WooSox Score a Dozen, Win 12-2 Over Toledo in Series Opener
WORCESTER, MA –– Another offensive outburst led the Worcester Red Sox (29-22)/(64-62) to a 12-2 win over the Toledo Mud Hens (24-28)/(59-67) in their series opener on Tuesday night at Polar Park. Roman Anthony (4-for-5, 2B, 3B, 2 R) led the bats while Kristian Campbell and Kyle Teel each tallied
WORCESTER, MA –– Another offensive outburst led the Worcester Red Sox (29-22)/(64-62) to a 12-2 win over the Toledo Mud Hens (24-28)/(59-67) in their series opener on Tuesday night at Polar Park. Roman Anthony (4-for-5, 2B, 3B, 2 R) led the bats while Kristian Campbell and Kyle Teel each tallied three RBIs. It was the WooSox’ 14th victory in their last 17 contests.
Roman Anthony and Chase Meidroth led off the ballgame for the WooSox with back-to-back base hits, putting two men on for Kristian Campbell as the 22-year-old stepped in Polar Park’s batter’s box for the first time. The Tennessee native advanced Anthony to third with a fly out to center, and Kyle Teel finished the job with a sacrifice fly to left. It was the only run Worcester would score in the inning as they jumped out to an early 1-0 lead.
Two innings later, Anthony stayed white-hot by drilling his first Triple-A triple to deep right-center to start the third. Following a Meidroth walk, Campbell belted a loud, 108 mph three-run shot onto the berm in center. The ball traveled 431 feet and was the Georgia Tech product’s third home run in just six games since his promotion from Double-A Portland on August 20.
CAMPBELL GOES 431 FOR HIS FIRST POLAR PARK HOMER pic.twitter.com/Ohs8VTZAUK
— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) August 27, 2024
In the fourth, the runs would keep on coming for the WooSox. Eddy Alvarez blasted the first pitch of the inning high over the Worcester Wall for his 15th home run of the season. After Meidroth picked up his third triple in the last four games and Campbell drew a free pass, Teel smoked a double just out of the reach of Justice Bigbie in right, plating both Meidroth and Campbell. Vaughn Grissom added an RBI knock to cap the WooSox’ four-run inning, giving them an 8-0 lead heading into the fifth.
EDDY!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/MaH0v57qik
— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) August 27, 2024
Worcester would plate four more runs on Tuesday night, with Nick Sogard scoring on a balk in the sixth and Enmanuel Valdez’s eighth inning three-run shot––his 11th long ball of the year––to make it an even dozen for the WooSox.
Valdez makes it a dozen with a three-run blast!!! We’re having a lot of fun!!! pic.twitter.com/Z7qTKVghm2
— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) August 28, 2024
Worcester’s offensive outburst in their series opener against Toledo adds to an impressive season that has the team at the top of the International League in a host of categories––including runs scored. The WooSox entered Tuesday night with a league-best 719 runs, ranking 31 runs ahead of the next closest team (Norfolk and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre each have scored 688 runs).
With 12 runs on Tuesday night, Worcester is averaging 6.2 runs per game in 17 contests dating back to August 7.
Pitching with a substantial lead thanks to the WooSox’ bats, Richard Fitts turned in another excellent start. The Alabama native finished with a line of 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, with his lone mistake coming on Justyn-Henry Malloy’s two-run homer in the sixth inning. With his start on Tuesday, Fitts closed out the month of August with a 2.89 ERA in five starts, walking just four batters and picking up 32 strikeouts in 28 innings.
Chase Shugart, Alex Speas, and Yohan Ramirez followed Fitts on the mound and combined for three scoreless innings as the WooSox took the series opener from the Mud Hens, 12-2. Fitts (W, 8-5) earned his eighth victory of the season while Troy Watson (L, 0-1) was handed the defeat.
The WooSox and Mud Hens will continue their six-game series at 6:45 p.m. on Wednesday night at Polar Park. Quinn Priester (0-1, 7.88) will get the start for Worcester opposite Austin Bergner (3-6, 9.43) for Toledo. The game will be broadcasted live on NESN+ and radio coverage begins at 6:25 p.m. on 98.9 Nash Icon, 100.1 The Pike, and the WooSox Radio Network.