WooSox and RailRiders Split Wednesday Doubleheader
MOOSIC, PA –– After dropping the first game of the twin bill 8-1, the Worcester Red Sox (11-12)/(46-52) rebounded in the night cap, winning 7-4 to split their Wednesday doubleheader at PNC Field with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (10-13)/(53-44). The WooSox four-run seventh inning in game two was their 22nd come-from-behind
MOOSIC, PA –– After dropping the first game of the twin bill 8-1, the Worcester Red Sox (11-12)/(46-52) rebounded in the night cap, winning 7-4 to split their Wednesday doubleheader at PNC Field with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (10-13)/(53-44). The WooSox four-run seventh inning in game two was their 22nd come-from-behind win of the season and fifth in their final at-bat.
Justin Hagenman started game one of the doubleheader and ran into some early trouble in the first inning. After Brandon Lockridge led off the bottom of the first with a double, Agustin Ramirez followed with a double of his own, giving the RailRiders a 1-0 lead. Oswald Peraza’s RBI single plated Ramirez to hand the hosts a two-run advantage entering the second inning.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre added to their lead in the second, scoring their third run of the game on Josh VanMeter’s RBI single to left. Two batters later, Hagenman found himself in a bases loaded jam with Ramirez stepping to the plate. The WooSox right-hander won the battle this time around, inducing an inning-ending double play to limit the damage.
Hagenman continued for Worcester in the fourth inning and, after consecutive hits put two runners in scoring position with nobody out, the 27-year-old prevented a big inning. Lockridge’s RBI groundout brought home the only run in the frame as the RailRiders extended their lead to four.
Entering the fifth inning, the WooSox were still looking for their first hit against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre southpaw Edgar Barclay. With one out in the inning, Matthew Lugo answered the call by lacing a double past the outstretched glove of Jeter Downs heading to the corner in left. Chase Meidroth followed with his 17th double of the year to put the WooSox on the board. In the bottom of the inning, the RailRiders got the run back––and then some.
Chase finds a gap and drives in Lugo! pic.twitter.com/dXORIOtOzG
— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) July 24, 2024
With one out, Peraza and T.J. Rumfield belted back-to-back home runs to stretch the lead to five. After two free passes put a couple of ducks on the pond, VanMeter drove them in with a two-run double, putting the game out of reach.
Over the next two innings, the WooSox bats went down in order as Scranton/Wilkes-Barre took game one of the twin bill, 8-1. Hagenman (L, 1-4) was handed the loss while Barclay (W, 4-8) earned the victory for the RailRiders.
Early runs came once again for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in game two, scoring twice off WooSox starter Chase Shugart to begin the ballgame. Following two quick outs to open the bottom of the first, the RailRiders notched three consecutive hits, with Rumfield’s bloop single to right scoring a pair. The inning represented a bit of bad luck for Shugart as two of the three hits registered exit velocities under 75 mph. Nevertheless, the WooSox came to bat in the second trailing 2-0.
Similar to game one, the WooSox offense was dormant through the first three innings but came alive in the fourth. With two runners in scoring position following a wild pitch, Tyler Heineman lined a two-out two-run single to right, knotting up the game at two.
After allowing the two first inning runs, Shugart settled down to finish with a line of 4.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K. With two on and one out in the fifth, the Texas native was relieved by Trey Wingenter with go-ahead run just 90 feet away. The 6’7” right-hander did not allow a hit, but walked two batters in the frame, giving the RailRiders a 3-2.
TIE-LER STRIKES AGAIN! pic.twitter.com/z4JP8tpKS8
— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) July 25, 2024
Following two quick outs to begin the sixth, Tyler Heineman blasted a towering solo home run onto the berm in right field to tie the game at three. In the bottom of the inning, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre responded with three hits to take back the lead. With the WooSox down to their last three outs, they trailed by one.
Chase Meidroth drew a leadoff walk to begin the seventh and advanced to second on Enmanuel Valdez’s base hit to right. Mickey Gasper followed with an RBI single to center, scoring Meidroth and tying the game at four. With two on and one out, Bobby Dalbec belted a three-run opposite field shot to give Worcester their first lead of the day. It was his 12th of the year and provided some insurance for the WooSox as they looked to salvage the second game of the doubleheader.
NOT OVER YET!
— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) July 25, 2024
GASPER TIES IT ON AN RBI SINGLE AND BOB GIVES US THE LEAD WITH A 3 RUN SHOT 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/5PUEzPzhVe
Lucas Luetge continued on the mound for Worcester after recording the final two outs in the sixth inning. The southpaw began the seventh with a strikeout and, after an infield hit, retired the next two batters to secure the 7-4 victory for the WooSox. In game two, Luetge (W, 4-2) was awarded the win for Worcester while Scott Effross (1-1) was handed the loss.
Vaughn Grissom continued his rehab assignment with Worcester on Wednesday, appearing only in game two as the WooSox second baseman. Batting third in manager Chad Tracy’s order, Grissom recorded one hit in four at-bats.
The WooSox and RailRiders return to action at 6:35 p.m. on Thursday, continuing their seven-game series at PNC Field. Worcester will send Grant Gambrell (4-6, 4.40) to the mound, starting opposite Will Warren (5-5, 6.42) for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Radio coverage begins at 6:15 p.m. on 98.9 Nash Icon and the WooSox Radio Network.