The Worcester Red Sox suffered their first loss of the six-game road series Thursday night, falling 12-3 to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs at Coca-Cola Park.
After dominant wins of 8-1 and 13-3 to open the set, the WooSox (36-29) couldn’t keep the momentum going in Game 3.
Worcester jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning thanks to a two-run homer to center field by Jhostynxon Garcia, bringing home Nick Sogard, who had singled just before.
But the WooSox’ fortunes began to shift in the bottom of the third, when Buddy Kennedy grounded into a double play with one out, stalling a potential rally and dramatically dropping the team’s win probability.
The IronPigs (44-22) seized control in the bottom of the fourth. Garrett Stubbs and Keaton Anthony scored on an Óscar Mercado double to left, tying the game at 2-2. Mercado then came home on a Rafael Lantigua sacrifice fly to give Lehigh the lead, and Gabriel Rincones Jr. crossed the plate on a Rodolfo Castro RBI single to make it 4-2.
Worcester’s offense continued to sputter, grounding into another double play in the sixth—this time with Nate Eaton at the plate and one out already on the board.
In the bottom of the seventh, Lehigh blew the game wide open with an eight-run inning. Castro delivered the final blow, hitting a three-run homer to left to put the IronPigs up 12-2.
Worcester managed a run in the ninth, but it wasn’t nearly enough to mount a comeback.
Lehigh starter Gabe Mosser earned the win, going 5.1 innings and allowing just three hits, two earned runs, three walks and four strikeouts, along with a solo homer. Worcester’s Richard Fitts took the loss—his first of the season—after giving up five runs over four innings with four strikeouts and a 9.00 ERA.
The WooSox will look to bounce back in Game 4 of the series on Friday night with the first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
