WooSox Win Game One in Walk-Off Fashion, But Split Doubleheader with Bisons
WORCESTER, MA –– The Worcester Red Sox (14-16)/(49-56) and Buffalo Bisons (12-18)/(49-55) settled for a split in Thursday afternoon’s doubleheader at Polar Park. Jamie Westbrook lifted the WooSox to a 9-8 walk-off victory in game one, but the offense went quiet in their 8-5 game two loss after the bats
WORCESTER, MA –– The Worcester Red Sox (14-16)/(49-56) and Buffalo Bisons (12-18)/(49-55) settled for a split in Thursday afternoon’s doubleheader at Polar Park. Jamie Westbrook lifted the WooSox to a 9-8 walk-off victory in game one, but the offense went quiet in their 8-5 game two loss after the bats scored all five runs in the first two innings.
Game one represented a back-and-forth matchup between Worcester and Buffalo, with the Bisons taking an early 1-0 lead after Will Wagner doubled home Jonantan Clase in the top of the first. It didn’t take long for Worcester to answer back.
The WooSox jumped all over Buffalo starter Mike Mayers, tagging the right-hander for five runs in the bottom of the inning. Bobby Dalbec began the scoring with a bases loaded RBI single and was followed by Nathan Hickey’s two-run knock that scored three runs––with the third coming home after Will Robertson’s fielding error in right field. Recently promoted from Double-A Portland, Tyler McDonough capped the five-run inning with his own RBI single. At the end of the first, Worcester led, 5-1.
After scoreless second innings for both teams, the Bisons tied it up in the third on five singles and two defensive miscues. It was not a sharp game one for Worcester defensively––with three fielding errors leading to three unearned runs. Despite surrendering the lead, the WooSox responded in the bottom half of the inning thanks to Chase Meidroth’s hot bat. After collecting four hits in each of his last two games, the shortstop blooped a two-out two-run single into right to give the WooSox a 7-5 lead.
Joely Rodriguez entered for Jason Alexander to begin the fourth, ending the Worcester starter’s day after surrendering five runs (four earned) in three innings. With Rodriguez on the mound, the Bisons scored two runs without recording a hit––an error, two walks, two wild pitches, a sacrifice fly, and a hit by pitch summed up an eventful inning as game one’s pendulum continued to swing.
In the fifth, the WooSox took the lead again with Enmanuel Valdez scoring on Mickey Gasper’s two-out RBI knock, giving Worcester a one-run lead. But in the next half inning, the game reached its fourth tie of the day when Robertson hit a sinking line drive past Mark Contreras in center, leading to an inside-the-park home run––the first in Polar Park history.
Heading into the bottom of the seventh, the game remained tied at eight as the WooSox came up to bat with a chance to walk it off. After Contreras’ single, Valdez’s fifth hit of the day, and Gasper’s one-out walk loaded the bases, Jamie Westbrook lined a base hit into center to give the WooSox a 9-8 game one victory.
WESTBROOK WALKS IT OFF!!!! pic.twitter.com/7MfWOsobEh
— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) August 1, 2024
Hurling the final three innings for Worcester and allowing only one run, Justin Hagenman (W, 2-4) earned the win while southpaw Mason Fluharty (L, 4-3) was handed the loss for Buffalo.
In the 42 minutes between games, the WooSox bats did not cool down.
Worcester scored four runs in the first on two home runs ––making it nine first inning runs during the doubleheader. After the rehabbing Triston Casas was hit by a pitch, Vaughn Grissom blasted a two-run shot just over the flower bed and onto the berm in left field. Hickey followed with his own two-out two-run home run well-over the Worcester Wall. It was the backstop’s 11th of the year and gave Worcester a 4-0 lead.
Grissom got all of this one 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/XB8gV7F1em
— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) August 1, 2024
Meidroth added to the WooSox’ lead in the second by belting his sixth long ball of the season and third WooSox home run in two innings. Casas followed with his first hit back at Polar Park, but the bats would not score again in the inning. At the end of two, the WooSox held a five-run advantage––but that changed quickly in the top of the third.
Meidroth's turn! ☄️
— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) August 1, 2024
The WooSox have hit 3 home runs so far in this game and it's only the 2nd inning. pic.twitter.com/SJYixMjHuN
Alan Roden led off the frame with a double and scored on Riley Tirotta’s RBI single. Gabriel Cancel followed with his own RBI knock, which loaded the bases for Robertson. After hitting an inside-the-parker in game one, Robertson crushed a grand slam––with the ball leaving the field of play this time––for his second home run of the day and 17th of the year.
The six-run third for Buffalo would end the day for Zach Penrod, who was making his second start since coming off the Injured List. The WooSox southpaw finished with a line of 3 IP, 5 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 7 K. The Bisons continued to add against reliever Jorge Benitez, scoring two runs in the fourth inning on one hit, three walks, and a hit by pitch. By the end of the inning, Buffalo held an 8-5 lead.
Wyatt Olds entered for Benitez to begin the fifth and kept the Bisons at bay in two innings of work. The 24-year-old pitched the final three innings for Worcester, allowing just one hit and striking out six. But, after putting up five runs in the first two innings, the WooSox offense was equally held dormant by Buffalo’s pitching for the remainder of the game. Worcester would drop the second game of Thursday’s doubleheader, 8-5.
Penrod (L, 0-1) was the losing pitcher in game two while Adrian Hernandez (W, 1-0) earned the victory for Buffalo. With Thursday’s split, the WooSox are now 0-2-7 in nine doubleheaders this season (no sweeps, twice swept, and seven splits).
Worcester and Buffalo will resume their six-game series at 6:45 p.m. on Friday night at Polar Park. The WooSox will send Richard Fitts (5-5, 4.90) to the mound opposite the Bisons’ Trenton Wallace, who will be making his first career Triple-A start. The game will be broadcasted live on NESN+ and radio coverage begins at 6:25 p.m. on 98.9 Nash Icon and the WooSox Radio Network.