WooSox Set Red Sox Triple-A Home Run Record, Trounce Mets 10-2

WORCESTER, M.A. — A five-run fourth led the way in a big offensive night for the Worcester Red Sox (36-27, 75-63), a 10-2 win over the Syracuse Mets (22-39, 55-80) on Tuesday night at Polar Park.

Corey Kluber worked 2.2 scoreless innings in his second rehab outing with the WooSox, striking out two and allowing two hits. The right-hander threw 35 pitches (23 strikes), and after allowing a leadoff single to Danny Mendick, retired seven of the next nine batters he faced.

Two batters in to the bottom of the first, a Nick Sogard triple began the first Worcester rally of the day. Stephen Scott followed with a double that found chalk down the left field line, and after a lineout, Ronaldo Hernadez plated Scott with a single to make it 2-0.

The WooSox began the bottom of the fourth with back-to-back homers from Niko Kavadas and Christian Koss, the latter of which gave Koss his first Triple-A home run. After an out, three straight walks loaded the bases for Scott, who plated a run on a groundout. Bobby Dalbec was next, and he laced a two-run double to left, the final two runs of the five-run spurt.

Dalbec now has a team-leading 76 RBI in 111 games.

In the bottom of the sixth, Narciso Crook lined a historic home run to left, giving Worcester its 210th home run of the season, a new all-time Red Sox Triple-A record (the previous record was 209, set by the 1996 Pawtucket Red Sox).

It did not take long to add to the record-setting total, as Kavadas lifted off for his second homer of the night, a two-run job to right-center in the seventh to make it 10-0. Kavadas notched the first multi-homer game of his Triple-A career and now has four home runs in five games.

On the mound, Oddanier Mosqueda got the final out of the third for Worcester. Shane Drohan entered in the fourth as the bulk reliever, and in his first appearance since August 30, posted the following line: 3.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 7 BB, 3 K.

Chase Shugart went 1.1 scoreless frames before Chris Murphy allowed a two-run home run in the ninth to Lorenzo Cedrola, Syracuse’s only scoring play of the night. Luis Guerrero entered to get the final out of the game, giving Worcester a series-opening win.

The WooSox continue their final homestand of the 2023 season, Super Duper Fan Appreciation Week, at Polar Park on Wednesday night at 6:45 p.m. against the Syracuse Mets, affiliate of the New York Mets. On the mound, Kyle Barraclough (8-0, 2.98) faces Jose Chacin (0-0, 7.20). Television coverage is on NESN+, while radio coverage is live at 6:25 p.m. on 98.9 Nash Icon and the WooSox Radio Network.