WooSox Drop Series Finale in Charlotte, 3-1

CHARLOTTE, NC –– A three-run eighth inning proved costly as the Worcester Red Sox (26-31) dropped the series finale to the Charlotte Knights (23-33) by a final score of 3-1 at Truist Field in Charlotte, North Carolina. With the loss, the WooSox and Knights split the six-game set 3-3 in their only meeting of the 2024 regular season.

Before the start of the game, the WooSox found out that they would be without two of their top bats. After placing Vaughn Grissom (right hamstring strain) and Romy Gonzalez (left hamstring strain) on the 10-Day Injured List, the Boston Red Sox recalled Bobby Dalbec and selected the contract of Jamie Westbrook, the latter of whom earned his first MLB call-up. To make room on the 40-man roster for Westbrook, Garrett Whitlock was transferred to the 60-Day Injured List.

The beginning of Sunday’s ballgame had the makings of a classic pitcher’s duel. Justin Hagenman got the start for the WooSox on the mound and pitched three scoreless innings while allowing just three baserunners. Naoyuki Uwasawa relieved Hagenman to start the fourth inning––and continued the WooSox starter’s dominance. Uwasawa blanked the Knights over three shutout innings and picked up three punchouts in the process.

Nevertheless, Charlotte starter Chad Kuhl matched the WooSox pitching tandem. The 31-year-old allowed three hits and three walks while striking out four in 6.1 innings of work.

The first runner in scoring position of the afternoon reached second base in the sixth inning. With the Knights at-bat and Uwasawa still on the mound for the WooSox, Charlotte had a golden opportunity to score with the top of their order due up. After a strikeout and hit by pitch, though, Uwasawa induced a groundball to second baseman Eddy Alvarez, who started an inning-ending double play. At the end of six, Worcester and Charlotte remained scoreless.

With Kuhl still on the mound at the start of the seventh inning, Nathan Hickey grounded a single into right and was followed by a Niko Kavadas walk. That would spell the end for Kuhl, who handed the ball to Sammy Peralta and Charlotte’s bullpen.

Peralta walked the first batter he faced on four pitches. Then, Tyler Heineman lifted the ball deep enough into center field to score Hickey, giving Worcester a 1-0 lead.

The Knights, though, did not go down quietly.

With one out in the eighth, pinch-hitter Carlos Pérez got the ball rolling for Charlotte, lining a double to the corner in left. Wynton Bernard entered the game for Pérez as a pinch runner and stole third, setting up Mark Payton’s sacrifice fly to tie up the game. After a base hit, dropped pop up, and walk loaded the bases, the Knights took the lead on Zach DeLoach’s two-run single to right. Heading into the top of the ninth, Charlotte held a 3-1 advantage.

Hoping for some ninth-inning magic, the WooSox came up empty as they dropped the series finale in Charlotte, 3-1.

Tomorrow, the WooSox will be off as the team travels back to Worcester for a six-game homestand against the Rochester Red Wings. The first game of the series will begin at 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday night. While the WooSox have yet to announce their starting pitcher for game one, the Red Wings will send Spenser Watkins (1-2, 5.03) to the mound. Television coverage will be on NESN+, while radio coverage begins at 6:25 p.m. on 100.1 FM The Pike, 98.9 Nash Icon, and the WooSox Radio Network.