Hens hold off Red Sox for thrilling 2-1 victory at Polar Park

The Mud Hens secure another triumph against the Red Sox at Polar Park, capping the night with a 2-1 victory!

As the clock struck 6:47 PM on this lively Friday night, the Mud Hens took the field at Polar Park, ready to add another win to their tally against the Red Sox. The game kicked off with a quick 1-2-3 inning from the Hens, but the Red Sox couldn't capitalize on their first at-bat either.

The second inning, however, brought some heat. Eddys Leonard sparked the Mud Hens' offense with a single on a soft grounder, setting the stage. Stephen Scott followed up with a sharp single to right field, and Justice Bigbie kept the momentum rolling with a grounder that zipped through to right. Leonard dashed home, putting the Hens on the board first. Bryan Sammons' efforts on the mound led to another scoreless inning for the Red Sox.

The third inning was another blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment for both teams, with each side going down in order. But in the fourth, Scott continued his hot streak with another single, this time off a grounder. However, a strikeout and an attempted steal that fell short kept the Hens from extending their lead. The Red Sox tried to mount a response with a single of their own in the bottom of the fourth, but the Mud Hens' defense held strong, maintaining their shutout.

The Mud Hens kept the pressure on. Ryan Vilade smashed a ground-rule double that lodged itself in the fence, marking his 19th double of the season. Justyn-Henry Malloy patiently took a walk to first, setting the stage for Akil Baddoo, who delivered a clutch double that hugged the foul line, allowing another run to cross the plate. The Hens led by two.

Worcester finally broke through with a run to snap their scoreless streak, but the Mud Hens held onto their lead, with Baddoo securing the third out with a well-timed pop fly catch in center field. Riley Unroe gave it his all at the top of the sixth with a single on a pop fly to center, but a strikeout and a double play left him stranded. The Red Sox, on the other hand, couldn't find any openings against the Hens' airtight defense, closing the inning with a strikeout, groundout, and flyout.

The seventh inning flew by, setting the stage for the eighth, where Scott continued to impress with a line drive single to left field. Justice Bigbie kept the excitement alive by grounding into a forceout but managing to steal second base. However, the Red Sox shut down the inning with three outs, squashing the Hens' chances of adding insurance runs.

The ninth inning was a mirror image for both teams, each going down in a swift 1-2-3 fashion. But when the dust settled, it was the Mud Hens who walked away victorious yet again.

The Mud Hens will face the Red Sox once more tomorrow at 4:05 PM.

Notables:

Akil Baddoo (1-5, RBI)

Justice Bigbie (1-2, RBI)