The Worcester Red Sox’s offense scored the first nine runs of Saturday’s game in Iowa en route to an eventual 9-5 win at Principal Park.
Starting pitcher Payton Tolle allowed three hits and struck out five through five scoreless innings of action to help the Red Sox improve to 61-57. David Hamilton, meanwhile, finished 2-for-5 and scored three runs from the leadoff position.
On the opposing side, meanwhile, starting pitcher Connor Noland relinquished eight hits, six earned runs, three walks, and struck out two in 3.1 innings as the Cubs moved to 57-61.
Complete game statistics can be found here.
It didn’t take Worcester’s offense long to locate its stroke, as Kristian Campbell approached the plate with multiple runners in scoring position during the top of the first inning. Campbell seized the moment as he drove in Hamilton from third behind an infield grounder to move the Red Sox ahead.
But the fun wasn’t complete, as Noland failed to execute a clean pickoff attempt to third base in the top of the third inning. In return, that miscue allowed Nick Sogard to score.
Before the opposition could blink, though, Mikey Romero and Trayce Thompson followed with a run-scoring groundout and single to quadruple Worcester’s cushion to 4-0.
The Red Sox’s top three hitters in Jhostynxon Garcia (4-for-4), Sogard (3-for-4), and Hamilton (2-for-5) combined to record nine of their team’s 12 hits, while Thompson (two) and Nate Eaton (one) earned the final three.
Garcia continued his tear in the fourth and sixth innings, as he recorded back-to-back run-scoring singles that plated Hamilton both times before Sogard scored on a wild pitch to move Worcester ahead 9-0.
Iowa wasn’t shut out, though, as Worcester relief pitcher Alex Hoppe (three earned runs) threw a wild pitch with the bases loaded that allowed Kevin Alcántara to score during the bottom of the seventh inning.
But the home team wasn’t finished, as Hayden Cantrelle (sacrifice fly), James Triantos (run-scoring error), and Moisés Ballesteros (two-run home run) helped the Cubs make it a four-run deficit before the frame concluded.
Iowa’s comeback wasn’t enough, though, as reliever Hobie Harris countered with three strikeouts during the final 2.1 innings to help the Red Sox emerge victorious.
Worcester and Iowa will complete its six-game series against each other on Sunday at 2:08 p.m. EST.
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