WooSox Win 9-8, Sweep Series with Jumbo Shrimp

JACKSONVILLE, FL — Despite two different rain delays, the Worcester Red Sox (10-4, 49-40) completed their first series sweep since 2021 as they topped the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (8-7, 40-49) by a 9-8 final on Sunday at 121 Financial Ballpark.

The WooSox have now won six straight games, matching their longest winning streak of the season. They are a season-high nine games over .500. Worcester also picked up their first series sweep since they swept a five-game set at Lehigh Valley to end the 2021 season.

Offense came early and often for Worcester after a 1 hour and 8 minute rain delay before first pitch. With David Hamilton at third and Ceddanne Rafaela at first, Rafaela took off for second and was thrown out by the catcher Santiago Chavez, but Hamilton came home to score to make it 1-0 Worcester. Later in the inning, Bobby Dalbec blasted a 455-foot solo home run to straightaway center to give the WooSox a 2-0 lead. Dalbec is now tied with Louisville’s Luken Baker for the International League lead in home runs with 22.

Jacksonville scored three runs in bottom of the first. After a leadoff single from Jake Mangum, Jacob Amaya hit a two-run home run. Three batters later, Jordan Groshans lined an RBI single to put the Jumbo Shrimp in front 3-2.

In the second, Worcester scored four times. The first run came on a Stephen Scott RBI double. A David Hamilton single brought in another run. Later in the inning with Hamilton at third and Nick Sogard at first, Sogard was caught off first base. Jacksonvile pitcher Chi Chi Gonzalez threw over to first, but first baseman Jerar Encarnacion’s throw to third to try to get Hamilton went down the left-field line and allowed Hamilton to score. Ceddanne Rafaela hit an infield single to score the fourth run of the frame.

The WooSox scored again in the third when Scott singled in Daniel Palka to give Worcester a 7-3 lead.

The Jumbo Shrimp plated three in the bottom of the third. Jordan Groshans hit a double to bring in two, and Encarnacion doubled to score Groshans to cut the Jumbo Shrimp deficit to 7-6.

With the bases loaded in the fifth, Scott reached on a fielder’s choice that allowed Worcester’s eighth run to score. Two batters later, Nick Sogard lined a single a center to score Narciso Crook to make it a 9-6 game.

John Schreiber, pitching for the fourth time on his rehab assignment, allowed a solo home run to Jake Mangum that cut the WooSox lead to 9-7. Schreiber did not allow any other base runners in his one inning of work.

The game was delayed a second time with one out and one on in the bottom of the ninth, but the game resumed, and Cam Booser was able to close out the Worcester win.

Nick Sogard, Stephen Scott, and Daniel Palka each had three-hit games. Each WooSox hitter reached safely.

Shane Drohan got the start for Worcester. The left-hander went 3.2 innings and allowed six runs (five earned) on six hits, walking four and striking out six.

The WooSox will travel to Scranton tomorrow and continue their nine-game road trip when they begin a six-game series with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders on Tuesday night at 6:35 p.m. Right-hander Brian Van Belle is the scheduled starter for Worcester. Radio coverage begins at 6:15 p.m. on 98.9 Nash Icon, 100.1 FM The Pike, and the rest of the WooSox Radio Network.