Red Sox Minor League Report: Braiden Ward, Allen Castro Post Record Nights En Route To Blowout

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Triple-A Worcester Red Sox

Series vs. Durham Bulls (Tampa Bay Rays): 3-1
Season Record: 76-66

Strong performances on both sides of the ball were the key as Worcester trounced Durham 16-1 amid a playoff push.

Michael Sansone lasted just 3⅔ innings his last time out, surrendering six runs in a loss. On Friday, Sansone erased any bad memories, spinning an outstanding six-frame outing. He allowed one run on one hit, striking out five as he shut down the Bulls. Devin Sweet took over in the seventh, following in strong fashion. He walked one and struck out another in an inning of hitless relief. Angel Bastardo followed Sweet with a similar line, walking one as he too stumped Durham. Osvaldo Berrios was called up for the final frame on Friday, but he couldn’t keep up the bullpen’s hitless day. He allowed two hits and struck out a pair, sealing an easy win for Worcester.

Allan Castro was responsible for nearly half of Worcester's offense on Friday. His seven RBIs tied the WooSox single-game record.  Amid rumors of a late-season call-up, Braiden Ward made his case on Friday evening with a record-tying performance of his own. The speedster went 5-for-5 with three RBIs, tying the WooSox record with five runs in the win. The pair got started early as Castro tagged a double to left field, scoring Ward. With Castro and Mikey Romero aboard, Nathan Hickey launched his eighth homer of the season to right field. An inning later, Franklin Arias built on the early lead with a single to right, scoring Max Ferguson. Just like the inning prior, Castro drove in Ward, this time on a sac fly to center. Arias would then come around on a Romy Gonzalez double. With a seven-run lead in the third inning, the WooSox didn’t slow down. Ward scored Nate Baez with a single before Arias drove in Ferguson on a groundout. To cap off the inning, Castro drove in Ward for the third consecutive inning, this time on a homer to left. In the fifth, Ward decided it was his turn to go deep. He hit a solo homer to right,  bringing the WooSox total to 13. With the bases loaded in the seventh, who else would step to the plate but Castro. He put a bow on the blowout with a bases-clearing double, scoring Ward, Tsung-Che Cheng and Juan Montero. 

If the WooSox want to make the playoffs, they will need to win both of their final games and need Syracuse, Rochester, and Indianapolis to lose their last games. Worcester will also need Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to lose one of their final two.

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