WooSox Lose Late Lead, Drop Finale in Syracuse 8-6

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IL Worcester Red Sox

WooSox Lose Late Lead, Drop Finale in Syracuse 8-6

July 3, 2024 - International League (IL)
Worcester Red Sox News Release


WORCESTER, MA -- Despite Eddy Alvarez's five hits and Jason Alexander's solid start, the Worcester Red Sox (5-3)/(40-43) dropped the finale at NBT Bank Stadium to the Syracuse Mets (5-4)/(51-32) by a final score of 8-6 on Wednesday night. The teams will travel to Worcester to continue their six-game home and home series on Independence Day.

Coming off a month where he held opponents to a .145 batting average and allowed just three earned runs in 20.1 innings, Jason Alexander made his first July start on Wednesday. In the first inning, the right-hander matched his earned run total from a month ago.

With two outs, former WooSox Pablo Reyes drilled a three-run home run to left, giving the Mets an early 3-0 lead. Reyes, who began the year in Boston but was traded to the Mets in late May, has hit 283/.353/.478 with 21 runs scored since joining Syracuse.

Over the next two innings, Worcester chipped away at their early deficit. Chase Meidroth drove in the first run of the game for the WooSox in the second inning with a bases loaded walk while Niko Kavadas' RBI single brought them within a run in the third.

After scoreless fourth innings for both teams, the WooSox tied it up in the fifth--thanks to a pair of three-hit games. With two outs, Eddy Alvarez collected his 14th double of the year which set up Niko Kavadas' third hit and second RBI single of the night. By the end of the fifth inning, Worcester and Syracuse had themselves a brand new ballgame.

In the sixth inning, Mark Contreras led off for the WooSox and quickly found himself down in the count 0-2 after Mets reliever Max Kranick started him off with two breaking balls. The third pitch of the at-bat was a fastball--and Contreras didn't miss it. The WooSox outfielder blasted it over the wall in left-center for his fifth home run of the year to give Worcester a 4-3 lead.

After allowing the three-run homer in the first inning, Alexander settled down for the remainder of his start. The 31-year-old finished with a line of 5 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, keeping the Mets off the board in his final four innings. Sal Romano was first out of the 'pen in relief of Alexander and tossed a scoreless sixth, holding the WooSox one-run lead.

Already with three hits, Alvarez led off the seventh with his 10th long ball of the year, giving him his first four-hit game since April 19, 2023 when he was a member of the Nashville Sounds. Tyler Heineman followed with a solo home run of his own--a towering shot down the right field line to give Worcester a three-run cushion.

In the bottom half of the inning, Reyes burned Worcester once again, grounding an RBI single to right to cut the WooSox lead to two. Following Reyes' hit, Cam Booser entered the game for Romano, but surrendered four consecutive hits, turning the game on its head. Syracuse struck for five runs in the inning--all with two outs--to recapture the lead, 8-6.

Down to their last three outs, Alvarez led off the ninth with his fifth hit, earning him his second career five-hit game and the second for a WooSox player this season--with Meidroth notching five hits on June 30. Prior to Meidroth's five-hit effort on Sunday, the last WooSox player to accomplish the feat was Jarren Duran on May 22, 2021 against Buffalo.

Though the WooSox put a couple men on base in the final frame, Mets reliever Wilken Ramos kept them from scoring, securing the victory for the Syracuse, 8-6. Josh Walker (W, 2-2) earned the win while Romano (L, 0-2) picked up the loss.

The WooSox and Mets will continue their six-game home and home series at 6:45 p.m. on Thursday at Polar Park. Richard Fitts (5-2, 4.11) is scheduled to start on Independence Day for Worcester and will face Joey Lucchesi (4-4, 4.46) for Syracuse. The game will be broadcasted live on NESN and radio coverage begins at 6:25 p.m. on 98.9 Nash Icon and the WooSox Radio Network.

BOX SCORE - WOR 6, SYR 8

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