Cup of Coffee: Ward has five hits, Castro drives in seven in WooSox romp

9/19 Cup of Coffee: Everything went right for Worcester on Friday, as the team needed to take care of business on the field while getting some help around the league. Braiden Ward (pictured) and Allan Castro had huge evenings at the plate in support of a near-perfect Michael Sansone.

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Worcester Red Sox 16, Durham Bulls (TB) 1

Worcester scored early and often, keeping its long-shot playoff hopes alive as the International League schedule winds down to a wild finish. By the end of the third inning, the WooSox sported a 12-0 lead and Allan Castro had already driven in Braiden Ward three times. Ward scored five runs and drove in three as he went 5 for 5. He pulled a solo homer over the right field wall in the sixth inning and added his 61st stolen base of the season. Castro finished with seven RBI, going 3 for 4 with two doubles, a sacrifice fly, and a three-run homer in the third. Nathan Hickey also had a three-run homer, going deep in the first. Not to be lost in the shuffle, top prospect Franklin Arias was 2 for 4 with a pair of runs driven in. 

The support was more than enough for Michael Sansone, who retired the first 13 batters he faced in a winning decision. Carrying a no-hitter into the fifth, Sansone allowed just one hit, a triple by former first-round pick Carson Williams. He struck out five without issuing a walk, and needed just 60 pitches to complete the six frames. Devin Sweet, Angel Bastardo, and Osvaldo Berrios went a scoreless inning each. 

Rochester and Indianapolis both lost, so Worcester moves to two games out of first place with just two games left to play. Third-place Syracuse was victorious, moving to just a half-game back as the International League race comes down to the wire. 

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Player of the Day: It is tough going when a six-inning start allowing one hit or an eight-total base, seven-RBI effort don't get the nod, but that was the case at Polar Park on Wednesday. Braiden Ward scored five runs as he went 5 for 5 amid talk of him joining the major league squad. Acquired from the Rockies in the deal that sent reliever Brennan Bernardino out west, Ward continues to build on his Red Sox Triple-A record for stolen bases. He has also scored 82 runs on the year while hitting .251/.364/.372.

Photo Credit: Braiden Ward by Kelly O'Connor

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