IL Worcester Red Sox

WooSox Win 11-5 on Sunday to Clinch Series in Norfolk

Published on June 18, 2023 under International League (IL)
Worcester Red Sox News Release


NORFOLK, VA - The Worcester Red Sox (35-34) handed the first-place Norfolk Tides (45-23) their first series loss of the season with an 11-5 win on Sunday afternoon at Harbor Park.

The Orioles Triple-A affiliate had won nine of their first 11 series, and tied the other two. After a six-homer day led to a 13-5 WooSox win on Wednesday, Worcester swept a Saturday doubleheader and pulled away late on Sunday to clinch a 4-2 series victory.

Christian Koss and Niko Goodrum each went 3-for-4 with a triple to pace the WooSox offense in the Sunday matinee, and Koss started the scoring with an RBI single in the top of the second inning.

Norfolk tied the game with a Robbie Glendinning run-scoring hit in the home half, but Worcester retook a 3-1 lead with RBI base knocks from Nick Sogard in the third and Stephen Scott in the fourth.

Jake Faria held that lead through his first five innings, despite allowing a solo homer to Daz Cameron that cut the advantage to 3-2 in the fourth. Norfolk jumped in front 4-3 with two unearned runs in the sixth, aided by two hit batters, a fielding error at third base, and a sacrifice fly from Colton Cowser. Faria finished after 5.1 innings, surrendering four runs (two earned) on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts.

The WooSox grabbed the lead back for good with a six-run rally in the seventh inning. Orioles rehabber Dillon Tate faced four batters and walked all of them, forcing in the tying run with ball four to Niko Goodrum. Eduard Bazardo replaced Tate, and allowed a line drive RBI single off the bat of Bobby Dalbec to put Worcester in front 5-4. Ronaldo Hernandez cracked the next pitch into left field for a two-run single, and Dalbec came in for a third run as Heston Kjerstad's throw bounced away from third base. Scott put a bow on the inning with a sacrifice fly to center, and the WooSox were up 9-4 at the stretch.

Goodrum extended the advantage to 11-4 in the eighth with an RBI triple and a run-scoring wild pitch, while Cam Booser (W, 2-1) held Norfolk's top-ranked offense hitless with three strikeouts in 1.2 relief innings.

Connor Norby bounced into an RBI fielder's choice for Norfolk in the eighth inning to cap the scoring at 11-5.

Ryan Fernandez made his Triple-A debut for Worcester, and hit 98 miles-per-hour on the radar gun as part of a perfect ninth inning that featured his first WooSox strikeout.

The win moved Worcester above .500 (35-34) for the first time since May 24 (24-23). Norfolk's magic number to clinch the first half championship remains at two. The WooSox return to Polar Park on Tuesday for the final six-game series of the first half, welcoming in the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Philadelphia Phillies).

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International League Stories from June 18, 2023


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