Whitlock Strong in Rehab Start as Worcester Splits Doubleheader

WORCESTER, M.A. — The Worcester Red Sox (23-22) split a Sunday doubleheader with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (21-23), a 5-4 extra-inning walkoff win in game one and a 12-6 loss in game two in front of 7,422 at Polar Park.

Garrett Whitlock got the start in game one and dominated, as he worked in to the fifth inning: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K on 79 pitches (48 strikes). The right-hander allowed a walk and single to begin his outing, then proceeded to retire nine straight Lehigh Valley batters.

He reached 95.8 miles-per-hour with his sinker, and recorded eight swing-and-misses, six of which came on his changeup. The changeup averaged 82.1 miles-per-hour in the outing.

In the third, Jorge Alfaro came up with two on and cracked an RBI double to put the WooSox on the board. Bobby Dalbec was next, and he delivered the first of two RBI in game one with a groundout to make it 2-0. Niko Goodrum added to Worcester’s advantage in the fifth, annihilating a solo home run over the Worcester Wall in right, his second long ball of the week.

Trailing 3-0 entering the top of the seventh of a seven-inning game, the IronPigs came up with an improbable rally. Working against WooSox closer Chase Shugart, Jhailyn Ortiz cracked a solo shot. After a single and walk, Drew Ellis was down to his final strike, but smacked a go-ahead three-run homer to right.

In the bottom of the seventh, Worcester needed a run and got it—Bradley Zimmer led off with his first Red Sox organizational hit, a single, then stole second before scoring on a Goodrum game-tying knock.

It was a 4-4 game in the bottom of the eighth when Bobby Dalbec came up with an automatic runner on second. He grounded a single up the middle, plating pinch-runner Narciso Crook for the game-winning run. Dalbec notched his second walkoff of the weekend, this one giving the WooSox a 5-4 victory and their fifth walkoff of the season.

BOB WALKS IT OFF.....AGAIN!!!! pic.twitter.com/2POOTfmf5J

— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) May 21, 2023

In game two, Worcester tied a season-high with four home runs: Dalbec in the fourth, Wilyer Abreu and Jorge Alfaro back-to-back in the sixth and Caleb Hamilton in the seventh.

Despite the big swings, an eight-run fourth by Lehigh Valley was the difference in the 12-6 defeat. The IronPigs got homers from Jake Cave and Drew Ellis in their victory, while Bailey Falter (0-1) earned the win for the road team.

The WooSox are off Monday and begin a two-week road trip on Tuesday night with a six-game series against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, affiliate of the New York Yankees. Radio coverage is live at 5:45 p.m. on 100.1 FM The Pike, 98.9 Nash Icon and the WooSox Radio Network.