RailRiders Sneak by WooSox 5-2 Behind Late Comeback

Ockimey Puts Up Two Hits, Two RBI in Defeat

By Cooper Boardman

July 13, 2021

WORCESTER, M.A. — A seventh inning rally pushed the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (38-20) past the Worcester Red Sox (34-25), a 5-2 final on Tuesday night at Polar Park. The WooSox and RailRiders were tied at two entering the top of the seventh. Working against Worcester reliever Matt Hall, SWB loaded the

WORCESTER, M.A. — A seventh inning rally pushed the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (38-20) past the Worcester Red Sox (34-25), a 5-2 final on Tuesday night at Polar Park.

The WooSox and RailRiders were tied at two entering the top of the seventh. Working against Worcester reliever Matt Hall, SWB loaded the bases with two outs on three walks. That brought Rob Brantly to the plate, who worked a 3-2 count with two outs—he lined the next pitch up the middle, a two-run single to give Scranton/Wilkes-Barre the lead for good in the series opener.

Worcester got the game’s scoring started in the second, putting two on behind a Connor Wong double and Jonathan Arauz walk. Josh Ockimey stepped up with one out and drove the first pitch deep to left—the ball bounced off Greg Allen’s glove, and by the time it was retrieved, Wong and Arauz had scored. Ockimey ended up with a two RBI double, part of a two-hit night for the designated hitter.

That 2-0 lead held for the first five innings thanks to another strong outing from WooSox starter Raynel Espinal. The right-hander delivered five scoreless innings, striking out six and allowing just two hits.

First Base Franchy! 👀 pic.twitter.com/F171y1IYUS
— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) July 13, 2021

Espinal was in line for the win until the sixth, when the RailRiders came through with two runs against relief pitcher Brandon Brennan.

Brennan got a quick two outs, then hit a man and walked another. Armando Alvarez was up next, and he singled home one on a ball that caromed off the pitcher. Brandon Wagner followed with an RBI single of his own to the left side, tying the game on SWB's fourth hit of the night.

The RailRiders’ second straight two-run frame put the road team up 4-2, and they tacked on one more in the top of the ninth on an Allen RBI single.

The WooSox continue the series at Polar Park versus the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders with a doubleheader on Wednesday beginning at 4:35 p.m. Television coverage for both games is on NESN, while radio coverage starts live at 4:05 p.m. on 98.9 Nash Icon and the WooSox Radio Network. Kyle Hart (4-4, 4.58) and Daniel Gossett (6-3, 4.72) are set to start for Worcester, while Deivi Garcia (1-3, 7.45) takes the ball in game one for SWB.