IL Worcester Red Sox

Wilson Delivers First Walk-Off in Polar Park History

May 14, 2021 - International League (IL)
Worcester Red Sox News Release


WORCESTER, M.A. - Polar Park saw its best starting pitching performance, its biggest out and the first walk-off in its short history Friday night, a 2-1 Worcester Red Sox (5-5) win over the Syracuse Mets (2-8).

Tied 1-1, Syracuse began the tenth inning with a runner on second. After two walks-one of which was intentional-the Mets loaded the bases, but WooSox reliever Seth Blair got a popout and a groundout to end the inning. That set up Worcester with the winning run on second in the bottom half of the tenth against Syracuse reliever Stephen Nogosek. Jarren Duran led off with a groundout to the right side, pushing the automatic runner, Jett Bandy, to third. After the Mets intentionally walked Danny Santana, Santana stole second and Syracuse proceeded to walk the hitter, Chris Herrmann. After a Yairo Munoz infield fly, Marcus Wilson strode to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. Wilson worked the count to 3-2, and as the Polar Park crowd got to full throat, Nogosek missed inside to give the WooSox a walk-off walk and their first extra innings victory of the season.

Worcester starter Kyle Hart set the tone for the night, tossing six hitless innings and holding the Mets to zero runs in that span. The right-hander walked four Syracuse batters and hit one more, but worked out of a jam in the sixth with two runners on by recording his sixth and final strikeout.

Offensively, the WooSox entered the night with six home runs in three games at Polar Park, and in the second, Wilson came up with their seventh. After narrowly avoiding a hit-by-pitch from Syracuse starter Jordan Yamamoto, Wilson crushed the next offering over the wall in center to put Worcester up 1-0. That marked the third homer of the season for the left fielder, continuing a pace that would surpass the career-high 18 he hit in 2019.

That long ball was the lone blemish for Yamamoto through four, who struck out seven of the first 12 outs he recorded. But his start was overshadowed by Hart-the 28-year-old threw six innings, the longest outing of the season by a WooSox pitcher.

John Schreiber entered in the seventh in relief of Hart, struck out one and then gave up the first Syracuse hit of the day: a Quinn Brodey solo bomb over the right-center field wall, which tied the game at one. In the eighth, Brandon Workman posted his first scoreless inning in Worcester. Eduard Bazardo-two days removed allowing one baserunner in two innings at Fenway Park-delivered a clean frame in the ninth, aided by a tough running grab deep in center by Jarren Duran with a runner on second. Blair pushed through a tough tenth before the walk-off walk, part of a two RBI night for Wilson in the 2-1 win.

The WooSox continue their inaugural six-game homestand at Polar Park on Saturday against the Syracuse Mets at 6:35 p.m, with television coverage on NESN+ tape delay at 10 p.m. Radio coverage starts live at 6:15 on 98.9 Nash Icon and the WooSox Radio Network. Syracuse's Jerad Eickhoff (1-0, 6.30) goes against Ryan Weber (0-1, 1.42), who has allowed just one earned run over 6.1 innings of work so far this season.

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