MOOSIC, P.A. – The Buffalo Bisons four-run third inning wasn’t enough as the team fell to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders 11-7 in game three of the six-game series Thursday night at PNC Field.
In a bullpen game for Buffalo, the Bisons’ defensive struggles proved to be the difference. Six pitchers made an appearance for Buffalo, three of whom allowed runs to pair with four errors from the field.
In the top of the first inning, the Bisons wasted no time striking first. Michael Stefanic led off the ballgame for Buffalo and reached base after being hit by a pitch. A batter later, Jonatan Clase tallied his sixth double of the year, putting runners at second and third. Alan Roden hit a deep sacrifice fly to left field that brought Stefanic home, giving the Bisons an early 1-0 lead.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre pushed back immediately in the bottom half of the first. Spencer Jones singled, and Everson Pereira walked. Following a successful double steal, T.J. Rumfield tied the contest 1-1 with a sacrifice fly that sent Jones home.
In the top of the third, Buffalo’s offense came to life. Stefanic led off and filed a single, and Clase registered his second double of the evening. Moments later, Roden grounded out, but not before Stefanic crossed the plate, regaining the Bisons’ lead 2-1. In his Buffalo debut, Buddy Kennedy recorded an RBI on a fielder’s choice to make the score 3-1 Bisons. Shortly after, Yohendrick Pinango capped off a Bisons’ four-run third inning with a two-run home run, expanding Buffalo’s lead, 5-1.
Hunter Gregory made his first career Triple-A start and pitched two innings, allowing one run, two hits, a walk, and striking out two. In the third, Gregory was replaced by Deveraux Harrison.
In the bottom of the third inning, the RailRiders responded. Pereira drew his second walk of the night. Rumfield sent Pereira home on his 21st double of the year, cutting Buffalo’s lead, 5-2. Two batters later, Nicky Lopez narrowed the Bisons’ lead to 5-3 after he recorded a RBI single that dragged Rumfield across the dish.
In the fourth inning, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre eliminated the Bisons’ lead. Andrew Velazquez started the inning with a bunt single and reached second on a throwing error. A batter later, Duke Ellis also put a bunt down and reached base on a fielder’s choice, while Velazquez scored on a throwing error by Harrison, slimming Buffalo’s lead to 5-4. Four batters later, Rumfield tied the game 5-5 with his third RBI of the night on a RBI single.
Amir Garrett replaced Ryan Jennings in the sixth inning and made his season debut for the Bisons following being activated off the 60-day injured list. Garrett ended his night with an inning of scoreless work that saw one walk and one strikeout. After Garrett’s 16 pitches in the sixth, he was replaced by Kevin Gowdy.
In the seventh inning, Buffalo broke the tie. Roden led off the inning with a bunt single and later advanced to second on a passed ball. Three batters later, Roden scored from third on a Riley Tirotta groundout, giving the Bisons a lead, 6-5.
In the bottom of the seventh, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre came back. Lopez, Rojas, and Velazquez started off the inning by reaching base and thus loading the bases with no outs. Jesus Rodriguez hit an RBI single that tied the game at six. Jones continued the RailRiders’ push by logging a two-RBI single that brought the score to 8-6 in favor of Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for the first time on the evening.
Pereira reached base on a fielder’s choice that sent Rodriguez home and Jones across the plate thanks to a Bisons throwing error, handing the RailRiders a 10-6 advantage. A six-run seventh inning was finished off following a throwing error by Kennedy after a Rumfield ground out that pushed Pereira to score, making it 11-6, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
In the top of the ninth, the Bisons’ hopes of a comeback came up short. With one out, Roden drew a walk, and Kennedy reached base on a single. Following a Pinango lineout, Tirotta hit an RBI double that sent Roden across the plate, cutting the RailRiders lead, 11-7. Orelvis Martinez drew a walk, which loaded the bases, but Phil Clarke flew out to center for the final out, finalizing the 11-7 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre victory.
The Bisons and RailRiders will meet for game four of the series on Friday at PNC Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. The game can be heard on The Bet 1520 AM, the Audacy App, and Bisons.com starting at 6:15 p.m.
All WNY is made possible thanks to coffee and sleep deprivation.
We appreciate your readership. We like money, too.