ALLENTOWN, PA – The Worcester Red Sox (34-32) plated two runs in the top of the 9th inning to break a 3-3 tie and defeat the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (32-38) 5-3 on Tuesday night in the opener of a six-game series at Coca-Cola Park. The win snaps a four-game skid for the WooSox, who take the first game of the season series with Lehigh Valley.
The WooSox opened the scoring in the top of the 3rd inning. With Anthony Seigler at second base and two outs, Mikey Romero collected his second hit of the night, a single to right field to drive in Seigler to put Worcester on top 1-0.
In the bottom of the 3rd the IronPigs answered right back to jump in front. After Dylan Moore drew a one-out walk, Felix Reyes slugged a two-run homer to left field off WooSox starter Jack Anderson to give Lehigh Valley a 2-1 lead.
The IronPigs added on when Carter Kieboom lined an RBI double to left center to score Christian Cairo from first base with one out in the top of the 4th off WooSox reliever Tyler Uberstine to make it 3-1.
The WooSox came back to tie the game in the top of the 5th inning. Tsung-Che Cheng got things started for Worcester with his 6th home run of the season, a solo shot to center field to cut the Lehigh Valley lead to 3-2. Vinny Capra and Seigler followed with back-to-back one-out singles to put runners at the corners and then executed a double steal that allowed Capra to score from third to tie the game at 3-3.
The game remained tied until the top of the 9th when the WooSox rallied to take the lead. Braiden Ward was hit by a pitch with one out and Capra followed with a walk to put runners on first and second. Seigler then delivered a single to right center field to score Ward from second base to give the WooSox a 4-3 lead. After a strikeout, Romero lined a single up the middle into center field to drive in Capra from second base to make it 5-3 Worcester.
Angel Bastardo pitched around two walks in the 9th and stranded the tying run at second base with a strikeout of René Pinto to end the ballgame.
Tyler Sanamiego (1-0) pitched a scoreless 8th inning for the WooSox to pick up his first win of the season, while Nolan Hoffman (1-2) suffered the loss allowing two runs on two hits in the top of the 9th. Bastardo picked up his first save of the season with his scoreless bottom of the 9th inning.
After snapping a four-game losing streak, the WooSox will try to make it two wins in a row to start the week in Allentown in game two of the series on Wednesday night. The WooSox have not yet announced their starting pitcher, while Lehigh Valley turns to right-hander Alan Rangel (3-4, 3.74) who makes his 11th start of the season for the IronPigs. Pregame coverage begins at 6:25 pm on the WooSox Radio Network.