Casas, Cordero Go Deep to Open Final Stretch With WooSox Victory

WORCESTER M.A. — A pair of home runs, including the first in Triple-A from Red Sox number one prospect Triston Casas, led the Worcester Red Sox (67-52) to a 4-3 victory over the Rochester Red Wings (47-70-1) on Wednesday night. The win gives the WooSox a 1-0 start to the Final Stretch at Polar Park.

Casas stepped to the plate in the bottom of the third, the second at-bat of his Triple-A career. Casas had struck out on three pitches in the first inning and got down 0-2 in the third—the 21-year-old worked the count to 3-2, then lined the sixth pitch he saw over the left field wall for a game-tying, two-run home run, his first Worcester long ball.

“I got down 0-2 pretty quick in the second one, and I was like ‘I'm one take away from getting back,’” Casas said. “It's been a day of jitters. Obviously, I want to try to contribute my first day out. I had a bunch of good takes, he ended up making a mistake and I took advantage of it.”

The first Triple-A home run for Triston Casas. pic.twitter.com/rsaVPL70Nj

— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) September 23, 2021

One pitch after Casas’ homer, Franchy Cordero blasted a solo shot to right-center, a 434-foot bomb to put the WooSox on top 3-2. The home run marks Cordero’s fifth since the start of September and his ninth extra-base hit in that span for Worcester.

In the fourth inning, Jarren Duran laced a two-out RBI single up the middle with runners on first and second, scoring Taylor Motter to extend the WooSox lead to 4-2. Duran’s swing gave him his third hit and first RBI in his Major League rehab assignment off the COVID-19 Injured List.

Rochester, who had scored two in the second inning on an RBI groundout by Adrián Sanchez and a sac-fly from Tres Barrera, got one back in the top of the sixth inning. Brad Peacock, making his second appearance with Worcester, loaded the bases with one out before Jeckkson Flores delivered a sac-fly. But Peacock bared down, getting a groundout to end the inning and preserve the home team’s lead.

Peacock followed WooSox starter Raynel Espinal, who allowed only the two second-inning runs over five innings, striking out five with one walk in his league-leading 11th win of the season. Espinal had to wait out a 1:45-minute rain delay prior to first pitch, which came at 8:20 p.m.

Offensively, Ronaldo Hernández also made his Worcester debut and went 2-3 with a hit-by-pitch out of the designated hitter spot. The 23-year-old catcher drove in 53 runs with AA-Portland this season.

Stephen Gonsalves, Austin Brice and Kaleb Ort combined to hold the Red Wings scoreless over the final three innings, allowing three total baserunners and striking out seven. Ort notched his Triple-A East-leading 19th save, seven more than the next-closest pitcher.

The WooSox continue the final series at Polar Park this season against the Rochester Red Wings on Thursday at 6:35 p.m., part of the Triple-A Final Stretch. Television coverage is live on NESN, while radio coverage starts live at 6:15 p.m. on 98.9 Nash Icon and the WooSox Radio Network. On the mound, Worcester’s Kutter Crawford (2-4, 4.99) is set to face Ben Braymer (7-8, 5.81).