Worcester scored first during its road matchup against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Friday night.
But it wasn’t enough, as the RailRiders countered with four combined runs through the opening three innings to earn an eventual 4-2 win over the Red Sox at PNC Field.
Worcester starting pitcher Tyler Uberstine allowed four earned runs, four walks, two home runs, and struck out five as the Red Sox moved to 41-37 on the season.
Complete game statistics can be found here.
On the offensive side, meanwhile, Jhostynxon Garcia (2-for-4) recorded a two-run blast in a losing effort, while Kristian Campbell (1-for-2), Vaughn Grissom (1-for-4), and Blake Sabol (1-for-4) earned the rest of Worcester’s five combined hits.
Moments after Campbell earned a one-out hit during the top of the first inning, Garcia made Scranton/Wilkes-Barre pay with his ninth-season home run to left-center field to ensure the road team an early 2-0 lead.
The hit traveled a distance of 404 feet.
The momentum was short-lived, though, as Spencer Jones took a 3-2 pitch over the center field wall for a solo blast to cut the RailRiders’ deficit in half with two outs in the bottom half. That hit marked Jones’ first season home run.
That wasn’t the game’s final blast, though, as Jose Rojas brought home teammate Bryan De La Cruz with his 12th season home run to right field to move Scranton/Wilkes-Barre ahead of Worcester 3-2 with two outs in the bottom of the second inning.
Though the RailRiders doubled their lead with another run in the bottom of the third inning, the Red Sox missed an opportunity to cut into that deficit during the top of the eighth inning.
Moments after Campbell’s single moved teammate Corey Rosier to second base, Garcia grounded into a force out to ensure Worcester had runners on first and third with one out and the potential go-ahead run approaching the plate.
But it wasn’t enough, as Blaze Jordan grounded into a 5-4-3 double play to end the potential threat. That marked the second consecutive double play Jordan grounded into since the sixth inning.
That proved essential, as Clayton Beeter only allowed one hit, one walk, and struck out multiple hitters in two scoreless innings to help Scranton/Wilkes-Barre emerge victorious. Beeter recorded his second save behind the outcome.
The Red Sox and RailRiders will continue their series on Saturday at 6:05 p.m.
