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IL Worcester Red Sox

WooSox Bullpen Hit Hard, Lose 19-3 to Syracuse

September 14, 2024 - International League (IL)
Worcester Red Sox News Release


WORCESTER, MA - For the second night in a row, the bullpen was hit hard as the Worcester Red Sox (40-28)/(75-68) fell 19-3 to the Syracuse Mets (28-40)/(74-68) on Saturday afternoon in their penultimate game at Polar Park in the 2024 season.

In the bottom of the first, the WooSox loaded the bases with one out but failed to score after Vaughn Grissom was picked off at first and Jamie Westbrook went down swinging to end the frame. In the second, Worcester had another opportunity to score with two aboard and one out, but the inning would end without a run scoring.

Yolmer Sanchez led off the third for the Mets with a double and advanced to third on a groundout. With the go-ahead run 90 feet away, WooSox starter Justin Hagenman picked up a big strikeout of Luke Ritter, but Carlos Cortes delivered an RBI single to put Syracuse ahead. The Mets added another run in the fourth on Wyatt Young's sacrifice fly to make it a two-run lead.

Trailing 2-0 entering the fifth inning, the WooSox were looking for some offense. Mickey Gasper started the frame with a base hit, then Kyle Teel and Grissom drew back-to-back walks to load the bases with nobody out and Westbrook stepping up to bat. Looking to put the WooSox on the board, the 29-year-old smoked a first pitch cutter into left for a two-run single to tie up the game at two. With men on the corners and one out, Bobby Dalbec gave Worcester the lead with a sacrifice fly to center. At the end of five, the WooSox were on top, 3-2.

After the WooSox' three-run inning, Hagenman fired a one-two-three sixth for his final inning of the day. Hagenman finished with a line of 6 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K and left his final Polar Park start of 2024 in line for the win.

Wyatt Olds took over for Hagenman to begin the seventh and, after allowing two one-out baserunners, struck Luke Ritter out looking for the second out of the inning. An out away from maintaining the WooSox' narrow one-run lead, Olds could not escape the inning.

In order, the next five Mets hitters went single, walk, single, ground-rule double, walk to take a 6-3 lead and chase Olds from the game. Chase Shugart was next out of the 'pen for Worcester and allowed a first-pitch two-run single to Young before Sanchez grounded out to second for the final out of the inning. Entering the bottom of the seventh, the WooSox trailed 8-3.

Syracuse added two more runs in the eighth on back-to-back RBI singles from Allen and José Azocar, giving them a seven-run advantage. In the ninth, the Mets scored nine more runs against Alex Speas and position player Tyler Miller, who replaced Speas after he walked the first five batters of the inning.

Over the past two nights, the WooSox bullpen has surrendered 26 earned runs in just six innings of work--deviating from a dominant stretch of games where they pitched to a 3.02 ERA with 10.78 K/9 dating back to August 7. Friday and Saturday represented the first time since April 6-7 this season where Worcester has allowed 10 runs or more in consecutive games. The 19 runs on Saturday tied the most the WooSox have ever given up in a single game, with the last occurring on April 17, 2022, in a 19-11 loss to Lehigh Valley.

The WooSox went down quietly in the ninth and lost by a final score of 19-3 in their penultimate game at Polar Park in the 2024 season. Olds (L, 3-2) was handed the loss while Eric Orze (W, 5-1) picked up the win for Syracuse.

The WooSox will wrap-up their 2024 home schedule at Polar Park on Sunday in their series finale with the Syracuse Mets beginning at 1:05 p.m. Quinn Priester (1-1, 5.70) will get the start for Worcester and is scheduled to face Blade Tidwell (0-9, 6.57) for Syracuse. The game will be broadcasted live on NESN+ and radio coverage begins at 12:45 p.m. on 98.9 Nash Icon and the WooSox Radio Network.

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