WooSox Drop Second Straight in Buffalo, 5-2

BUFFALO, NY –– Despite a solid start by Justin Hagenman, the Worcester Red Sox (29-36) fall to the Buffalo Bisons (34-31) on Wednesday night by a final score of 5-2 in their second matchup of a six-game road trip.

To begin the game, WooSox starting pitcher Justin Hagenman ran into early trouble as Steward Berroa willed himself into scoring position by stealing his 28th base of the year with nobody out. The right-hander, though, picked up two strikeouts and a groundout to leave Buffalo’s speedy outfielder stranded.

In the third inning, Hagenman once again found himself having to work around a jam with two outs and men on second and third. However, the 27-year-old was not fazed and got out of the inning following a huge strikeout. After three innings, Hagenman’s night was done as he finished with a line of 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, and 4 K.

Brian Van Belle entered in relief for Hagenman, and followed the WooSox starter’s early success by holding Buffalo scoreless in his first two innings of work. Nick Yorke helped the righty out with an excellent run-saving catch to end the bottom of the fourth inning.

By the sixth inning, Worcester and Buffalo remained in a 0-0 ballgame. While the WooSox went down quietly in their half of the sixth, the Bisons finally broke through.

With two on and two out, Will Robertson ripped an opposite-field double down the left field line to clear the bases, giving Buffalo a 2-0 lead. Following a mound visit, Van Belle struck out the next batter to end the inning with minimal damage. Nevertheless, Buffalo held a two-run advantage.

The WooSox offense, though, battled back in the seventh. Following a walk and double, Worcester had two men in scoring position with Tyler Heineman stepping to the plate. Serving as the WooSox designated hitter on Wednesday, the 32-year-old drove in Mickey Gasper with a sacrifice fly to center to cut Buffalo’s lead in half. After a two-out walk to Mark Contreras, Corey Rosier smoked a ball off the glove of Buffalo’s first baseman to bring the tying run across the plate. Entering the seventh inning stretch, Buffalo and Worcester were knotted up at two.

Naoyuki Uwasawa relieved Van Belle to begin the bottom of the seventh, but struggled with command. The Bisons took the lead without recording a hit after the righty walked four and recorded just one out. Following a brief mound visit, Damiano Palmegiani lined a ball out of Contreras’ reach in center to plate two more runs for the Blue Jays’ farmhand. Down by three, AJ Politi entered to put an end to the Bisons rally. After seven innings, the WooSox trailed, 5-2.

With six outs remaining for the WooSox offense, the bats went down quietly. Buffalo’s 5-2 victory handed Worcester their third straight loss as Uwasawa drops to 3-3 on the season.

On Thursday, the WooSox and Bisons will resume their six-game series at 6:35 p.m. in Buffalo. In game three, Worcester will send Josh Winckowski (1-2, 4.19) to the mound opposite Aaron Sanchez (2-2, 9.00) for Buffalo. Radio coverage will begin at 6:15 p.m. on 98.9 Nash Icon and the WooSox Radio Network.