Espinal Excellent in Final Start, WooSox Win 2-1 at Lehigh Valley
ALLENTOWN, P.A. — A strong night on the mound and a ninth-inning run pushed the Worcester Red Sox (70-54) to a series-opening win over the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (53-71) on Wednesday night, a 2-1 victory at Coca-Cola Park. WooSox starter Raynel Espinal capped off his best professional season with another
ALLENTOWN, P.A. — A strong night on the mound and a ninth-inning run pushed the Worcester Red Sox (70-54) to a series-opening win over the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (53-71) on Wednesday night, a 2-1 victory at Coca-Cola Park.
WooSox starter Raynel Espinal capped off his best professional season with another quality start, delivering six innings of one-run ball along with four strikeouts. The right-hander closes his season with a 3.44 ERA—a mark that currently stands as fourth-best in Triple-A East—and career bests in strikeouts (115) and innings (115.2). Espinal also made his Major League debut on August 30 with the Boston Red Sox.
His lone mistake of the night came in his final inning, a solo home run from Mickey Moniak to right field. Phillips Valdez and Zack Kelly provided a scoreless bridge to the eighth, keeping the game at a 1-0 deficit for Worcester entering its penultimate offensive inning.
The top of the eighth began with a Jarren Duran walk and a Danny Santana double, part of a 1-4 night for Santana in his first game back off the COVID-19 Injured List. With runners on second and third, Triston Casas came through with a sac-fly to right, scoring Duran to tie the game.
Out of the bullpen, Geoff Hartlieb struck out two in a scoreless bottom of the eighth, bringing a 1-1 game to the ninth.
Ronaldo Hernández and Jonathan Araúz cracked back-to-back singles, and after Tate Matheny pinch-ran for Hernández, a strikeout and a wild pitch, the two runners stood in scoring position. Johan Mieses slowly grounded a 2-2 pitch to third, allowing Matheny just enough time to dart home ahead of the throw to put the WooSox up 2-1.
RUN TATE
— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) September 30, 2021
2-1 WooSox in the ninth pic.twitter.com/RhQDKgWtLC
In the bottom of the ninth, Lehigh Valley loaded the bases with one out against Stephen Gonsalves, but the left-hander got a strikeout and a groundout to seal a 4-2 start to the Triple-A Final Stretch for Worcester. Gonsalves got the save, the first of his professional career in his 142nd Minor League game.
The WooSox continue the final series of the 2021 season on Thursday against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Radio coverage starts live at 6:45 p.m. on 98.9 Nash Icon and the WooSox Radio Network. On the mound, Worcester’s Kutter Crawford (3-4, 5.04) faces Jack Perkins (0-2, 4.50).