SYRACUSE, NY — Behind a six-run third inning and Richard Fitts’ excellent start, the Worcester Red Sox (17-19)/(52-59) won their second straight against the Syracuse Mets (17-19)/(63-47) on Thursday night by a final score of 6-3 in the third game of their six-game set at NBT Bank Stadium in Syracuse, New York.
Triston Casas continued his rehab assignment on Thursday, collecting a hit and scoring a run in five at-bats while playing the entire game at first base. It was his seventh rehab game with Worcester and sixth consecutive game recording a hit.
Following a 90-minute rain delay, Luke Ritter got Syracuse on the board first by blasting a two-run shot out to left-center field––his 23rd long ball of the year and fourth against the WooSox. Entering Thursday, the Mets third baseman leads the team with .333 batting average and 1.061 OPS in 13 games against Worcester this season.
Two innings later, Mickey Gasper continued his torrid stretch with the WooSox by belting a two-run shot of his own. Gasper’s seventh home run with Worcester extended his hitting streak to nine games and was the start of a big night for the 28-year-old at the plate. Reaching base three times on Thursday, Gasper raised his Triple-A batting average to .392 and his on-base percentage to a staggering .512. The WooSox third inning scoring did not stop with Gasper.
With one out, Casas blooped a single to left and advanced to second on Jamie Westbrook’s groundout, setting up Eddy Alvarez’s RBI single to center. After Bobby Dalbec’s walk put men on first and second, Nathan Hickey stepped in the box to face his former teammate at the University of Florida, Brandon Sproat. Hickey won this matchup––crushing a three-run shot to right to cap Worcester’s six-run third.
With momentum on his side, WooSox starter Richard Fitts held the Mets offense dormant for the remainder of his outing. Since Ritter’s first inning homer, the Alabama native made efficient work of the Mets, allowing five hits and striking out seven over the course of six strong innings. The right-hander finished with a line of 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K and threw just 79 pitches (57 strikes).
Greg Weissert was first out of the ‘pen for the WooSox, relieving Fitts on the mound after his four-pitch sixth inning. In his first inning of work on Thursday, Weissert allowed a double but picked up a couple of strikeouts to keep the Mets from cutting into Worcester’s four-run advantage. Heading into the eighth, the WooSox led, 6-2.
Following Weissert’s second scoreless inning, Wyatt Olds entered for the ninth looking to secure a WooSox win. DJ Stewart led off the inning with a solo home run to make it a three-run game, but Olds settled down to retire the next three Mets hitters to end the ballgame.
In the WooSox’ 6-3 victory on Thursday night, Fitts (W, 6-5) earned his sixth win of the year while Sproat (L, 0-1) was handed the loss in his Triple-A debut.
The WooSox and Mets will meet again at 6:35 p.m. on Friday night at NBT Bank Stadium for the fourth game of their six-game set. Brad Keller (1-1, 4.09) will get the start for Worcester opposite Blade Tidwell (0-4, 5.63) for Syracuse. Radio coverage begins at 6:15 p.m. on 98.9 Nash Icon and the WooSox Radio Network.
