Stewart Homers Twice, WooSox Go Deep Four Times in 10-2 Win

WORCESTER, M.A. — The Worcester Red Sox (36-34) tied a season-long win streak with their fifth straight victory, a 10-2 offensive outburst against the Charlotte Knights (25-45) in front of 7,793 on Friday night at Polar Park.

Connor Seabold got the start for the WooSox and allowed a home run on the first pitch he threw, a solo shot to center by Charlotte leadoff man Mark Payton. From there, the right-hander settled in, reaching 96 miles-per-hour with his fastball and striking out two to close his lone inning of work.

Seabold was lifted after one inning and was followed by five Worcester relievers—Taylor Cole, Silvino Bracho, Frank German, Michael Feliz and Zack Kelly combined to hold the Knights to one run and six hits over their final eight offensive innings.

Offensively, the WooSox rallied for four runs in the first, starting with a game-tying home run from their second batter, Connor Wong. The solo shot went a whopping 453 feet, landing well past the berm in left field for Wong’s fifth home run of the season, all since the start of May.

Worcester added three more on a pair of run-scoring singles, an RBI knock by Ronaldo Hernandez and Jeter Downs’ two-run single. Downs would reach base in all four plate appearances, notching a pair of hits along with two walks.

Two innings later, Christin Stewart began what would turn out to be a memorable night for the 28-year-old. Stewart slammed a first-pitch offering over the Worcester Wall in right, a 371-foot blast to make it 5-1 in favor of the home team.

After Charlotte’s lone run against the WooSox bullpen, an RBI groundout by Zach Remillard, Stewart came up in the seventh and more than made up the insurance with his 12th home run. With a man on second, he powered a ball deep towards right center that just got over the wall, a 399-foot homer for his second of the night.

HAVE A DAY STEW pic.twitter.com/ub8k9KoqNw

— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) June 25, 2022

Stewart recorded his first multi-homer game since September 20, 2018, a pair of long balls as a member of the Detroit Tigers against the Kansas City Royals. Ryan Fitzgerald provided an exclamation point for the WooSox’ offensive outburst, obliterating a three-run home run in the eighth to extend the advantage to 10-2.

Fitzgerald’s swing gives him his team-leading 13th homer of the year. It was also the final hit of the day for the home team, part of a 14-hit effort, the third double-digit hit total of the series for Worcester.

The WooSox continue the six-game series at Polar Park on Saturday at 4:05 p.m. against the Charlotte Knights, affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. On the mound, Brian Keller (1-3, 4.54) gets the start for Worcester. Radio coverage is live at 3:45 p.m. on 98.9 Nash Icon and the WooSox Radio Network, while television coverage is on NESN+.