Worcester Red Sox 10, Syracuse Mets 1 (BOX)
The Woo Sox jumped ahead early and didn’t look back Thursday night, thanks to monster games from third baseman Abraham Toro and second baseman Mikey Romero. Both players smacked two home runs, with Toro (6,7) hitting his in the first and eighth innings, and Romero (8, 9) in the second and eighth innings. Romero, who also had homered on Wednesday night, is on a tear and knocked in five runs on the day. His three-run homer in the second inning was a left-on-left missile to center field.
Romero, a first-round pick in 2022, is still just 21 years old and ranks tenth at Sox Prospects. He’s hitting .221 in 35 games since his Triple-A promotion, and with a 30.6 K%, he will have to cut that down next year to get to The Show.
Kristian Campbell and Tyler McDonough also had strong performances at the plate, with McDonough reaching base in all four plate appearances (3-for-3) and Campbell going 3-for-5 with two runs scored and a stolen base, getting the start at first base.
Tyler Uberstine pitched great for the second straight outing, allowing just two hits in five innings, and striking out six for his fifth win of the year at Worcester. Luis Guerrero threw a shutout inning for the Woo Sox for the second consecutive day, after struggling in his rehab while at Portland. David Sandlin allowed one run in two innings and struck out two.
Jack Anderson (0-1, 43.20) will get the ball on Friday night at 6:35 against Syracuse (NYM).
Portland Sea Dogs 8, Binghamton Rumble Ponies 7 (BOX)
A back-and-forth affair with numerous lead changes went Portland’s way in the final inning, in an 8-7 victory at Binghamton (NYM).
Blake Wehunt got the start, and his struggles continued at Portland, throwing 40 pitches in the opening inning, allowing five baserunners and three runs before getting pulled. Portland responded immediately in the top of the second, getting five runs of their own, capped by a two-run single from Ahbram Liendo.
Danny Kirwin followed Wehunt and calmed the game down, allowing two runs in five innings, leaving with a 6-4 lead. The game was tied 8-8 entering the ninth inning when Franklin Arias delivered the big blow, an opposite-field bomb to right field to give the Sea Dogs the lead.
Yovanny Cruz threw a clean ninth for his sixth save. Two-hit games from Liendo, Marvin Alcantara, Brooks Brannon, and Karson Simas paced the 12-hit attack from Portland on the day.
Caleb Bolden (3-6, 5.94) will be on the bump at 7:05 on Friday for the Sea Dogs.
