IL Worcester Red Sox

Wong's Walkoff Double Gives WooSox Fourth Straight Win

Published on May 31, 2022 under International League (IL)
Worcester Red Sox News Release


WORCESTER, M.A. - A tenth inning walk-off double from Connor Wong gave the Worcester Red Sox (24-25) an extra-innings victory over the Syracuse Mets (15-32) on Tuesday night, a 9-8 win to open the series at Polar Park.

The WooSox came to the plate in the bottom of the tenth inning with Yolmer Sanchez as the automatic runner on second. Syracuse intentionally walked Jarren Duran, putting runners on first and second for Connor Wong. The catcher worked a 3-2 count, then ripped a game-winning double down the line, scoring Sanchez to give Worcester its fourth straight win.

Early on, all of Syracuse's runs were charged to WooSox starter Kutter Crawford. Nick Dini looped an RBI single to left in the second and Khalil Lee crushed a two-run homer in the third for the first two runs. In the fourth, Crawford gave up an RBI single to Daniel Johnson, and after his departure, two more runs were charged to his ledger after a Jake Mangum RBI single and a Mark Vientos run-scoring walk.

Ronaldo Hernandez continued his strong stretch with a second-inning sac-fly, and in the third, Ryan Fitzgerald and Christin Stewart drove home runs on singles. Hernandez finishes the month of May with nine RBIs, all of which have come since May 21.

Down 5-3 entering the bottom of the fifth inning, Ryan Fitzgerald led off the frame for the WooSox with a walk. After a lineout, Christin Stewart came to the plate-he worked a 3-2 count, then smashed a ball over the Worcester Wall in right. The 403-foot, 108 mile-per-hour blast tied the game at five and gave the 28-year-old his eighth home run of the season.

An inning later, Jonathan Arauz walked, Yolmer Sanchez singled and a wild pitch moved them both in to scoring position. That brought Jarren Duran to the plate, who delivered an RBI single to the right side to put Worcester on top for the second time in the game. Connor Wong made it 7-5 with a single up the middle, and one batter later, Ryan Fitzgerald capped off the three-run frame with a sac-fly. Duran's headfirst dive to the plate just beat the throw from center, and following the play, Syracuse and former PawSox manager Kevin Boles was ejected arguing the safe call.

Syracuse answered back in the top of the eighth with a game-tying rally. With WooSox reliever Zack Kelly on the mound, a Jeter Downs throwing error allowed two runs to score. Daniel Palka followed with a game-tying RBI single to make it 8-8. Through seven-and-a-half innings, the game featured a combined 16 runs and 25 hits.

Kaleb Ort got a key strikeout in the top of the tenth, stranding the go-ahead run on third, before Wong delivered the game-winning swing.

The WooSox continue the home series Wednesday at 12:15 p.m. against the Syracuse Mets, affiliate of the New York Mets. On the mound, Thomas Pannone (3-2, 4.84) faces Thomas Szapucki (0-3, 2.86). Radio coverage is live at 11:55 a.m. on 100.1 FM The Pike, 98.9 Nash Icon and the WooSox Radio Network, while television coverage is on NESN.

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International League Stories from May 31, 2022


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