Sogard's walkoff HR sends Worcester past RailRiders
In a back-and-forth game that saw both teams stage multiple comebacks, it was Worcester that landed the final one.
Nick Sogard hit a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the ninth to lift the Red Sox to a wild 13-12 victory over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders on Thursday night at Polar Park in Massachusetts.
It was Sogard's second home run of the game and capped a four-hit, four-RBI night for him.
Carlos Narvaez had three hits and two RBIs for the RailRiders (28-13). Taylor Trammell had two hits and three RBIs, while Caleb Durbin contributed two hits and two RBIs. T.J. Rumfield and Jose Rojas each had two hits and one RBI.
In the top of the first, the RailRiders jumped out to a 2-0 lead on a RBI groundout by Rumfield and RBI double by Trammell. Pawtucket responded with four runs in the bottom of the first, three coming on a home run by Bobby Dalbec.
The RailRiders answered with four runs in the top of the second. Durbin had a two-run single and Narvaez a two-run double. Worcester tied it in the bottom of the fourth on a two-run home run by Sogard.
Again, the RailRiders moved ahead, 8-6, with two runs in the top of the sixth on a two-run single by Trammell. Again, the Red Sox answered with six runs in the bottom of the inning. Sogard had a RBI single, Jamie Westbrook a two-run single and Pablo Reyes hit a three-run home run.
This time, it was the RailRiders' turn to rally.
Rojas homered in the top of the seventh to make it 12-9. Then in the eighth, Oscar Gonzalez had a two-run double and Jeter Downs a RBI single to tie the score at 12.
Art Warren kept it tied in the bottom of the eighth. After Worcester loaded the bases with one out, Warren came out of the RailRiders bullpen and got a fly out to shallow right field and a called strikeout to squelch the threat.
However, after the RailRiders were retired in the top of the ninth, Sogard ended the game with his home run to right off Ron Marinaccio.
The teams continue their series Friday at 6:05 p.m. at Polar Park.
