Worcester, MA – The Worcester Red Sox had runners on base in all 9 innings but a 9th inning rally fell short when the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders turned a game-ending double play with the bases loaded to hold off the WooSox, 3-2 before a Mother’s Day crowd of 6,877 at Polar Park on Sunday afternoon.
The WooSox (21-16), who left 11 runners on base, had to settle for a 3 games to 2 series victory over the RailRiders (20-17) in what became an abbreviated 5-game set thanks to Saturday’s rainout. The Sox remain alone in 1st-place in the International League East division now more than halfway through the first half of the IL schedule.
Trailing, 3-1 going to the bottom of the 9th inning, WooSox catcher Jason Delay and LF Braiden Ward began the final frame with back-to-back doubles to cut the Sox deficit to 3-2. Nick Sogard was next and his sharp line drive up the middle was knocked down by Scranton/WB reliever Zach Messinger who recovered to throw Sogie out at 1st base. Nate Eaton was hit by a pitch and Mikey Romero walked to load the bases with one out, but Kristian Cambell hit into a 4-6-3 double play that included a superb turn from Scranton/WB SS Anthony Volpe to end a frustrating game for the WooSox.
Ward, who upped his batting average to .292, had another excellent game with a pair of doubles, one RBI, his league-leading 12th hit by pitch, and three more stolen bases to give him the International League lead in that category as well with 19 SB on the season. 3B Anthony Seigler stayed hot going 2-for-3 with a walk and is 12-for-his-last 24 to raise his average to .309.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre scored first in the top of the 2nd on a solo HR by catcher Ali Sanchez (#4). That would be the only run WooSox starter Alec Gamboa would allow as he turned in a strong 5-inning start in his return to Worcester. Gamboa, who made his Major League debut with the Red Sox in Detroit last Tuesday with a perfect 9th inning to close out Boston’s victory, was optioned back to Worcester the next day. He would go 5 innings on Sunday giving up 4 hits and the 1 run with 4 strikeouts on 61 pitches (47 for strikes).
Gamboa was not involved in the decision because the WooSox tied the game in the 3rd inning. Ward led the frame by getting hit by a pitch for a league-leading 12th time in his 24 games played. He stole 2nd and 3rd (he would add another stolen base later in the game to increase his league-leading total to 19 SB on the year) and trotted home when Romero ripped a double over CF Kennedy Corona’s head.
That would be the only run the WooSox would muster until the 9th inning. Worcester would leave a runner on 3rd base with two outs in the 1st inning, a runner on 3rd with no outs in the 2nd, runners on 1st & 2nd in both the 3rd & 8th innings, and then the bases loaded double play grounder to end the game. The Sox finished with a total of 11 LOB for the game and also had 3 caught stealing and 2 GIDP.
RailRiders RF Yanquiel Fernandez had the game’s big blow belting a towering 2-run HR (#9) over the Worcester Wall in the 6th inning to snap a 1-1 tie and provide the eventual winning margin.
Elmer Rodriguez, the former Red Sox farmhand who was traded to the Yankees for catcher Carlos Narvaez in December of 2024 and was recently optioned back from the New York, made the start for the RailRiders. The 22-year-old Puerto Rican native went 4.2 innings and allowed 6 hits and 1 run with 6 strikeouts. He was not involved in the decision and is 1-2 with the RailRiders on the year despite a 1.38 ERA in 5 starts.
The win went to the first of four Scranton/WB relievers, Danny Watson (3-0) who tossed 1.1 scoreless innings. Bradley Hanner was impressive with 5 strikeouts in his 1.2 innings while Messinger got the final three outs for his first save.
Jack Anderson (1-2), just back from a one day stay with the Red Sox, took the loss thanks to the Fernandez 2-run HR in the 6th. Tayron Guerrero continued to impress with 2.2 scoreless innings to close out the game for the WooSox and in his 12 relief appearances this season he has allowed just 2 runs in 15.2 innings.
The WooSox will shuffle off to Buffalo during their offday tomorrow in advance of opening a 6-game series in Western New York vs. the Buffalo Bisons (AAA-Toronto) beginning Tuesday at 6:05 pm. The clubs will play four night games from Tuesday – Friday (all at 6:05 pm) and then next weekend have a pair of afternoon affairs (both at 1:05 pm) at Sahlen Field. Worcester will return home following the game next Sunday and get set to host the Rochester Red Wings for a 6-game set at Polar Park from May 19-24.
Starters for the upcoming series in Buffalo, including on Tuesday, are TBD at this point. The game can be heard on NASH 98.9 FM, the Pike 100.1 FM, and the rest of the WooSox Radio Network with Jim Cain and Alex Jensen on the call.