Fitzgerald’s Seventh Homer Not Enough for Worcester in 6-2 Loss

TOLEDO, OH — Ryan Fitzgerald’s team-leading seventh home run of the season wasn’t enough to match a pair of first-inning blasts from the Toledo Mud Hens, who earned a 6-2 win over the Worcester Red Sox on Friday night.

Fitzgerald’s home run, a towering shot over the fence in right-center, would be Worcester’s only run production of the ballgame. Zack Short and Josh Lester hit first-inning homers to put the Mud Hens in front, 3-0, and Toledo never trailed.

Worcester threatened in the late innings, but left the bases loaded in the seventh and eighth against Toledo’s bullpen. The WooSox were held to six hits, including a Rob Refsnyder single in front of Fitzgerald’s homer in the second inning.

The WooSox bullpen kept it close, with Eduard Bazardo, Tyler Danish, Taylor Cole, and Michael Feliz combining to throw 3.2 scoreless innings of relief.

The WooSox continue the series – now tied 2-2 -- in Toledo on Saturday at 5:05 p.m. Darwinzon Hernandez is scheduled to make his seventh start of the season for Worcester, while Nivaldo Rodriguez will pitch for the Mud Hens.

Following the road trip, the WooSox return home to Polar Park for a 12-game homestand, featuring a six-game series against the Rochester Red Wings from May 10-15 and a six-game series against the Scranton Wilkes-Barre Rail Riders from May 17-22. Tickets are available at WooSox.com.