Early Offense Not Enough in 8-7 Loss to Toledo

TOLEDO, OH — Despite scoring seven runs over the first three innings, the Worcester Red Sox (10-15) fell to the Toledo Mud Hens (16-10) on Saturday at Fifth Third Field by an 8-7 final.

The WooSox offense got going early. After a lead-off single from Chase Meidroth and an infield single from Vaughn Grissom, Nathan Hickey lined a two-run double into the right-center field gap to give the WooSox a 2-0 lead in the first inning.

Akil Baddoo homered on the second pitch of the bottom of the first to put Toledo on the board.

Worcester scored four runs in the top of the second. With the bases loaded and two away, Hickey belted a bases-clearing triple off the right-field wall to give Worcester a 6-1 advantage.

The five runs drive in by Hickey matched a career high, which he has now done four times.

Toledo tacked on another in the second. After leading off the frame with a double, Bligh Madris stole third base, and an errant throw allowed him to score.

In the top of the third, a Mark Kolozsvary ground out brought in another run, giving Worcester a 7-2 lead.

That score held until the bottom of the fifth, when a Keston Hiura sacrifice fly drove in Baddoo to cut the Toledo deficit to four.

The Mud Hens tallied another run in the seventh. With two outs and Jace Jung at second base, Hiura doubled him in to make it a two-run game.

Then, in the bottom of the eighth, the Toledo offense erupted for four runs off the Worcester bullpen to cap off the comeback, which was punctuated by a two-run, go-ahead double from Jung.

It was a bullpen game for Worcester, as Chase Shugart tossed three innings in a spot start. Brendan Cellucci made his Triple-A debut. The left-hander tossed three relief innings, allowing one earned run on two hits.

Sal Romano, who signed a minor-league deal with the Red Sox yesterday, made his organizational debut in the seventh. The right-hander allowed one run in an inning of work.

The WooSox and Mud Hens wrap up their six-game series tomorrow at 2:05 p.m. Right-hander Justin Hagenman is the scheduled starter for Worcester. Radio coverage begins at 1:45 p.m. on 98.9 Nash Icon and the rest of the WooSox Radio Network.