Justin Hagenman threw six scoreless innings and Vaughn Grissom hit a grand slam as the Worcester Red Sox (28-22)/(63-62) beat the Norfolk Tides (21-30)/(57-69) 13-0 on Sunday afternoon at Harbor Park Stadium.
After their seven-game winning streak was snapped on Saturday, the WooSox’s victory in the final game of the series was their 13th win in the last 16 meetings.
The WooSox scored their first run of the game in the second inning when Nick Sogard scored from first base on a single to left by Vaughn Grissom. Sogard advanced to third base on the play and ran to bat while the Tides’ attention was focused on Grissom, who made it safely back to first after a rundown. Jamie Westbrook followed the chaotic play with an RBI double and Eddy Alvarez added a sacrifice fly to give Worcester a three-run lead.
After a perfect second inning by WooSox starter Justin Hagenman, Chase Meidroth opened the third with a double and Kristian Campbell got a free pass, allowing Worcester to reach first and second base with no outs. After a wild pitch and a groundout, Sogard hit a ball into center just outside Jud Fabian’s reach, scoring both Meidroth and Campbell. At the end of the third, Worcester was up 5-0.
With a five-run lead and Hagenman leading the way, the WooSox entered the fifth inning, but they weren’t done scoring yet.
With the bases loaded and one out, Grissom hit a 1-2 slider that cleared the stadium for a grand slam — turning the game on its head. Grissom had already had a high-hit day and hadn’t had a hit in his last 20 at-bats, dropping his batting average to .203 during that time. Grissom finished the game 4-for-5 with the grand slam and three runs scored, ending his recent slump in grand fashion. Alvarez capped the inning with his team-leading 23rd double of the year and the WooSox’s 10th run of the day.
Alvarez’s RBI two-bagger ended the game against Trevor Rogers, who was making his first start with the Tides after the Orioles optioned him on Thursday. In four starts with Baltimore since being signed from the Miami Marlins before the July 30 trade deadline, Rogers had allowed 15 earned runs in just 19 innings with the major league club. In Sunday’s series finale, the left-hander was credited with 10 runs as the WooSox completely blew the game open in the fifth inning.
Sogard entered the seventh inning with a commanding ten-run lead and extended it by hitting his 13th home run to right-center field, giving the 26-year-old his eighth three-hit game of the season.
The offensive outburst capped Hagenman’s dominant performance on Sunday afternoon, which was replaced by Alex Speas at the start of the seventh inning. The WooSox starter finished the day with a streak of 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K, throwing 46 of his 64 pitches as strikeouts. Speas walked a batter in the seventh inning but recorded two strikeouts in a scoreless inning.
After Zach Penrod kept the Tides from scoring in the eighth inning, WooSox hitters scored two more runs on four hits in the ninth, capped by Roman Anthony’s RBI bloop single. Leading by a dozen, Luis Guerrero came in for the final three outs and struck out the team on 14 pitches to secure the WooSox’s 13-0 victory in the series finale against the Tides. Hagenman (W, 4-5) was the winning pitcher on Sunday, while Rogers (L, 0-1) suffered the loss in his Norfolk debut.
The WooSox will return to action at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, opening a six-game home series at Polar Park against the Toledo Mud Hens. Although Toledo has not yet announced its starting pitcher for the series opener, Richard Fitts (7-5, 4.47) will play for Worcester. The game will be broadcast live on NESN+, and radio coverage begins at 6:25 p.m. on 98.9 Nash Icon, 100.1 The Pike and the WooSox Radio Network.
