Worcester, M.A. – The Buffalo Bisons late comeback would ultimately fall short on Tuesday night as great pitching in the final two innings from the Worcester Red Sox bullpen was enough to subdue the rallying Bisons and keep the score 5-4.
Tonight’s game began with a starting pitching duel between Bisons’ RHP Lazaro Estrada and Red Sox’s RHP Richard Fitts. Estrada went four innings, striking out four and only allowing two hits, one of which being a solo home run and the first run of the game for Worcester. Fitts would be almost perfect through five innings, only allowing two hits, walking none and striking out three.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Red Sox took advantage of the pitching change from Buffalo, slugging four runs in one inning off two separate pitchers. Hunter Greogry recorded the first two outs of the inning for the Bisons. Nick Sandlin entered with two runners on base, eventually allowing four straight to reach base before Bobby Milacki secured the final out of the inning. However, Worcester would score four times to open up their largest lead of the game 5-0.
In the sixth inning, the Bisons would also try to take advantage of a pitching change. The first of Joey Loperfido’s two hits of the game was a leadoff double. He scored two batters later when RJ Schreck hit into a double play. But, it trimmed Buffalo’s deficit to 5-1.
The Bisons would use this to continue to chip away at the four-run deficit, scoring in each of the next two innings.
With bases loaded, OF Yohendrick Piñango scored an RBI fielder’s choice by Will Wagner, cutting Worcester’s lead to 5-2. Ali Sanchez would also score on an RBI groundout by Michael Stefanic to narrow the deficit to 5-3 after the top of the seventh inning. The two runs in the top of the seventh came against Worcester reliever Bryan Mata.
In the eighth inning, Piñango would record his second hit in as many innings that would bring Buffalo within a run, 5-4. Phil Clarke pinch hit for Schreck and recorded a base hit to right field. He was pinch run for by Riley Tirotta, and he would score two batters later on the RBI double to right field by Piñango.
Despite making it a one score game, the Bisons would be unable to complete the comeback in the final inning due to strong pitching by Worcester reliever Isaiah Campbell, who went the final two innings allowing only two hits, striking out the final batter and netting his sixth save of the season.
Bobby Milacki would be crucial for the Herd, aiding them in escaping the tough situation in the fifth inning and pitching just over two innings, striking out one and only allowing two hits and a walk.
The Bisons look to bounce back tomorrow as they face the Red Sox in the second game of their series at 6:45 p.m. Max Scherzer will start for the Bisons in his second game of Major League injury rehab assignment. You can listen to the action on The Bet 1520 AM, the Audacy app, and Bisons.com starting at 6:25 p.m. with Pat Malacaro.
