Bisons unable to keep pace with Worcester in series opener

WORCESTER, MASS.- Despite Damiano Palmegiani's home run in the fifth inning, the Buffalo Bisons were unable to keep pace with the Worcester Red Sox in an 11-6 loss at Polar Park on Tuesday evening.

The Bisons jump to a hot start in the top of the first inning as the team put up three runs to take an early 3-0 advantage over Worcester. First, Palmegiani hit a sacrifice fly to right field with the bases loaded. This scored Rafael Lantigua from third, 1-0 Bisons.

Then, two batters later, Cam Eden hit a soft line drive single allowing Riley Tirotta and Will Robertson to score. Thanks in part to three hits and three walks against Chase Shugart, the Bisons took an early 3-0 advantage over the WooSox.

In the top of the second inning, the Bisons added another run to their total. After a line drive base hit by Miguel Hiraldo to lead off the inning, Tirotta brought in Hiraldo three batters later on a sharp line drive to center field to make it a 4-0 Buffalo lead.

Worcester earned a run back early in the bottom of the third as Nathan Hickey, leading off the inning, blasted his 10th homer of the season over the right center field wall. The 404-foot homer not only put the WooSox on the scoreboard to cut the Buffalo lead to 4-1, but also put the WooSox in the hit column as it was their first hit of the ball game for Worcester.

Then, with two outs in the inning and two baserunners on, Emmanuel Valdez hit a line drive to left field allowing Mark Contreras and Nick Sogard to score. The two-RBI single brought the WooSox within one run, 4-3 Bisons.

The WooSox gained their first lead of the night in the bottom of the fourth inning as a result of a two-run Nick Sogard line drive single to left field. Sogard’s 53rd and 54th RBIs on the season gave Worcester a 5-4 lead.

In the top of the fifth inning, the Bisons regained the lead as a result of a Domiano Palmegiani two-run blast. His 13th home run of the season also scored Robertson as the Bisons retook a 6-5 lead.

However, in the bottom of the fifth Worcester gained the lead for the second time as a two-run home run courtesy of Mickey Gasper gave the Red Sox a 7-6 lead. His 6th home run of the season also scored Valdez.

Braydon Fischer made his Bisons debut after replacing Troy Watson in the sixth inning. After a wild pitch, Vaughn Grissom hit a sharp line drive single to left field. The hit brought in Contreras from third, giving Worcester a two-run 8-6 lead over the Bisons.

After a two-out error allowed Alvarez to reach base in the bottom of the seventh inning, Nathan Hickey walked. This was significant as it gave Worcester two baserunners when Contreras hit his 15th double of the season. The double brought home both runners, Alvarez and Hickey to push the Red Sox lead to 10-6 over Buffalo.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Worcester was able to add another run to their lead. With one out and Mark Kolozsvary standing on third, Gasper hit a sacrifice fly to left field. This allowed Kolozsvary to cross the plate and give the WooSox a five-run, 11-6 lead.

In the game, the Bisons collected a total of nine hits with Palmegiani and Alan Roden each collecting two.

The Bisons and WooSox will play the second game of their six-game series on Wednesday evening at 6:45 p.m.