By Tiffany Williams –
WooSox Explode for 15 Hits, Jason Delay Drives in Six as Worcester Finishes First Half Above .500
The Worcester Red Sox closed out the first half of the International League season with their most explosive offensive performance of the year.
Jason Delay drove in a career-high six runs and the WooSox collected a season-high 15 hits Sunday afternoon in a 12-3 victory over the Lehigh Valley IronPigs at Coca-Cola Park. The win allowed Worcester to earn a split of the six-game series and finish the first half of the season at 36-35.
Vinny Capra wasted no time putting Worcester on the board. Two batters into the game, Capra launched his fifth home run of the season to left field, giving the WooSox an early 1-0 advantage.
The game turned decisively in the third inning. With two outs and runners on first and second, Kristian Campbell reached on a throwing error by Lehigh Valley third baseman Otto Kemp to load the bases. Delay followed with a bases-clearing double to left-center field, extending Worcester’s lead to 4-0. Matt Thaiss immediately followed with a run-scoring double to make it 5-0.
Lehigh Valley scored three runs against Worcester starter Jack Anderson, but the WooSox quickly answered.
Braiden Ward opened the fifth inning with a bunt single and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly from Delay. Thaiss followed with a triple down the right-field line, scoring Capra and pushing the lead to 7-3.
Worcester put the game away in the eighth inning.
Max Ferguson and Tyler McDonough delivered RBI singles before Capra added a sacrifice fly. Delay capped the rally with a two-run triple, giving him six RBI for the afternoon and helping the WooSox build a commanding 12-3 advantage.
The 12 runs marked Worcester’s highest scoring output since plating 19 runs against St. Paul on March 31.
Jack Anderson earned the victory, allowing three runs on four hits over five innings while striking out four. Tyler Samaniego, Devin Sweet, Wyatt Olds and Joe LaSorsa combined to allow only two baserunners over the final 5.2 innings while retiring 17 of the final 19 batters faced.
With the first half complete, Worcester now turns its attention to the second half and a quest for the franchise’s first postseason appearance since arriving in Worcester.
Sea Dogs Drop Finale But Capture Series Against Somerset
The Portland Sea Dogs fell 6-4 to the Somerset Patriots on Sunday afternoon but still claimed the six-game series four games to two.
Franklin Arias continued his outstanding season, going 3-for-5 with two doubles and a solo home run. The blast was his 14th home run of the season and came on the first pitch he saw.
Ahbram Liendo also homered, launching his fifth home run of the year and extending his on-base streak to 20 games. Johanfran Garcia drew a first-inning walk to extend his on-base streak to 21 games, though his 13-game hitting streak came to an end.
Anthony Eyanson delivered another strong performance on the mound, holding Somerset scoreless over four innings while allowing three hits and striking out five.
Portland built a 3-0 lead before Somerset rallied. Jace Avina delivered a two-run single in the fifth inning, and after Liendo’s solo homer made it 4-2, the Patriots scored four unanswered runs to complete the comeback.
Hartford Finishes First Half with Another Comeback Victory
The Hartford Yard Goats concluded a championship first half by rallying past the Reading Fightin Phils 7-4 at FirstEnergy Stadium.
The Yard Goats finished the first half at 39-29 after already clinching the Northeast Division first-half title and a postseason berth.
Cole Messina opened the scoring with a two-run homer in the second inning. After Reading surged ahead 4-2, Hartford responded with home runs from Jimmy Obertop and GJ Hill before taking the lead for good in the fifth inning.
Bryant Betancourt added a two-run homer as the Yard Goats scored five unanswered runs to secure the victory.
Hartford’s bullpen dominated the final six innings. Fisher Jameson, Griffin Herring, Andrew Baker and Austin Smith combined to shut out Reading the rest of the way. Herring struck out seven batters in three innings and Smith recorded the save.
Fisher Cats Survive 11-Inning Battle in Binghamton
The New Hampshire Fisher Cats needed 11 innings Sunday to defeat the Binghamton Bobbers 5-4 at Mirabito Stadium.
Danny Thompson Jr. continued his remarkable start to life in Double-A baseball, tossing five scoreless innings while allowing only one hit. Across two starts in Binghamton this week, Thompson Jr. threw nine innings and allowed just one hit without surrendering a run.
The game remained scoreless until Eddie Micheletti Jr. blasted his 10th home run of the season in the ninth inning.
Binghamton tied the game in the bottom of the ninth, and both teams exchanged runs in the tenth before Victor Arias delivered the decisive RBI single in the eleventh inning.
Caleb Freeman closed the door for his fifth save and third consecutive save.
Cyclones Undone by Late Wilmington Rally
The Brooklyn Cyclones carried a tie game into the eighth inning before Wilmington erupted for four runs and handed Brooklyn a 5-1 loss Sunday afternoon.
Dakota Hawkins turned in another strong outing, allowing just two hits over 3.2 scoreless innings. Since April 19, Hawkins has posted a 1.27 ERA over his last 14 appearances.
Brooklyn grabbed a 1-0 lead in the sixth inning when Daiverson Gutiérrez drove in Mitch Voit with a groundout.
The advantage lasted only moments.
Eli Willits led off the bottom of the sixth with a solo home run to tie the game, and Wilmington broke things open with a four-run eighth inning highlighted by RBI hits from Jacob Walsh and Elijah Nunez.
The loss dropped the Cyclones to 25-43 as they prepare to open a new series against Jersey Shore following Monday’s league-wide off day.
As the first half concludes across the minor leagues, Worcester and Portland continue representing the Red Sox organization, while clubs throughout the Northeast prepare for the second half of the season with playoff races, division titles and player development all taking center stage as summer baseball heats up.