WORCESTER – In a display of unwavering determination, Niko Kavadas (3-for-3, 2 HR, 3 RBI) leads the Worcester Red Sox (34-39) to a resounding 6-2 victory over the Columbus Clippers (31-41) in game four of their six-game set at Polar Park, in front of a sellout crowd.
After an intense one-hour and forty-five-minute rain delay, the WooSox and Clippers finally took the field at 8:30 p.m. on Friday night. Cooper Criswell started the game on the mound for Worcester, making his first start since being optioned from Boston on June 18. The right-hander enjoyed a quick first inning, retiring all three batters on eight pitches to kick off the ballgame.
Criswell ran into trouble in the third, walking one and allowing a hit to put runners on first and third. With nobody out, Kyle Manzardo dribbled a ball up the third base line, but Criswell made an incredible play, glove-flipping the ball to his battery mate Tyler Heineman to get the out at home. After inducing a double play, Criswell escaped the inning unscathed.
In the bottom half of the inning, Niko Kavadas rewarded his pitcher by drilling a ball off the foul pole to give the WooSox a 1-0 lead. Entering Friday night, Kavadas was hitting.412 (7-for-17) with 8 RBIs in his last five games. It was not the only time the designated hitter’s bat would impact the game.
In the following inning, Worcester added to their lead. After Nick Sogard’s fifth double in six games and Nick Yorke’s walk, Eddy Alvarez lined a two-run double to right-center to give the WooSox a three-run advantage. With two outs, Kavadas deposited a ball onto Summit St. for his second homer of the night, putting Worcester ahead, 5-0.
The WooSox played a solid infield behind Criswell for most of the evening, but a couple miscues in the top of the sixth led to two runs for Columbus. After an RBI single off the bat of Micah Pries, Worcester manager Chad Tracy went to the bullpen, ending Criswell’s night. The 27-year-old finished with a line of 5.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, and 4 K.
Chase Shugart entered the game for Criswell and got out of the inning without allowing another run. After six-and-a-half innings, the WooSox led 5-2.
Worcester threatened to score again in the bottom of the seventh after Kavadas’ third hit, Mark Contreras’ double, and Chase Meidroth’s walk loaded the bases. For Meidroth, the free pass extended his on-base streak to 30 games. With the bases juiced and two outs, Sogard stayed hot, lining a base hit to the left that scored the WooSox sixth run. However, Meidroth was thrown out at third on the play to end the inning.
Shugart remained in the game for the WooSox through the eighth inning, holding the Clippers’ high-powered offense scoreless in 2.2 innings of work. The 27-year-old right-hander ended the night without allowing a baserunner and striking out five.
To begin the ninth, Lucas Luetge relieved Shugart on the mound. The southpaw closed the game with just 13 pitches (10 strikes) and striking out two. With the 6-2 victory, Criswell won as Worcester evened the six-game series at two games apiece.
The WooSox and Clippers will play in game five of their six-game set at 4:05 p.m. on Saturday afternoon at Polar Park. Worcester will send Richard Fitts (4-2, 4.20 ERA) to the mound opposite Joey Castillo (0-0, 2.16 ERA) for Columbus.
