By Laura Soukkavong –
WORCESTER, Mass. — The Worcester Red Sox will try to stop their recent slide Saturday afternoon when they continue their six-game series against the Rochester Red Wings at Polar Park.
Worcester enters the matchup at 23-24 overall and looking to avoid a fifth consecutive loss after dropping the first four games of the series to one of the hottest teams in Triple-A baseball. The WooSox have now lost nine of their last 11 games since May 10 and have fallen below the .500 mark for the first time since March.
Rochester, meanwhile, arrives at 29-20 and riding a seven-game winning streak while surging into first place in the International League East standings. Since May 2, the Red Wings own a Triple-A-best 15-3 record and have outscored opponents consistently during their dominant stretch.
Saturday’s game marks another critical opportunity for Worcester to stabilize a season that looked dramatically different just two weeks ago. On May 9, the WooSox sat in first place in the International League East division and held a 1.5-game lead atop the standings. Since then, Worcester has gone 2-9 over its last 11 games and now trails Rochester by five games entering the weekend.
The WooSox will send left-hander Michael Sansone to the mound against Rochester right-hander Zak Kent.
Sansone enters Saturday with a 1-2 record and 5.17 ERA after working his way through multiple levels of the Red Sox organization over the last two seasons. The 26-year-old Connecticut native has emerged as an important depth arm for Worcester this season after previously pitching at Salem and Greenville in the lower minors.
Kent counters for Rochester with a 1-0 record and 4.73 ERA as the Red Wings attempt to continue their overwhelming success in the season series. Rochester has now won seven of the first 10 meetings between the clubs this year after Worcester dominated the matchup last season by going 18-6 against the Red Wings.
The current series has been especially difficult for Worcester pitching.
After dropping the opener 7-6 on Tuesday and losing 7-2 in 11 innings Wednesday, the WooSox surrendered nine runs Thursday before being routed 12-1 Friday night in the club’s most lopsided loss of the homestand.
Worcester pitchers have struggled heavily against Rochester throughout the season. Through the first 10 games of the season series, WooSox pitchers own a 6.99 ERA against the Red Wings while allowing 69 runs and 16 home runs across 85 innings.
The recent skid has also exposed broader issues for the WooSox during May.
Worcester is just 6-12 during the month while batting .235 as a team and posting a 5.41 ERA. Opponents have outscored the WooSox 102-82 during that span.
Still, Worcester remains in the middle of the International League playoff race despite the recent struggles. The WooSox currently sit tied for fifth place in the International League East and remain only five games behind division-leading Rochester with significant time remaining in the first-half race.
Offensively, Worcester continues to receive strong production from several key hitters.
Nate Eaton enters Saturday hitting .321 over his last seven games and .303 across his last 22 contests while providing consistent power and speed near the top of the lineup. Eaton, who spent time with the Boston Red Sox last season, is batting .290 with 12 home runs and 55 RBIs between Worcester and Boston over the last year.
Braiden Ward has emerged as one of the most dynamic speed threats in Triple-A baseball. Ward leads the International League with 23 stolen bases and has swiped 14 bags over his last 15 games alone. He has also reached base safely in 14 of his last 15 contests entering Saturday afternoon.
Ward’s speed has become one of Worcester’s most dangerous weapons this season, and his 23 steals currently lead all qualified International League players.
Mikey Romero has also continued to trend upward at the plate. The former first-round pick has recorded hits in nine of his last 10 games while continuing to show offensive development at the Triple-A level. Romero entered the season as one of Boston’s top infield prospects and has begun to settle into a larger role with Worcester over the last several weeks.
Nathan Hickey has delivered much of Worcester’s recent power production. Hickey has homered three times over his last five games and continues to provide middle-of-the-order pop after blasting 17 home runs with Worcester last season.
Anthony Seigler has also remained productive offensively despite Worcester’s recent struggles. Seigler has hit safely in 11 of his last 14 games while batting .340 during that stretch.
Vinny Capra continues to be one of Worcester’s most consistent hitters overall. Over his last 20 games, Capra is batting .294 with six doubles, two home runs, 12 RBIs, and 15 runs scored.
The WooSox offense overall has remained competitive statistically despite the recent downturn. Worcester enters Saturday batting .245 as a team with 42 home runs and 242 runs scored this season. The WooSox rank among the better offensive clubs in the International League in walks and on-base percentage.
Former Boston Red Sox infielder Mickey Gasper has also been one of the league’s top on-base hitters this season. Gasper enters the weekend tied for eighth in the International League with a .429 on-base percentage.
On the mound, veteran reliever Tommy Kahnle has been one of Worcester’s brightest spots during the month. Kahnle has thrown 11 consecutive scoreless appearances entering Saturday, allowing no runs across 11 innings while striking out 14 batters.
The WooSox pitching staff overall owns a 4.79 ERA this season, placing the club near the middle of the International League rankings. Worcester pitchers have recorded 416 strikeouts through the first 47 games of the year.
Saturday’s game also features several events at Polar Park, including the Larry Lucchino Writers Series featuring legendary filmmaker Ron Shelton, the director and screenwriter behind “Bull Durham,” “Tin Cup,” and “White Men Can’t Jump.” The event is scheduled to take place before first pitch inside the DCU Club.
The WooSox are also hosting Breast Cancer Awareness Day, Bark in the Park, a postgame Sunset Catch on the Field event, and a Scout Sleepover following the game.
Worcester will close the series Sunday afternoon before heading to Moosic, Pennsylvania, for a road series against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
First pitch Saturday is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. at Polar Park. The game will air on NESN+ and NASH 98.9 FM.