WooSox Rally to Defeat Bisons, 4-2

BUFFALO, NY –– On Saturday night, the Worcester Red Sox (31-37) earned their fifteenth come-from-behind victory this season, defeating the Buffalo Bisons (35-33) 4-2 in the penultimate matchup of their six-game set in Buffalo.

Richard Fitts got the start for Worcester on the mound, but the right-hander struggled with command and recorded just six outs in his shortest start of the year.

After striking out two Bisons in a one-two-three first inning, the 24-year-old needed 43 pitches to make it through the second. Orelvis Martinez led off the inning with a double and later scored on a wild pitch that kicked off the glove of WooSox catcher Tyler Heineman. Fitts proceeded to allow three free passes in the inning––including a bases-loaded walk––which gave Buffalo an early 2-0 lead.

It was an uncharacteristic start for the Alabama native, who finished the month of May allowing one run or less in four of his five outings. On Saturday night, Fitts finished with a final line of 2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K before handing the ball to the bullpen.

Chase Shugart was first out of the ‘pen for the WooSox and was dominant in his relief outing. Entering the night with 34 strikeouts in 29.1 innings, the former 12th round pick punched one ticket after the other. In three innings, the 27-year-old collected seven of his nine outs via the strikeout while allowing just two baserunners.

With Shugart dealing on the mound, the WooSox bats were looking to reward their reliever for keeping them in the ballgame.

Entering the sixth inning, Worcester had reached base only three times and were still looking for their first hit. With one out, Chase Meidroth and Nick Yorke drew back-to-back walks, setting the heart of the order up with a chance to do some damage. Niko Kavadas answered the call by smoking a 2-0 double off the wall in right to score both runners. Just like that, the WooSox put a crooked number in the hit column and tied the game in the process.

With the game knotted up at two, Isaiah Campbell entered for Shugart to begin the bottom of the sixth, but quickly found himself in a jam. A single and double led off the inning, giving the Bisons second and third with nobody out. With the go-ahead run 90-feet away, Campbell struck out the next two batters and needed just one more out to get through the trouble. The WooSox escaped the inning unscathed after the right-hander handed the ball to Lucas Luetge, who ended the frame with one pitch.

In the eighth inning, the top of the WooSox lineup started another rally. With one out, Meidroth drew his third walk of the game––raising his OBP to .477 during his 26-game on-base streak––and was followed by Yorke’s double to right that bounced out of the glove of Alan Roden. After a fielder’s choice, Kavadas deposited his second two-run double of the night into right-center, handing Worcester a two-run advantage.

Niko knocks in 2 more on a double and he has 4 RBIs on the night 💪 pic.twitter.com/JjAstUw3Cj

— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) June 16, 2024

Six outs away from securing the comeback victory, Luetge (W, 3-2) and Ryan Zeferjahn combined to pitch scoreless eighth and ninth innings, giving the WooSox a 4-2 win.

Worcester and Buffalo will wrap-up their six-game series at Sahlen Field on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. Grant Gambrell (3-6, 4.11) is scheduled to start for the WooSox while Bisons manager Casey Candaele is planning to roll out a bullpen game. Radio coverage begins at 12:45 p.m. on 98.9 Nash Icon and the WooSox Radio Network.