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IL Worcester Red Sox

WooSox Open 2023 with 11-2 Win Over Syracuse

March 31, 2023 - International League (IL)
Worcester Red Sox News Release


WORCESTER, M.A. - A trio of home runs powered the Worcester Red Sox (1-0) to an Opening Day victory at Polar Park on Friday afternoon, an 11-2 win over the Syracuse Mets (0-1) in front of 7,941.

Garrett Whitlock got the start for the WooSox in a rehab appearance, striking out six over four innings on 75 pitches (50 strikes). The right-hander reached 94 miles-per-hour on his sinker and mixed in his slider and changeup.

With two on in the fourth, Whitlock capped his day with back-to-back strikeouts, getting Lorenzo Cedrola and Carlos Cortes swinging.

Syracuse's lone run off the Worcester starter came in the third, an RBI double by Francisco Alvarez, MLB Pipeline's number three ranked prospect.

In the bottom of the third, David Hamilton delivered the first two runs of the WooSox' season. With a man on and one out, Hamilton smashed a 391-foot, two-run homer to right to put the home team on top. Hamilton, who led Minor League Baseball in stolen bases last season with 70, also swiped his first Triple-A bag in the first inning.

Back-to-back singles from Jorge Alfaro and Daniel Palka put two on with one out in the fourth, and Niko Goodrum made it a 3-1 game with a single to center. They would add two more in the frame-Palka scored on a pickoff throw that sailed in to right, and Goodrum, who advanced to third on the throw, came in on a wild pitch moments later.

Later in the inning, Greg Allen finished off the four run rally with a 409-foot two-run homer, extending the lead to 6-1. Allen spent last season with the Pittsburgh Pirates, smacking two MLB home runs in 46 games.

In the bottom of the sixth, Daniel Palka obliterated a 3-0 pitch to center for his first organizational home run. Palka hit six of his 26 home runs in 2022 against the WooSox, and his first of 2023 went 415 feet to make it 7-1 against his former team.

On the mound, Jake Faria and Joe Jacques made their Red Sox Triple-A debuts in the fifth and sixth innings, respectively. Both faced situations with two on and two out, and both pitchers got strikeouts to slip out of the jam.

The Mets got one back in the seventh on an RBI groundout from former WooSox Jonathan Arauz against Chase Shugart, but Worcester responded an inning later. Ryan Fitzgerald made it 8-2 on a sac-fly, Allen followed with an RBI double and Jarren Duran capped off the scoring with an RBI groundout.

A.J. Politi, who returned to the Red Sox organization last week from Baltimore's Rule 5 Draft selection, struck out two in a scoreless ninth.

Worcester improves to 3-0 in home openers at Polar Park.

The WooSox continue the three-game opening homestand on Saturday at 4:05 p.m. against the Syracuse Mets. On the mound, Brandon Walter faces Joey Lucchesi. Television coverage on NESN+, while radio coverage is live at 3:45 p.m. on 98.9 Nash Icon and the WooSox Radio Network.

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International League Stories from March 31, 2023


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