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IL Worcester Red Sox

Offensive Outburst Leads WooSox to 15-5 Win over RailRiders

June 30, 2024 - International League (IL)
Worcester Red Sox News Release


MOOSIC, PA - The Worcester Red Sox (3-2)/(38-42) end the month of June with an offensive explosion, winning 15-5 over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (2-3)/(45-34) on Sunday afternoon at PNC Field. Chase Meidroth (5-for-6, 2 RBI) and Mickey Gasper (2-for-5, 2B, 5 RBI) were among seven WooSox to finish with multi-hit games.

After inclement weather washed away the WooSox and RailRiders game on Saturday, the teams finally took the field at 2:36 p.m. for the series finale on Sunday following a lengthy delay. Despite the one-hour and twenty-one-minute wait, Worcester's offense wasted no time, jumping out to an early lead.

Chase Meidroth led off the game with an infield hit and was followed by Nathan Hickey's one-out double to put men on second and third for Bobby Dalbec. The WooSox right fielder singled home Meidroth for the first run of the game, with the second run coming on Mickey Gasper's groundout. With two outs, Jamie Westbrook was awarded first base following a catcher's interference, setting up Matthew Lugo's two-run double to right-center. The top of the first would end with the WooSox holding a 4-0 lead.

In the second inning, the RailRiders got a run back after picking up three hits against WooSox starter Grant Gambrell. Despite tallying five knocks in the first two innings, Gambrell held Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's offense to just one run.

Two innings later, the WooSox bats broke the game wide open. After two singles put men on first and third with one out, Meidroth grounded a single into center to plate Lugo. Dalbec followed with his second RBI hit of the game, loading the bases for Mickey Gasper. The Worcester first baseman proceeded to line a ball into the right field corner, clearing the bases and giving the WooSox a 9-1 lead.

After allowing a two-out double and walk in the bottom of the fourth, Gambrell was replaced on the mound by Brad Keller, making his first appearance with the WooSox since being optioned by Boston on June 24. The right-hander would surrender a two-run single to Oswald Peraza before the RailRiders shortstop was caught stealing second to end the inning. The two runs were charged to Gambrell, who finished with a line of 3.2 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K.

Leading 9-3 entering the fifth inning, the WooSox added three more to make it an even dozen. With a man aboard and nobody out, Tyler Heineman crushed a 418-foot two-run shot to right for his third home run of the year. Two pitches later, Mark Contreras doubled and scored on Meidroth's RBI knock to right. Keller would hold the RailRiders scoreless in their half of the fifth inning as the WooSox carried a 12-3 lead into the sixth.

Keller, who continued on the mound for Worcester, ran into a bit of trouble in the sixth inning. The Georgia native allowed three hits and two walks, but held the RailRiders to just two runs in the frame, maintaining a seven-run lead for the WooSox.

In the seventh inning, Worcester added another run on Gasper's RBI knock that scored Eddy Alvarez. For the 28-year-old, it was his fifth RBI of the day, tying a career high he set on August 3, 2019 when he was playing for the Charleston RiverDogs--the Single-A affiliate of the New York Yankees at the time. The opposing pitcher that day was current Baltimore Oriole and former top pitching prospect, Grayson Rodriguez.

The following inning, Worcester scored twice more on Contreras' two-run home run--his fourth long ball of the year and second extra-base hit of the afternoon. With the WooSox now leading by double-digits, Meidroth collected his fifth hit of the game--a career high for the 22-year-old.

With Meidroth standing on first, heavy rain continued to fall, moving the game into a weather delay before it was eventually called. Worcester won 15-5 in eight innings as Keller (W, 2-1) earned the victory while Will Warren (L, 5-5) took the loss.

The WooSox will continue their nine-game road trip at 6:35 p.m. on Monday night in Syracuse, beginning a six-game home and home series with the New York Mets Triple-A affiliate. Syracuse's starting pitcher has not been announced, but Justin Hagenman (1-3, 5.10) will start game one for Worcester. Radio coverage starts at 6:15 p.m. on 98.9 Nash Icon and the WooSox Radio Network.

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