WooSox Win Fifth Straight, Shutout Mets 7-0
WORCESTER, MA –– Vaughn Grissom continued his hot hitting and Jason Alexander turned in his best start of the year as the Worcester Red Sox (39-26)/(74-66) shutout the Syracuse Mets (26-39)/(72-67) on Wednesday night by a score of 7-0. With the win, the WooSox have now won 9 of their
WORCESTER, MA –– Vaughn Grissom continued his hot hitting and Jason Alexander turned in his best start of the year as the Worcester Red Sox (39-26)/(74-66) shutout the Syracuse Mets (26-39)/(72-67) on Wednesday night by a score of 7-0. With the win, the WooSox have now won 9 of their last 10 contests and 19 of 24.
Vaughn Grissom got the WooSox on the board in the second inning by launching a solo shot off the scoreboard in left to give Worcester an early 1-0 lead. It would be the start of a big night for Grissom, who came up to the plate again in the fourth with Kyle Teel standing on first.
Watch it flyyyyyy! pic.twitter.com/oc29y1pgSv
— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) September 11, 2024
On the second pitch of the at-bat, the WooSox’ second baseman drilled a hanging sweeper from Boston native Mike Vasil and deposited it onto the berm for his second homer of the game and sixth of the year. Grissom has been on a tear since August 25, slashing .405/.527/.571 with 17 RBIs and 11 runs scored entering Wednesday night.
2 at bats, 2 homers 🤷♂️ pic.twitter.com/GB0vX3pQ6p
— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) September 11, 2024
The three-run lead provided by Grissom was all Jason Alexander needed.
Alexander made his 24th start for Worcester on Wednesday night and struck out the side in the first to kick off his outing. The right-hander would go on to punch out seven of the first 13 batters he faced and flirted with a perfect game as the game moved into the fifth inning. Though Yolmer Sanchez’s one-out single in the fifth would end the no-hit bid, Alexander’s dominance continued for the rest of his outing.
The Windsor, California native would end his night after seven shutout innings having allowed just two hits while tallying 11 strikeouts. It was undoubtedly his best outing of the year––and one of the top starts by a WooSox this season. Alexander finished with a line of 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 11 K.
In the bottom of the seventh, Worcester added some insurance. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Chase Meidroth grounded a two-run single into center, giving the WooSox a five-run advantage. After a mound visit, Mets reliever Joey Lucchesi retired the next two batters but walked Grissom to load the bases for the second time in the inning and Jamie Westbrook due up. The Holyoke native rolled a ball to third, but a wild throw allowed two more runs to score, making it a 7-0 WooSox lead heading into the eighth.
Zach Penrod relieved Alexander to begin the eighth and hurled a perfect inning to continue his starter’s dominance. Alex Speas followed the southpaw on the mound and recorded two punch outs in a perfect frame of his own to secure the WooSox’ 7-0 win over Syracuse. Alexander (W, 6-6) earned the win with seven shutout innings while Vasil (L, 8-10) was handed the defeat.
The WooSox and Mets will continue their seven-game series at 6:05 p.m. on Thursday night at Polar Park. Hunter Dobbins (0-2, 4.66) will make his third start with Worcester opposite Joander Suarez (1-1, 12.00) for Syracuse. The game will be broadcasted live on NESN and radio coverage begins at 5:45 p.m. on 98.9 Nash Icon and the WooSox Radio Network.