Late WooSox Rally Falls Short in 4-3 Loss
TOLEDO, OH – Eddy Alvarez blasted his third home run, and Karson Simas continued his impressive first week in Triple-A, but the Worcester Red Sox (10-14) took a 4-3 loss to the Toledo Mud Hens (15-10) on Friday night at Fifth Third Field. Trailing 4-2 entering the ninth, the WooSox
TOLEDO, OH – Eddy Alvarez blasted his third home run, and Karson Simas continued his impressive first week in Triple-A, but the Worcester Red Sox (10-14) took a 4-3 loss to the Toledo Mud Hens (15-10) on Friday night at Fifth Third Field.
Trailing 4-2 entering the ninth, the WooSox rallied to put the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position, starting with a one-out single from Karson Simas. The 22-year-old was called straight up from High-A Greenville on Wednesday, and is now 4-for-7 with a walk in eight Triple-A plate appearances.
Simas eventually moved to third on back-to-back walks from Bryce Tassin (S, 2), and scored Worcester’s third run on an RBI groundout from Nathan Hickey before Tassin induced a game-ending groundout.
The WooSox had an early 1-0 lead on a run-scoring grounder from Tyler McDonough in the second inning, but were quickly playing catch up after Toledo’s Andy Ibanez and Justyn-Henry Malloy both hit RBI doubles in the third.
Andrew Navigato made it 3-1 with an RBI groundout in the fourth, but Eddy Alvarez cut into the deficit with a solo shot in the sixth off Mason Englert (H, 3). His third home run of the season was an impressive opposite field blast; he took a 93 mile-per-hour fastball 395 feet to the left of the batter’s eye to draw Worcester within a run.
Toledo’s Ryan Vilade delivered Toledo’s third and final RBI double in the eighth inning, which proved to be the game-winning run.
Jason Alexander (L, 1-2) got the start for Worcester, and struck out five of the first nine batters he faced using a devastating changeup, but allowed three runs on six hits with two walks and six strikeouts in four innings. Lucas Luetge (LIT-key) held Toledo scoreless over two strong innings of relief.
Toledo starter Bryan Sammons (W, 3-1) scattered two hits over five innings, and held Worcester to one run to earn the win.
The series continues with a 5:05 p.m. first pitch on Saturday in Toledo. Pregame coverage is scheduled to begin at 4:45 p.m. on the 98.9 NASH Icon WooSox Radio Network. After Sunday’s series finale, the WooSox will return home for a six-game homestand against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs as the calendar turns to May.