WooSox Split Thursday Doubleheader with RailRiders
MOOSIC, PA –– The Worcester Red Sox (2-1) and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (1-2) split Thursday night’s doubleheader at PNC Field in games two and three of their six-game series. Behind Matthew Lugo’s three hits and four RBIs, Worcester won game one by a final score of 8-3. In game two, the
MOOSIC, PA –– The Worcester Red Sox (2-1) and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (1-2) split Thursday night’s doubleheader at PNC Field in games two and three of their six-game series. Behind Matthew Lugo’s three hits and four RBIs, Worcester won game one by a final score of 8-3. In game two, the RailRiders halted the WooSox seventh-inning rally, winning the night cap, 6-5.
After thunderstorms prevented the WooSox and RailRiders from playing on Wednesday, the two clubs squared off in a doubleheader on Thursday at 5:05 p.m. in Moosic, Pennsylvania. It was Worcester’s seventh doubleheader of the 2024 season, with rehabbing Bryan Mata starting game one and Cooper Criswell getting the nod in game two.
In game one, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead after Jorbit Vivas belted a two-run homer over the wall in right. The following half inning, the WooSox responded with three hits to lead off the frame, capped by Matthew Lugo’s RBI double that scored Jamie Westbrook. It was the only run Worcester would score in the inning, as the RailRiders led 2-1 after two complete.
In the fourth inning, the WooSox offense jumped on Scranton/Wilkes-Barre starter Tanner Tully, scoring four times on the backs of two home runs that gave Worcester a three-run advantage. After Westbrook and Lugo reached on singles, Eddy Alvarez crushed his ninth long ball of the year to put the WooSox on top. Two pitches later, Mark Kolozsvary blasted his third homer of the season to give Worcester a 5-2 lead.
The following inning, Lugo padded the lead with a three-run shot to left-center field––his fourth with Worcester and second in as many games. It was the 23-year-old’s third hit of the day and third home run for the WooSox in game one.
HAVE A NIGHT MATTHEW! LUGO MASHES WORCESTER'S 3rd HR OF THE GAME 💪 pic.twitter.com/YV9mrizuBF
— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) June 27, 2024
Mata settled down for the rest of his outing, ending with a final line of 2.2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K in his first rehab start with Worcester. After entering in relief for Mata with two outs in the third, Jason Alexander finished the game on the mound for the WooSox. The right-hander hurled the last 4.1 innings, allowing just three hits and one run while striking out four.
Behind excellent pitching and Lugo’s four RBIs, Worcester took game one of the doubleheader by a final score of 8-3.
In game two, the RailRiders struck first once again, scoring twice in the first inning on Agustin Ramirez’s RBI single and a wild pitch. Just like game one, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre held a 2-0 lead at the end of one.
After a scoreless second inning for both teams, Chase Meidroth led off the third with a four-pitch walk and was followed by Nick Yorke’s infield knock that extended his hitting streak to seven games. With two on and nobody out, Nathan Hickey deposited his ninth home run onto the right field pavilion to put Worcester in front, 3-2. However, it didn’t take long for the RailRiders take the lead back.
400+ FEET OF CRUSHED 😤
— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) June 28, 2024
HICKEY GIVES WORCESTER THE LEAD 3-2 pic.twitter.com/X1vT5rPL19
To start the bottom half of the third, the first three RailRiders reached on a single, fielding error, and infield hit that tied up the game at three. With second and third and one out, Carlos Narvaez lined a single to right that scored one run, but Bobby Dalbec cut down the second runner at the plate to limit the damage. Nevertheless, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre held a 4-3 lead as the game entered the fourth inning.
With two outs in the fifth, Westbrook smoked a first-pitch double to center, giving one of Worcester’s hottest bats a chance to tie up the game. Coming off a two-hit effort in game one, Mickey Gasper lined his third hit of the day to right, but Westbrook was thrown out at home to end the inning.
Luis Guerrero relieved Criswell to begin the bottom half of the fifth, ending the WooSox starter’s night. Criswell’s final line was 4 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K. With the new arm on the mound, the RailRiders added two insurance runs on Jose Rojas’ 16th home run of the season and a sacrifice fly, giving Scranton/Wilkes-Barre a three-run advantage.
Trailing 6-3 entering the seventh and final inning, Meidroth led off the frame with a double to start a late rally. Dalbec proceeded to drive Meidroth in with a two-out single to bring the tying run to the plate in Westbrook. The WooSox third baseman came through with an RBI double down the right field line that brought Worcester within one and put the tying run in scoring position. With a chance to tie the game, Gasper grounded out to second to seal the WooSox fate.
With their 6-5 loss in game two, Worcester settled for a split in Thursday’s doubleheader with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
The WooSox and RailRiders will continue their six-game series on Friday night at 6:35 p.m. at PNC Field in Moosic, Pennsylvania. Richard Fitts (5-2, 3.86) will get the start for Worcester opposite Edgar Barclay (3-6, 7.48) for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Radio coverage will begin at 6:15 p.m. on 98.9 Nash Icon and the WooSox Radio Network.