WooSox Throw One-Hitter in 9-0 Rout of Syracuse
SYRACUSE, NY – The Worcester Red Sox (4-5) were five outs away from throwing a no-hitter on Monday night at NBT Bank Stadium, but settled for their most resounding win of the young season, a 9-0 one-hit masterpiece against the Syracuse Mets (4-5). Jason Alexander (W, 1-0) led the way,
SYRACUSE, NY – The Worcester Red Sox (4-5) were five outs away from throwing a no-hitter on Monday night at NBT Bank Stadium, but settled for their most resounding win of the young season, a 9-0 one-hit masterpiece against the Syracuse Mets (4-5).
Jason Alexander (W, 1-0) led the way, retiring all but two of the 19 batters he faced in six hitless innings. He walked Mark Vientos twice, but otherwise struck out seven batters and allowed just one ball to be hit out of the infield (a fourth-inning flyout by Ben Gamel).
Jorge Benitez continued his brilliant start to the season, tossing two scoreless innings with a walk and two strikeouts, but a well-placed grounder from Luke Ritter snuck its way into center and broke up the no-hit bid with one out in the eighth.
Luis Guerrero hit 99 miles-per-hour twice on the radar gun in a perfect ninth inning to seal the win.
Worcester’s first hit of the day turned out to be the game-winning swing, as Nathan Hickey launched a first-pitch Mike Vasil (L, 0-2) fastball well beyond the right-field wall in the opening inning.
Aided by 10 walks from Syracuse pitching and two errors from the Mets defense, the WooSox pulled away with three-run rallies in both the fourth and seventh innings. Corey Rosier delivered an RBI single and a sac fly, while Tyler Heineman scored a game-high three runs after reaching with two walks and a hit-by-pitch.
The afternoon got off to a heartening start for the Mets, as thousands of fans turned out for a rare Monday game highlighted by a total solar eclipse. But in the end, the sea of orange and blue was angry that day, as Alexander logged the second-longest scoreless start in Triple-A this season (Bryce Elder spun 6.1 innings for Gwinnet without allowing a run on March 31).
After Tuesday’s off day, the series continues in Syracuse Wednesday - Sunday at NBT Bank Stadium. Wednesday’s first pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m., with pregame covered scheduled for 6:15 p.m. on the 98.9 NASH Icon WooSox Radio Network.