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IL Worcester Red Sox

Rafaela Hits 13th Triple-A Homer, WooSox Fall 2-1 to RailRiders

August 17, 2023 - International League (IL)
Worcester Red Sox News Release


WORCESTER, M.A. - The Worcester Red Sox (25-16, 64-52) lost their second one-run ballgame of the week to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (22-18, 56-58) on Thursday night, a 2-1 defeat at Polar Park.

WooSox starter Brandon Walter was strong in his longest outing since returning from Boston, posting the following line: 5 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K. SWB's lone run against the left-hander came three batters in to the game, a solo shot over the berm in left by Andres Chaparro.

From that point on, Walter would allow just one more runner to reach scoring position, inducing six groundouts, including a key double play to end the fifth.

Walter's night was topped only by RailRiders' starter Mitch Spence, who tossed six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits. Both knocks came from Wilyer Abreu, including a sixth-inning double; Spence hit the next batter, but then got a groundout to end Worcester's best threat against the right-hander.

In the eighth, Ceddanne Rafaela stepped up with no one on and one out-he worked a 1-1 count, then drilled the third pitch deep to right, clearing the Worcester Wall for a game-tying solo home run.

Since his promotion to Triple-A on June 28, Rafaela leads the International League with 37 extra-base-hits and now has 13 homers in 39 games.

Andres Nunez tossed a scoreless sixth and Cam Booser followed with a runless pair of innings out of the WooSox bullpen.

A.J. Politi entered for the top of the ninth, and Jamie Westbrook greeted him with a double off the wall in right-center. After a bloop single put two on, Michael Hermosillo ripped a go-ahead RBI single up the middle to put SWB on top 2-1.

Politi got out of the inning, but the home team went down 1-2-3 in the ninth, dropping Worcester to 16-18 in one-run games this season.

The WooSox continue the six-game series on Friday night at 6:45 p.m. against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, affiliate of the New York Yankees. On the mound, Kyle Barraclough (7-0, 2.57) is the scheduled Worcester starter. Television coverage is on NESN, while radio coverage is live on 98.9 Nash Icon and the WooSox Radio Network.

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