Worcester, M.A. – The Buffalo Bisons and Worcester Red Sox finished the first half of the 2025 season in a thriller, with both teams hitting three home runs. However, a combined nine RBIs by Jhostynxon Garcia and Corey Rosier were enough to distance Worcester from Buffalo in a 12-10 clash.
Joey Loperfido got the scoring started with a two-run home run with one out in the top of the first against Worcester’s Jordan Hicks, who made his debut in the Red Sox organization. It was Loperfido’s first homer since May 14 against the WooSox and the Herd’s third straight game in which they scored in the first inning.
The WooSox inched a bit closer with a small two-out rally in the second against Buffalo starter Lazaro Estrada. Nathan Hickey hit an opposite-field triple off the wall in left, then Tyler McDonough grounded one up the middle for an RBI single to get Worcester on the board.
Buffalo’s lead would be back to two in the top of the third as the WooSox went deeper into a bullpen game. Facing Chris Murphy, Yohendrick Pinango cleared the small wall over the bullpen in right center for a one-out solo homer to make it 3-1 Bisons.
The WooSox scored three runs on three straight baserunners in the bottom of the inning. It started with a lengthy 19-pitch at-bat between Estrada and Nick Sogard, with the latter working a walk. It featured 14 foul balls and was arguably the turning point of the game, as Worcester went on an onslaught from there in the third and fourth.
Kristian Campbell tripled down the right-field line to drive in Sogard, and Jhostynxon Garcia joined the party with a two-run homer to right center, giving the WooSox their first lead at 4-3.
Estrada was able to pick up one more out, but he was taken out of the game right after that. He gave up more than two earned runs for the first time since April in 2 2/3 innings of work, but he struck out three batters in his short outing.
In the top of the fourth, a Loperfido hit by pitch was sandwiched between walks by Leo Jimenez and Riley Tirotta. This sequence of events loaded the bases for Pinango, who walked to tie the game at 4.
The WooSox loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning against Hunter Gregory, then Corey Rosier brought them all home, hitting a high fastball into the bullpen in right center for a grand slam and an 8-4 Worcester lead.
The WooSox wouldn’t let up there, as they strung together three more consecutive hits with another Garcia homer, this one a three-run shot to make it 11-4, the cherry on top.
Facing Wyatt Olds in the top of the fifth, the Bisons loaded the bases again. Rainer Nunez had a hit, Damiano Palmegiani walked and Jimenez was drilled, but the last of them had to be helped off the field and taken out of the game. Michael Stefanic came to the plate, then hit a grand slam to almost the same spot as Rosier’s slam. It was Stefanic’s third homer in the last two games and it got Buffalo within three at 11-8.
Worcester loaded the bases again for Garcia in the bottom of the fifth, and he hit a ball on the ground that Josh Rivera, Jimenez’s replacement, booted for an unearned run and a 12-8 WooSox lead.
The Bisons loaded the bases for the fourth straight frame in the top of the sixth with a chance to tie the game, but they came up empty this time as Stefanic hit into an inning-ending flyout.
In the top of the seventh against Isaiah Campbell, the Bisons brought home a couple of runs to make it 12-10. Loperfido and Tirotta each had hits, with the former’s being a double. Then, with men on second and third, Pinango drove in Loperfido with a single. With two out, Phil Clarke hit a sac fly to left to score Tirotta, though it turned into an inning-ending double play with Pinango trying to make it to third.
The Buffalo bullpen held its ground after Gregory departed, with Andrew Bash, Jacob Barnes, Tommy Nance and Ryan Jennings combining to throw five innings while giving up just one unearned run, which kept the Herd in the game.
Buffalo went 1-2-3 in the eighth, but had a chance in the ninth. Stefanic singled against Alex Hoppe to lead it off, giving him his second-straight multi-hit game and bringing the tying run to the plate. After a Loperfido flyout, Tirotta hit into a game-ending double play, handing Buffalo the series defeat.
The Bisons will be off on Monday, and after that, they’ll begin the second half of the season with a six-game home series starting on Tuesday at 6:45 p.m. against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. The Bisons have yet to announce their starting pitcher for the series opener. 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 and Duke McGuire.