By Tiffany Williams –
DURHAM, N.C. — The Worcester Red Sox used timely hitting and another strong outing from left-hander Connelly Early to pick up a 5-3 victory over the Durham Bulls on Wednesday night at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Nathan Hickey continued his torrid stretch at the plate, collecting two hits and driving in a pair of runs to spark the WooSox offense.
Worcester wasted no time jumping ahead, with Hickey singling home Abraham Toro in the first inning to open the scoring. Hickey doubled in another run in the third, giving Worcester a 2-0 cushion while also extending his RBI streak to six straight games — the longest active run in the International League. His consistency has provided the middle of the lineup with a needed boost, as Worcester continues to fight to stay above water in the standings.
Nick Sogard added to the early push with an RBI single in the fourth. Sogard’s two-hit performance also extended his on-base streak to 23 games, putting him just one shy of Roman Anthony’s team-best stretch earlier this season. For a lineup that has struggled with consistency, Sogard’s ability to grind out quality at-bats has been a stabilizing force.
Durham briefly swung momentum back in its favor in the bottom of the fourth. Jamie Westbrook connected for a three-run home run that evened the score and erased Worcester’s early lead. But the WooSox answered quickly in the top of the fifth, when Toro launched a solo home run to put Worcester back on top for good. The switch-hitting infielder later came around to score on a wild pitch in the seventh, providing an insurance run that gave Worcester some breathing room.
On the mound, Early looked more comfortable in his fifth Triple-A start. The 23-year-old worked five innings, allowing three runs but striking out six and limiting walks to just one. The outing earned him his third win since joining Worcester, as he continues to show flashes of why the Red Sox view him as a promising young arm.
Worcester’s win pushed its overall record to 66-61 while keeping them within striking distance in the International League playoff race. Durham, meanwhile, dropped to 70-55 with the loss.
The two clubs continue their six-game set Thursday night in Durham. Jose De Leon will take the mound for Worcester, while Joe Boyle gets the start for the Bulls. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m., with radio coverage beginning at 6:15 on 98.9 Nash Icon and across the WooSox Radio Network.