By: Brayden Peters
BUFFALO, N.Y. - The Buffalo Bisons couldn't answer Kyle Brandt's call to mount up. Buffalo fell 8-3 to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders in extra innings on Kyle Brandt Bobblehead Giveaway Day. The Bisons offense was quiet for most of the game. After recording five hits between the first and fifth innings, the Bisons didn't record a hit afterward. Also, the team was struck out 16 times, the most this season.
"We need to do a better job offensively," Bisons manager Casey Candaele said. "We're not putting balls in play hard and, you know, just making easier outs but, you know, that's part of the game. If the team pitches well, then you just try and battle your way through it. We had a chance to win and couldn't hold onto it."
Pitching for the Bisons wasn't as impressive as on Friday, but it was still a decent performance. Ex-Yankee 2015 first-round pick James Kaprielian got the start on the mound. In five innings pitched, Kaprielian gave up five hits, a run and two walks while striking out one batter. Luis Quinones, who relieved Kaprielian, didn't do as well as him. Quinones surrendered two hits, a run and two walks while striking out two batters. If there was a pitcher who had a day to forget, it was Mike Mayers. He appeared in the eleventh inning and ended his night giving up four hits and five runs.
"You know, we pitched well up until some tough stuff happened in the 11th," Candaele said. "But, it was a well-played game. I mean, we pitched well."
The Bisons have now played in two straight games that went into extra innings. With the loss today, their record in games that go past the ninth inning drops to 3-7.
Buffalo struck first in the first inning. Rafael Lantigua hit a two-run single to drive in Gabriel Cancel and Will Robertson. Cancel got on base thanks to a throwing error on the shortstop Oswald Peraza. As for Robertson, he got a base on balls. Lantigua made it to second base after the ball was thrown in from left fielder Taylor Trammel to third baseman Jeter Downs.
The RailRiders cut the lead in half in the second inning. With the bases juiced, Brandon Lockridge got walked by Bisons starting pitcher James Kaprielian, allowing JC Escarra to cross home plate. Escarra got on base thanks to a single.
Buffalo got their lead back up to two runs in the third inning thanks to Miguel Hiraldo. He batted in Lantigua on a single to extend the Bisons' lead to 3-1. Lantigua got on base after recording his second single of the day.
"Things went good," Lantigua said. "I had a good game. I was making really good decisions and I just tried to be simple and go to the middle and good things happened."
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre continued to stay in the game. In the sixth inning, Peraza scored on a wild pitch from Quiones to cut the Bisons' lead to 3-2. Peraza got on base after getting walked by Quiones.
The game was soon tied in the eighth inning by the RailRiders. A sac-fly from Downs allowed Peraza to score, tying the game 3-3. Peraza got on base after recording his second double of the game.
Buffalo couldn't snap the tie in the eighth and neither team could in the ninth or 10th innings. The RaidRiders' offense exploded, though, in the 11th. Escarra sent the pinch runner T.J. Rumfield home on a single to give Scranton/Wilkes-Barre the lead.
This was just the beginning of an offensive onslaught in the inning. Trammel got to first on a fielder's choice that allowed Escarra to move to third base. Oscar Gonzalez, though, was gunned down at second base by Damiano Palmegiani. Gonzalez got on base after getting hit by a pitch from Mayers.
Brandon Lockridge proceeded to hit a single that drove in Escarra and Trammel, giving the RailRiders a 6-3 lead. The scoring didn't end there, as Agustin Ramirez singled to send Lockridge home. Peraza then singled to help Jorbit Vivas score, giving Scranton/Wilkes-Barre an 8-3 lead. Vivas got on base after getting hit by a pitch. Buffalo failed to respond in the bottom of the eleventh, as they went three up, three down at the plate.
"You know, it's a tough loss, but we as a team, we were battling until the end," Lantigua said. "I know a couple of things didn't happen like we wanted, but it's part of the game."
Buffalo drops to 43-51 overall and 6-14 in the second half. Also, they drop to last place in the IL East and are 1-1 in the series against the RailRiders. As for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, they improve to 50-43 overall and 7-12 in the second half. They remain in third place in the IL East.
The Bisons will look to take the series victory when they host the RailRiders Sunday at 1:05 p.m. Chad Dallas (2-3, 6.34) will get the start for Buffalo on the mound while Yoendrys Gomez (2-4, 4.20) will start for the RailRdiers. Sunday is also Meet Bluey & Bingo Day!
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