Worcester, MA – The Worcester Red Sox (12-10) rallied for two runs in the bottom of the 9th inning, capped by Kristian Campbell’s 2-out RBI single, to earn their first walk-off win of the season, a 7-6 comeback victory over the Syracuse Mets (12-10) on Wednesday afternoon at Polar Park.
After a two out intentional walk to Mickey Gasper put runners on 1st and 2nd, Campbell stepped up and smacked a first pitch line single down the 3rd base line to score Nate Eaton with the winning run. Two batters earlier, Eaton ripped an RBI double that tied the game and nearly won it, but Syracuse leftfielder Ryan Clifford made a perfect throw home to cut down Nick Sogard with the potential winning run.
The WooSox got another excellent outing from starter Jake Bennett, who now owns an 0.86 ERA after his first five starts to begin the year, but the Mets erased a 3-0 deficit with two runs in the 5th (one charged to Bennett) and three more in the 6th.
Bennett, the 25-year-old lefty acquired from the Washington Nationals last off-season, cruised through 4.2 scoreless innings departing with a 3-0 lead and a runner on 1st base with two outs in the top of the 5th inning. That runner would eventually score on a 2-run single by Syracuse DH Jihwan Bae off WooSox reliever Devin Sweet. That closed the book on Bennett who went 4.2 innings, allowing 4 hits, 1 run, 1 walk, with 3 strikeouts on 68 pitches (42 for strikes).
The 6’6” Bennett was not involved in the decision and is now 2-1 with an 0.86 ERA in his 5 starts this season – 21 IP, 12 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 16 SO . His .162 batting average against is one of the lowest in the International League and his WHIP of 0.61 is 2nd best in the league.
Sweet gave up the 2-run single to Bae in the 5th and then a go-ahead 3-run HR to Syracuse 2B Jackson Cluff in the 6th inning that put the Mets up, 5-3.
Worcester took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the 1st inning. Sogard (2 hits, 2 walks, 2 runs) led off the 1st with a single followed by another single from Eaton. Gasper, the Sox DH, was next and he drove home both with a sharp double to left field. After an out, Mikey Romero singled and Gasper eventually scored on an RBI fielder’s choice from Anthony Seigler.
The WooSox were held off the board from that point until the 7th inning when they scored a run on an RBI single by Vinny Capra. The Mets got that run back in the 8th before the Sox again cut the deficit to one with a run of their own in the bottom of the 8th on a bases loaded walk to Seigler. However, Worcester left the bases loaded and were down, 6-5 heading to the 9th.
The bottom of the 9th inning began with a walk to Jason Delay and, after a strikeout, a walk to Sogard. Eaton then drilled a double down the left field line by the tarp that easily scored Delay with the tying run. Sogard was sent home as well and it took a perfect throw from Clifford in left to nail Sogie and keep the game tied. Gasper was then intentionally walked setting the stage for Campbell’s walk-off single.
The win went to new dad Wyatt Olds (3-1) who fired 1.1 hitless innings of relief with 2 strikeouts. The loss went to the Mets fifth pitcher of the game, Alex Carrillo (1-1) who was charged with 2 runs in the 9th.
Sogard, Eaton, Campbell, and Romero all had 2 hits apiece for the WooSox. Christian Pache had 2 more hits for the Mets giving him 6 hits in the first two games of the series.
The clubs meet again for another matinee at Polar Park tomorrow (Thursday), this time at 12:05 pm in game three of this 6-game set that is even at a victory apiece. The WooSox will send lefty Alec Gamboa (0-1, 9.00) to the mound for his second start of the season and he will be opposed by Mets righty Jack Wenninger (1-1, 1.26). The game is live on NESN and on radio on NASH 98.9 FM.