Wyatt Olds, who pitched one scoreless inning and RHP Bryan Mata did the same.
As for the Ironpigs, the Woosox hit parade continued. Lehigh Valley righties Ryan Cusick, Joe Ross and David Robertson all pitched one inning but Ross was the only one who came out unscathed.
Just called up from Redsox AA squad, 2B Mikey Romero was outstanding. After 3B Nate Eaton smacked an RBI single. Romero blasted a three run homer, sending a 90 mph sinker over the centerfield wall.
As it turns out Romero was not done, shellacking an 85mph slider on a rope over right center and chalking up another three run homer. Now 11-1, Lehigh RHP Lucas Sims pitched an inning without making things worse.
Woosox club manager Chad Tracy commented on Romero’s success,” [Romero] drove in six runs, two homers…it’s cool to see young kids come up and jump right into the limelight, not scared at all and have big games like that…he was clutch.”
Up by ten runs Woosox needed only three outs to secure the victory and Woosox right hander Alex Hoppe did just that. Wrapping up the series 4-2 Woosox return Tuesday in another homestand against the Buffalo Bison. Game time is 6:45pm.