WooSox Get Past Columbus, 8-5 to Win Wednesday Matinee at Polar Park

Worcester, MA – The Worcester Red Sox (7-3) overcame a 3-0, 1^st-inning deficit and snapped a 5-5 tie with 3 runs in the 8^th inning to overtake the Columbus Clippers, 8-5 on Wednesday afternoon at Polar Park. The WooSox have won 6 of their last 7 games and at 7-3 after their first ten games have their second-best start to a season ever behind only the 2022 WooSox who were 8-2 after their first ten games.

The winning rally came in the bottom of the 8^th-inning after Columbus had scored twice in the top half of the inning to tie things at 5-5. Vinny Capra led the Sox 8^th with a walk, and after a strikeout, Nathan Hickey also walked. Lead-off speedster Braiden Ward was next and while he beat out an infield single, the subsequent throwing error allowed Capra to score with the go-ahead run. Mickey Gasper walked to load the bases for Kristian Campbell who was hit by a pitch forcing in an insurance run. Mikey Romero added an RBI sac fly to cap the 3-run uprising and make it 8-5 WooSox.

Columbus (7-4) scored 4 runs in the top of the 1^st inning in their 14-10 victory in the series-opener on Tuesday night, and on Wednesday afternoon they pushed across 3 unearned runs off WooSox rehabbing starter Patrick Sandoval in the 1^st inning for a quick 3-0 lead.

Sandoval, 29, made his Red Sox organizational debut and his first official appearance in 22 months since undergoing Tommy John surgery on June 26, 2024. He missed all of last season after signing a 2-year contract with the Red Sox on December 23, 2024. The southpaw has appeared in 107 career Major League games (100 starts) all with the Los Angeles Angels from 2020-2024.

After retiring the lead-off batter to start the game, Sandoval fielded a slow roller off the mound from the next batter but threw wild of 1^st base for an error. With two outs, Columbus RF Nolan Jones singled to left to score the game’s first run. 1B Kody Huff was next and he blooped a 2-run single into short right field that fell between three WooSox fielders to make it 3-0 Clippers.

Worcester answered with a run in the bottom of the 1^st as lead-off batter CF Ward and catcher Gasper began the frame with sharp singles and Ward scored on an RBI groundout by 3B Romero. Romero would later single in the 7^th inning to extend his hitting streak to all 10 WooSox games played thus far.

Sandoval settled down nicely and worked around walks in the 2^nd and 3^rd innings to keep the Clippers off the board. He struck out Huff and Dom Nunez to end the 3^rd and came back out to retire one batter on a pop-out to begin the 4^th inning. His final line – 3.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO – with a no-decision on 63 pitches (35 for strikes).

Seth Martinez was sharp in relief of Sandoval working 2.2 perfect innings with nothing across on 27 pitches (16 for strikes). During his outing, the WooSox took the lead in unorthodox fashion scoring 4 runs without a hit in the 4^th inning. The Sox used 5 walks, 2 wild pitches, and 1 error along with an RBI SF by Campbell to grab a 5-3 advantage after 4 innings.

Columbus used three walks and a 2-run single by Dayan Frias to tie matters in the 8^th, setting the stage for the WooSox to answer with their decisive 3-run bottom of the 8^th.

Ward was the only WooSox player with a multi-hit game going 2-for-5 with 2 runs scored. Gasper had a hit and 3 walks and has now hit in all 8 of his games played. Campbell extended his hitting streak to 8 straight with a single, a HBP, and SF good for 2 RBI. Romero had 2 more RBI to tie Gasper for the team lead with 11 RBI on the season. And Capra had a single, walk, HBP, 2 stolen bases, 1 RBI, and 1 run scored.

The win went to the final WooSox reliever, Devin Sweet (1-0) who worked the last 1.1 innings while the loss went to Steven Perez (0-1) who allowed 3 runs on 3 walks and 1 hit in the 8^th inning.

RHP Tyler Uberstine (0-0, 2.25), just back from making his Major League debut with the Red Sox at Fenway Park on Sunday, is the probable WooSox starter on Thursday night at 6:05 pm at Polar Park. Logan Allen (1-0, 1.80), who has bounced between Columbus and Cleveland several times, will get the nod for the Clippers. The game will be live on NESN and can be heard on NASH 98.9 FM and the rest of the WooSox Radio Network.