WooSox Top Mets 4-1 Behind Shane Drohan’s Five Scoreless, Romero’s 3-Run Blast

By Tiffany Williams –

Shane Drohan made it clear he’s back in form, and the Worcester Red Sox cashed in on his dominance.

The lefty silenced the Syracuse Mets over five scoreless innings Wednesday night, leading the WooSox to a 4-1 win at NBT Bank Stadium. Drohan retired the first nine he faced, scattered just two singles, and struck out three in his third start since returning from the injured list. His ERA since rejoining the rotation is a sharp 2.19 in 12.1 innings, a reminder of the form that had him pegged as one of Boston’s brighter arms before he went down.

Drohan got early backing. Worcester wasted no time, loading the bases in the first on three straight singles from Mikey Romero, Kristian Campbell, and Jhostynxon Garcia. Abraham Toro’s sac fly put the Sox on the board. Then in the second, the lineup turned over and Romero delivered the big blow — a three-run opposite-field shot that gave Worcester all the cushion it needed.

For Romero, who added two hits on the night, the homer was a statement of the kind of spark plug the Sox believe he can be at the top of the order. Campbell and Garcia kept traffic moving in front of him, and the WooSox lineup batted around in that second inning to put the Mets on their heels early.

Luis Guerrero, making a rehab appearance, looked electric in the sixth, striking out two in a perfect frame while topping out at 97.5 mph. That’s the kind of velocity Boston’s bullpen has sorely missed, and his return could prove critical for September.

The Mets managed only an unearned run in the ninth to make things tense, bringing the tying run to the plate, but Hobie Harris closed it out without letting Syracuse back in.

For Worcester, the win pushed them back over .500 for the year overall, even if the second-half record still sits under water. More importantly, Drohan’s sharpness and Romero’s pop give the organization reasons to believe these final weeks can double as both development and momentum.

The series continues Thursday night with Tyler Uberstine set to face Brandon Waddell. Worcester evened the set at one apiece with Wednesday’s win, but the real takeaway was Drohan — efficient, confident, and looking like he’s ready for a bigger stage again.