Worcester, MA – The Worcester Red Sox won for the 12th time in their last 14 games routing the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, 10-1 on Wednesday night at Polar Park. The WooSox have also won 8 of their last 9 home games and are 21-7 since June 28. At 57-48 overall the Sox are again a season-high 9-games over .500.
Franklin Arias, elevated to the #2 overall prospect in all of Minor League Baseball by Baseball America this week, had a terrific all-around game. The 20-year-old from Venezuela singled in the 1st-inning to extend his hitting streak to 7 games and was the first of his 3 hits on the night. Franklin now has three 3-hit games in his last four games played.
In his next at-bat, Arias drilled a 2-run HR onto the left centerfield berm in the 3rd inning to give the WooSox a 2-0 lead they would never relinquish. The line drive homer went 419 feet and was 108 MPH off the bat. It was his 3rd homer in 9 games since joining the WooSox on July 24 and his 22nd HR overall on the season (he was tied for 3rd in the Eastern League with 19 HR for Portland this year).
In the 5th inning, Arias, who would make some fine plays at second base (he has played 3 games at 2B and 6 at SS with the WooSox) came to bat with no outs and the bases loaded. On the first pitch he was hit in the back forcing in Worcester’s third run of the game. Nate Eaton followed by crushing a ground rule double to right center to score two more. Arias raced home on a sac fly by Mickey Gasper and Eaton would cruise home on a ringing triple by Mikey Romero to cap the 5-run, 5th inning.
Lehigh Valley got on the board with a solo HR in the 7th inning by Robert Moore to snap a streak of 14 straight retired by WooSox pitching. That IronPigs run was answered immediately by Gasper who led off the WooSox 7th with a towering HR (#9) into the seats above the Worcester Wall.
Worcester tacked on two more runs in the 8th when Arias laced a 105 MPH single to center and Eaton followed by slamming a 2-run triple to the wall in left center. The WooSox had 12 hits on the night led by Arias with three, Eaton with two extra base hits, and two singles from Vinny Capra who has now hit in 11 straight games.
John Holobetz made his second start since his promotion from Portland (where he was 5-3, 4.33 with 93 SO in 79 IP) and he went 4 scoreless innings allowing 5 hits and no walks with 2 strikeouts. The 24-year-old righty threw 48 of his 61 pitches for strikes. Hobie Harris (2-0) followed with 2 perfect innings with 3 strikeouts to get credit for the victory.
The teams will be right back in action at Polar Park tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon with a weekday matinee beginning at 12:05 pm. The WooSox will use LHP Eduardo Rivera (6-2, 2.61) to make a spot start against IronPigs RHP Drake Fellows (3-1, 5.12). The game is live on NESN and can be heard on NASH 98.9 FM.