WooSox Offense Explodes in 10-4 Win Over Columbus

WORCESTER, MA –– Jamie Westbrook (2-for-3, HR, 5 RBI) and Wilyer Abreu (2-for-5, 2 HR) lead the Worcester Red Sox (33-38) to a 10-4 victory over the Columbus Clippers (30-40) in game two of their six-game set at Polar Park.

Wilyer Abreu continued his rehab assignment with Worcester on Wednesday and got the scoring started in the first inning. With one out, Abreu smoked a 103.5 mph laser that just snuck over the wall in right to put the WooSox up 1-0.

How ya feelin' Wilyer? 😄😄 pic.twitter.com/43GxDyJCkj

— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) June 19, 2024

After both teams went scoreless over the next two innings, the WooSox offense extended their lead in the fourth. Nick Sogard led off the inning with his first triple of the season and was followed by Nathan Hickey’s walk to put runners on first and third. In his first game back with the WooSox after spending two weeks in Boston, Jamie Westbrook lined his 14th double of the year down the left field line to plate both runners.

Worcester scored two more runs in the inning after a little bit of small ball, including a throwing error on a pickoff attempt and Chase Meidroth’s sacrifice fly. At the end of the fourth, the WooSox led, 5-0.

In the bottom of the sixth, the WooSox put together their second four-run inning of the night. Mark Contreras led off the inning with a walk––the offense’s eighth of the night––which preceded Chase Meidroth’s base hit to center. Sogard followed with his second extra-base hit, doubling home Contreras to extend the lead to six. With two on and two out, Westbrook drilled his sixth home run of the season just over the Wormtown Brewery sign in left-center field. Just like that, Worcester held a nine-run lead.

Jamie is BACK. pic.twitter.com/XWMR9DaKTA

— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) June 20, 2024

“We are at our best and we are very dangerous…when you start putting us on with freebies,” WooSox manager Chad Tracy said before the game. “We also have hitters sprinkled in there that can hit the home run and change the game very quickly. If they have multiple people on base, it can usually lead to a win.”

That would be the case on Wednesday, as the offensive outburst and Winckowski’s excellent outing helped Worcester to a 10-4 victory over Columbus.

In his sixth start of the season, Winckowski kept the Clippers’ high-powered offense from crossing the plate, tossing six scoreless innings while striking out four. The 25-year-old finished with a line of 6 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K.

Isaiah Campbell entered for Winckowski to begin the seventh and was greeted by José Tena’s 414-foot home run to left-center field. Tena would add another home run in the eighth––a three-run shot to cut the lead to five. Tena, though, was not the only player to have a multi-homer game in Wednesday’s matchup.

In the bottom of the eighth, Abreu led off the inning with his second long ball of the game––this one an opposite field shot onto the berm. For the 24-year-old outfielder, it was his fifth career multi-homer game, with the last occurring on August 13, 2023 against Buffalo. On that day, Abreu became the first WooSox to hit three homers in a single game.

Wilyer might be feelin' good 😄 pic.twitter.com/sNtNcpPHI0

— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) June 20, 2024

After finishing the eighth inning, Sal Romano remained in the game and threw a scoreless ninth to secure the victory for Worcester. With their 10-4 win on Wednesday, the WooSox evened their six-game series with the Clippers.

Worcester and Columbus will continue their six-game set at Polar Park on Thursday at 6:45 p.m. Jason Alexander (3-4, 4.06) will get the start for the WooSox and is scheduled to face Xzavion Curry (1-6, 7.24) for the Clippers. The game will be broadcasted live on NESN and radio coverage begins at 6:25 p.m. on 98.9 Nash Icon and the WooSox Radio Network.