Rochester Edges Worcester in 10-Innings, 8-7

Worcester, MA – The Worcester Red Sox dropped a back-and-forth game to the Rochester Red Wings, 8-7 in 10-innings in front of 9,508 fans on the final Friday night of the season at Polar Park. The SRO crowd marked Worcester’s 23^rd sellout of the season at Polar Park. The 6-game series is now tied at two victories apiece with two games remaining on the season – Saturday at 4:05 pm and Sunday at 1:05 pm. The WooSox (74-73) need one more victory to post a winning season for the fifth time in their five years of existence.

In the top of the 10^th inning, the Red Wings automatic runner Yohany Morales scored on a sac fly by Juan Yepez to put Rochester back on top, 8-7. WooSox reliever Hobie Harris was able to strand two more runners in scoring position to keep the Sox deficit at just a run. However, the Sox went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 10^th and thus fell to 6-5 in extra innings on the year.

With the game tied at 4-4 entering the top of the 9^th-inning, Rochester strung together 5 hits to score 3 times off WooSox reliever Alex Hoppe, who had given up just 1 hit and no runs in his previous 8 relief appearances (8.2 innings).

Faced with a 7-4 deficit heading to the bottom of the 9^th, the WooSox got a leadoff single from Karson Simas (2 hits, 2 RBI) but then two quick outs. Down to their last out, Abraham Toro singled and Nathan Hickey (3 hits, 2 RBI) followed with a 2-run double that ricocheted off the 1^st base bag. Phillip Sikes came on to pinch run for Hickey and he raced home with the tying run thanks to a clutch RBI single from Tyler McDonough.

Both teams were held hitless through 3 innings. With two outs in the top of the 4^th-inning and a Rochester runner on 1^st base (via walk), Red Wings 3B Trey Lipscomb homered just over the glove of WooSox leftfielder Corey Rosier to take a 2-0 lead.

In the bottom of the 4^th, WooSox shortstop Tyler McDonough (2 hits) ripped a single off the Worcester Wall in right for the first WooSox hit. It started a 2-run rally on four consecutive hits as Rosier followed with a line single to center and Max Ferguson (2 hits) smacked a single to left to load the bases, with McDonough using his former gymnastic skills to avoid being hit by the ball on the basepath. Catcher Chadwick Tromp (2 hits, 2 RBI) was next and he drilled a ground rule double to left center to tie the game at 2-2.

Rochester regained the lead in the 5^th with a pair of runs off WooSox reliever Bryan Mata who was the victim of some tough luck. Worcester answered in the 6^th with two runs of their own to even matters at 4-4. Ferguson and Tromp singled and both raced home on a 2-run double by RF Karson Simas.

The WooSox used six pitchers in the game. Isaac Coffey started and allowed just 1 hit in 4-innings – 4 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO. Mata gave up 2 runs in his 2-innings of work. Rehabbing Red Sox reliever Luis Guerrero worked a perfect 7^th-inning and Nick Burdi did likewise in the 8^th with a strikeout. Hoppe yielded 5 hits and 3 runs in the 9^th and Harris (1-3) was charged with an unearned run in the 10^th to suffer the loss.

The penultimate game of the 2025 season will take place tomorrow (Saturday) at 4:05 pm with Worcester righty Jose De Leon facing Rochester’s Chase Solesky. The game is live on NESN+ and on radio on NASH 98.9 FM.

Before the game, ticketed fans can attend the final edition this season of the Great Polar Park Writer’s Series starring Hall of Fame Red Sox broadcaster Joe Castiglione from 12:30 – 2:00 pm in the DCU Club. It is also Bark in the Park (fans can bring their dogs to Polar Park), presented by Veterinary Urgent Care Center Worcester. And after the game, fans can enjoy the always-popular Sunset Catch on the Field, presented by Planet Fitness.