Scherzer, Tirotta lead Bisons to walk-off victory

By: Brayden Peters / Sports Writer

Max Scherzer throws a pitch on Friday, June 13, 2025. (Buffalo Bisons Baseball)

BUFFALO, N.Y. - The Buffalo Bisons put on a show for their 11,614 fans in attendance, beating the Columbus Clippers 6-5 in walk-off fashion. With the bases loaded and the game tied at five apiece, Bisons right fielder Riley Tirotta singled towards center field to drive in short stop Josh Rivera. Rivera got on base on a sac-bunt. Tirotta extended his hitting streak to 10 games with his performance today, as he also singled in the third inning.

"I think just continuing to grow in the game," Tirotta said. "It's my second year up in Buffalo and every day is an adjustment, every year is an adjustment. Just trying to put together good at bats, limit the swing and miss, find good pitches to hit and stay really stingy to that and continue to be stubborn in the box."

Going into the bottom of the ninth inning, the Bisons were down 5-3. They generated momentum after two straight singles from first baseman Rainer Nunez and catcher Phil Clarke. Rivera's sac-bunt allowed RJ Schreck, who pinched-ran for Nunez, to score and a double from third baseman Will Wagner drove in Clarke to tie the game.

Three-time Cy Young winner and eight-time All-Star Max Scherzer made his Bisons debut starting on the mound. The two-time World Series champion was sent down from Toronto as he was placed on 60-day IL on May 5 after suffering right thumb inflammation. In 4.1 innings, he struck out four and surrendered four hits and two runs.

"It's nice to face somebody else and be in a real game," Scherzer said. "It definitely takes you to another level, and it's a different level of competition...even though I was throwing strikes, I wasn't actually getting it into the exact spots I was trying to get into. That's just feel, that's just rhythm. You can pitch in many simulator games as you want, that's just not real. Until you're actually in a real game where you really got to put the ball where you want to, that just takes a little time, a little feel and a little rhythm."

Scherzer felt that he isn't ready just yet to rejoin the Blue Jays in Toronto, even though him and the organization will have to make a collective decision.

"I'll definitely need another one (rehab start) for sure," Scherzer said. "I'm chomping at the bits. I'm dying here. I want to be out there helping the team as much as anybody. I hate sitting here on the IL. I want to be out there competing and help the ball club win. I got to do my work here; I got to do this process right, got to build up right. If I do, I'll be back out there."

Clarke finishes his throw back to the pitcher after a pitch. (Buffalo Bisons Baseball)

Buffalo reliever Anders Tolhurst struck out five in four innings to provide support out of the bullpen.

The Bisons recorded 12 hits in the victory, four of them coming in the ninth inning. Tirotta, Clarke, Wagner, second baseman Michael Stefanic and center fielder Joey Loperfido all recorded two hits each. This game was the fourth time Buffalo came up in the clutch offensively and had a walk-off victory.

"Anytime you can get the leadoff guy on and string together hits, that's exactly what we're looking for in baseball," Clarke said. "Honestly, the environment here tonight probably helped a lot. Having a full Sahlen Field is awesome. There's not many minor league parks that are louder than this place when it's full and I think the guys feed into that and get a little more competitive in the box."

Buffalo broke the scoreless tie in the first inning. Loperfido drove in Wagner on a single to give the Bisons a 1-0 lead. Wagner singled to get on base.

Columbus would respond to start the second inning. Left fielder C.J. Kayfus dingered out to center field to tie the game up.

The Bisons would snap the tie late in the third inning. With two outs, Loperfido doubled to allow Rivera to score. Rivera singled to get on base to start the bottom half of the inning.

Once again, the game was knotted up at two apiece by the Clippers in the fourth inning. Kayfus hit a sac-fly to center field to allow third baseman Will Wilson to score. Wilson doubled to get on base to start the inning.

Columbus would take its first lead of the game in the seventh inning. First baseman Kyle Datres homered to center field to give the Clippers a 3-2 lead.

Tirotta gets into his batting stance as he waits for the pitch. (Buffalo Bisons Baseball)

However, Buffalo would respond with a home run of its own. Clarke hit a dinger to center field to earn his first homer of the season.

For the fourth time of the game, the tie was broken. In the eighth inning with two outs, Columbus catcher Kody Huff singled to drive in center fielder Petey Halpin from third base. Halpin walked to get on base.

Clippers second baseman Brayan Rocchio tried to extend Columbus' lead, but was thrown out at home plate by Tirotta, which surprised Tirotta. He has been experimented with by Buffalo as a utility player, being placed at every position except catcher, third base and pitcher.

"Kind of (surprised me)," Tirotta said. "Continuing to learn in the outfield. I'm a third baseman by trade, so I'm going to go out there and run a wall for whoever's on the mound. I saw that ball down, the guy on second had good speed, but I know I got a pretty good jump on it and just let it eat."

Columbus would extend its lead in the ninth inning to 5-3. Short stop Yordys Valdes scored from third base on a passed ball that deflected off of the glove of Clarke. Valdes tripled to get into scoring position. After Tolhurst struck out Haplin to end the top half of the inning, the Bisons drove in three runs to walk-off the Clippers.

Buffalo improved to 28-37 on the season and remain in eighth in the IL East. Columbus dropped to 28-36 and fell to eighth in the IL West.

The Bisons will host the Clippers today and first pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Adam Macko (0-0, 0.00) will take the mound to start for Buffalo while Vince Velasquez (2-2, 3.51) will start for Columbus.