By: Brayden Peters
BUFFALO, N.Y. - The Buffalo Bisons won their third straight as they beat the Worcester Red Sox 5-2. The Bisons' offense didn't get going until late in the game as doubles from Will Robertson and Damiano Palmegiani helped the team claim the victory. Roberston ended the day with a hit, two RBIs and was struckout twice at four at bats. As for Palmegiani, he finished the game with two hits and two RBIs at four at bats.
"We have not been firing on all cylinders offensively, but we've been grinding it out and getting big hits when we needed them," Bisons manager Casey Candaele said. "We've lost some good offensive players to the big leagues and to injuries. We're going to have to make up for it by grinding out at-bats and making pitchers work and we've done that the last three games."
The first five innings were very quiet. The Bisons recorded only four hits while the Red Sox recorded three hits throughout those innings. This was thanks to solid pitching from both sides.
Beau Sulser, who got the start for Buffalo, ended the day with three strikeouts while surrendering three hits and no runs in four innings pitched. June has been a good month for Sulser. On June 6 against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs he recorded three strikeouts while giving up no runs in four innings pitched.
"I thought we did a good job game-planning before you know with (Brian) Servin and (Max) McDowell and just looking at what worked yesterday," Sulser said. "I executed the pitches and executed the gameplan...lately I've made some really good changes and so I've just focused on execution and so I think I'm just more settled in and more comfortable, which hopefully it continues."
Hayden Jeunger, who came in relief for Sulser, held his own in two innings pitched. He only allowed one walk while striking out one batter.
Justin Hagenman got the start for Worcester and in three innings pitched he only gave up two hits and a walk while striking out four batters. Brian Van Belle relieved Hagenman and had a good start to his day. He recorded two strikeouts while giving up two hits before the sixth inning.
Buffalo was able to turn their hits into runs in the sixth. Will Roberston batted in Orelvis Martinez and Rafael Lantigua on a double to give the Bisons a 2-0 lead. Martinez got on base thanks to a walk and Lantigua got to first base after recording a single.
Worcester wasn't going to go down quietly. In the seventh inning, Tyler Heineman batted in Mickey Gasper, who was walked, to cut the Bisons lead to one run. Then, an error by Palmegiani allowed Corey Rosier to score the tying run from third base. He got on base thanks to a double.
This wasn't the game's only error for Buffalo as Addison Barger recorded one in the third inning. It is an issue that Candaele wants the team to stay honed in on fixing.
"We've been better, but we can get better," Candaele said. "That's going to be the big thing with us is being able to handle the ball and control the ball and make the routine plays...we can be better in the infield...we're going to keep working."
The Bisons proceeded to break the tie in the eighth. Martinez got home off a walk after the bases were loaded. This was made possible after pitcher Naoyuki Uwasawa threw four walks.
His time on the mound wasn't long as with the bases loaded, Palmegiani recorded a double, bringing in Steward Berroa and Riley Tirotta. With Buffalo increasing their lead to 5-2, Uwasawa was relieved from the game in favor of A.J. Politi. Uwasawa ended the day giving up a hit, three runs and a walk while throwing one strikeout.
Although Buffalo's offense stalled in the eighth, their defense sealed the win for the Bisons. Pitcher Connor Cooke came into the eighth and struck out three straight batters. The Buffalo defense recorded three flyouts in the ninth to put the game away.
Buffalo is now up 2-0 in the series against Worcester. With the win, the Bisons also improved to a 34-31 record and moved up to third place in the IL East. As for the Red Sox, the loss drops them to 29-36 on the season and they stay in eighth in the IL East.
Buffalo will look to inch closer to a series win when they host the Red Sox tomorrow at 6:35 p.m.
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