Wong Homers Again, WooSox Fall 6-5 in Series Finale

Enmanuel Valdez Drives Home Nine in Five Games Versus SWB

By Cooper Boardman

August 14, 2022

MOOSIC, P.A. — A late Worcester Red Sox (56-55) comeback fell short on Sunday afternoon against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (58-52), a 6-5 loss in the series finale at PNC Field. SWB plated five runs against WooSox starter Victor Santos, all in the first four innings of the ballgame. In the

MOOSIC, P.A. — A late Worcester Red Sox (56-55) comeback fell short on Sunday afternoon against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (58-52), a 6-5 loss in the series finale at PNC Field.

SWB plated five runs against WooSox starter Victor Santos, all in the first four innings of the ballgame. In the first, Oswaldo Cabrera tripled home a pair of runs, then scored on a Ben Rortvedt RBI groundout. Santos allowed a pair of solo shots over the next two innings, a Blake Perkins homer to center and a Cabrera long ball to right.

But Worcester's offense fought back, starting with a third-inning two-run single from Enmanuel Valdez. The 23-year-old, acquired in the Christian Vazquez trade with Houston, has nine RBI over his last three games.

Since joining Worcester, Valdez is 11-for-37 (.297) with four homers and 13 RBI over 10 games.

The RailRiders added another run in the fifth, this time off reliever James Norwood—after another Cabrera triple, Rob Brantly singled him home to make it 6-2 SWB.

In the seventh, Connor Wong homered for the second straight game, a two-run blast to left-center to cut the deficit to two. Wong, playing in his first game since July 29, delivered homers in back-to-back games for the second time this season (June 4-5 vs. Syracuse).

Connor Wong brings us back in it 😤 pic.twitter.com/12pMOJkWuy
— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) August 14, 2022

Ronaldo Hernandez led off the eighth with a double, and after a flyout, Pedro Castellanos ripped a double of his own to left, plating Hernandez.

After scoreless innings out of the bullpen from Chase Shugart and Frank German, the WooSox trailed 6-5 entering the top of the ninth. RailRiders closer Greg Weissert tossed a 1-2-3, sealing a series loss for the road team.

With the loss, Worcester drops its first six-game series since June 4-10, also against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

The WooSox are off Monday and begin a six-game series on Tuesday at 6:45 p.m. at Polar Park against the Rochester Red Wings, affiliate of the Washington Nationals. On the mound, Brian Keller (3-3, 3.15) faces Joan Adon (0-1, 7.20). Radio coverage is live at 6:25 p.m. on 100.1 FM The Pike, 98.9 Nash Icon and the WooSox Radio Network.