By: Matt Hanes
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Bisons fell short against the Worcester Red Sox 4-2 Saturday night. The Bisons had a solid second inning, scoring their only two runs in the game. However they could not respond to the Red Sox as they battled through the late innings.
"I mean overall the guys battled, on the mound, at the plate," Bisons pitcher Andrew Bash said. "Just one of those ballgames where stuff happens and it is what it is."
Andrew Bash was the starting pitcher for the Bisons tonight. In 5.1 innings pitched on the night, he allowed zero hits and one run while having four walks and eight total strikeouts in his performance. Bash also had an astounding 95 pitches on the mound.
"They asked me how I felt each inning and I was perfectly fine. Everything has been working really well and I wanted to continue to throw as much as I could today basically," Bash said.
Despite Bash's strong performance on the mound, the Bisons offense could not capitalize on the plate, with a season record 15 strikeouts on the night. Red Sox pitcher Chase Shugart gave the Bisons trouble with seven strikeouts in three innings.
Orelvis Martinez recorded the first hit in the second inning of the game with a line drive double towards left field. Michael Turconi then fired a line drive towards right field to send Martinez into scoring position on third base. The Bisons were able to capitalize on a wild pitch from Richard Fitts, allowing Martinez to score their first of two runs.
After three straight walks thrown by Fitts, Turconi scored the second and last run for the Bisons, encountering a major offensive drought. Recent addition from the New Hampshire Fisher Cats Alan Roden ended the inning striking out swinging.
Roden had his AAA debut this game after being assigned to the Bisons on Friday, June 14. Roden recorded his first hit at the AAA level with a single fly ball towards left field.
"I hit a little bit of a bloop. I was hoping it would get down," said Roden. "But you know, when it did, I was happy about that and I was happy it was able to happen today."
Roden ended the day going 1-for-4 in the batters box, recording a hit while getting struck out twice.
The bullpen began to see issues in the later innings as well. The relief pitchers gave up a combined five hits after Bash checked out of the game.
The Red Sox began their scoring in the sixth inning. After Chase Meidroth and Nick Yorke were both walked, Niko Kavadas scored a double on a deep fly ball to right field that allowed both Meidroth and Yorke to score, tying the game up.
Worcester's attack continued in the eighth inning. A sharp center line drive from Kavadas allowed both Yorke and Matthew Lugo to score lead taking runs to make the game 4-2. The Bisons were unable to respond in the last two innings.
The Bisons drop to 35-33 on the season and remain fourth in the IL East. The Red Sox improve their record to 31-37 and jump up to seventh in the IL East. The series is currently split 3-2 in the Bisons favor. The Bisons look for a series finale win, hosting the Red Sox tomorrow at 1:05 p.m.
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