Washington Evening Journal
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Red Sox win annual holiday game
By Ben Lamparek, Hometown Current
Jul. 5, 2024 9:46 am, Updated: Jul. 6, 2024 9:13 am
WILLIAMSBURG — The Williamsburg Red Sox’s Fourth of July holiday game has a lot of history in the town of Williamsburg.
Dating back to the 1980-90s, the team used to play on the Fourth to thousands who would show up for the game and stay for the town’s yearly firework show that followed.
On a perfect evening Wednesday, a few hundred people gathered to enjoy America’s pastime together, baseball.
The entertainment was more than just the game itself. Brad Schaefer provided fun commentary as the game progressed, and give away prizes with the help of local community sponsors.
A fireworks show also followed the game.
“My dad was a longtime announcer for the Red Sox, so I do this once a year for him,” Schaefer said.
“We’ve been trying hard to build this game back up to what it used to be.”
Wednesday night was surely a positive sign for what’s to come.
The game action itself saw the Red Sox victorious with a 9-4 win over the Red Top in Iowa Valley Baseball League play.
The first run of the game came off a fielder’s choice RBI off the bat of Brody Wardenberg, a Williamsburg alum.
For the next stretch of innings, it was all pitching and defense, keeping the score 1-0 until the bottom of the fifth.
The Red Sox added two off a bases-loaded walk and a wild pitch.
The Red Top scored three of their own in the top of the seventh to tie it up after a fielder’s choice RBI and an errant throw.
The highlight of the game action came in the bottom of the inning when Jack Downes hit a grand slam to left center field to extend the lead to 8-3.
Wardenberg connected on an RBI double in the eighth to make it 9-4. Wardenberg had three RBIs in the game.
A 1-2-3 top of the ninth ended the game, and fireworks followed shortly after.