By: Brayden Peters
BUFFALO, N.Y. - The Buffalo Bisons couldn't keep their solid rhythm this week going on Thursday as they fell to the Worcester Red Sox 14-1. The Red Sox were on fire offensively in the fourth inning, as they recorded seven of their 14 runs in the frame. They also recorded six of their 18 hits plus three stolen bases in the inning as well. The seven runs that Buffalo gave up were the most they have given up in an inning this season.
"It was just one of those games, you know, like you kind of have them here and there," Bisons bench coach Donnie Murphy said. "But, you know, the good thing is we have tomorrow, you know, just start fresh tomorrow and hopefully have different results."
Murphy filled in as Buffalo's manager in the absence of manager Casey Candaele who is on vacation.
Unlike yesterday, the Red Sox got on the board first. In the fourth inning, Nathan Hickey sent Nick Sogard and Nick Yorke home with a double, giving Worcester a 2-0 lead. Sogard got a double as well to get on base and Yorke picked up a single.
The scoring didn't end in the fourth for the Red Sox. Eddy Alvarez recorded a single to score Hickey, increasing Worcester's lead to 3-0. Alvarez then got home safely after Damiano Palmegiani failed to gun him down on Mark Contreras' fielder's choice.
Things only got worse for the Bisons as Buffalo starting pitcher Aaron Sanchez walked Romy Gonzalez in a bases-loaded situation. With the walk, Tyler Heineman got home after singling. Bisons catcher Phil Clarke made a mound visit during the inning to talk things over with Sanchez.
"He threw great in the first three innings and you know, he honestly didn't throw bad in the fourth inning, he had some unfortunate breaks," Clarke said. "I tried to go out there and tell him to just keep pitching and keep trusting and stuff because his stuff was really good tonight, you know, some things just didn't go his way."
It was the final straw for Murphy and he relieved Sanchez with Troy Watson. Sanchez ended his day surrendering six hits, seven runs and four walks while striking out four batters in 3.1 innings.
"In the first three, he was locked in and then the fourth, he kind of fell behind a couple of hitters," Murphy said. "They got a couple of hits, kind of like the snowball effect happens in that and, you know, it happens quick and you try to give him a chance to get himself out of it...but he just ran out of steam at the end..."
The Red Sox's seventh run came after Sanchez was relieved. Yorke made contact with the ball that just sailed over Rafael Lantigua's glove, allowing Chase Meidroth to get home after getting walked by Sanchez.
The Red Sox's bats continued to stay active past the fourth. Sogard batted in Meidroth on a single after Meidroth got on base thanks to a walk, which extended Worcester's lead to eight runs.
Worcester stayed relentless on offense. Alvarez picked up another single in the sixth inning that allowed Mickey Gasper and Sogard to get home safely. Both Sogard and Gasper, who came in as a pinch hitter to replace Gonzalez, singled.
Buffalo's offense started to wake up in the sixth and prevented a shutout. Phil Clarke got home on a sac fly from Steward Berroa. Clarke singled, which was the second hit of the game for the Bisons. Their first hit of the game came on a single from Orelvis Martinez in the second inning.
"Just hoped it could start something and maybe get (Josh) Wincowski out of the game, you know, he threw great tonight," Clarke said. "We hoped that we can try to get to the bullpen and put some more runs on the board."
The Bisons continued to struggle to find an answer to stop the Red Sox's offensive onslaught. Hickey batted in Meidroth and Gasper on a single. Meidroth got on base due to a single for his first hit of the game. As for Gasper, a double allowed him to get on base, which was his second hit of the game in two at-bats.
Buffalo couldn't respond in the final three innings offensively, sealing the victory for Worcester. Buffalo ended the day with only three hits. The team has lost some key players that made huge impacts for the offense, such as Nathan Lukes to injury and Spencer Horwitz who was recalled to the Toronto Blue Jays.
"You know, we're going through a little run right now, runs aren't easy, you know, you got to have the 'pass the torch' mentality," Murphy said. "You got to hopefully get us to the next guy. You know, get on base for him, grind them out, make the pitcher work, hopefully get a big hit here and there...we're missing a lot of guys right now, but that's not an excuse, you know, it's got to be the 'next guy up' mentality...and they know that and it's just, you know, we're going through a little rut, but we'll be fine. Just keep grinding and good things will happen."
Buffalo drops to 34-32 on the season and fall to fourth in the IL East. As for Worcester, the win improves their record to 30-36 and they stay in eighth in the IL East. The Bisons will look to bounce back from their loss when they host the Red Sox tomorrow at 7:05 p.m.
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