by Paul Vangos
The WooSox hosted the Rochester Red Wings in the “House of Horrors” for the visitors on Tuesday night. The Red Wings had lost all six games played at Polar Park this season, and were attempting to finally get in the win column in Worcester.
Right out the gate, after a 1-2-3 top half of the first, Mikey Romero and Kristian Campbell got on base to bring up an RBI opportunity for third baseman Abraham Toro. Toro would make the most of this, blasting a home run over the left-field wall for an early 3-0 cushion for the WooSox.
The shelling of Rochester starter Jake Eder would continue into the second inning, with Mikey Romero roping an RBI double to drive in Tyler McDonough from second. Both teams would dig in for two innings with some great pitching from Worcester starter Shane Drohan and Red Wings reliever Kyle Luckham.
In the top of the fifth, after a Jackson Cluff bunt single, catcher C.J. Stubbs cut the lead in half with a two-run jack. Drohan would get out of the inning, pitching five full innings while allowing two runs with six strikeouts.
Scoring would be scarce until the seventh, when Worcester extended their lead after Philip Sikes’ leadoff double was followed by two sacrifices to bring him home. Worcester relievers Bryan Mata, Alex Hoppe, and Hobie Harris each pitched one inning of clean work, and after a Nathan Hickey RBI double in the bottom of the eighth, it looked like the game was as good as won for Worcester.
However, Rochester fought back by tagging Isaiah Campbell with three runs off of four hits on the mound to make it a one run game in the top of the ninth. With runners on second and third with two outs, Campbell escaped with a strikeout to win the contest for the Sox.
Shane Drohan earned the win, while Jake Eder took the loss for Rochester after two innings pitched and four runs given up. After a roller coaster night, Worcester emerged victorious, boasting a 73-71 record that includes a 15-4 record against the Red Wings.
If the Sox manage to win two more games, it will be their fifth winning season for the same amount of time as they have been in Worcester.