IL Worcester Red Sox

Lopez' Eighth Inning Triple Gives WooSox 7-6 Win at Buffalo

Published on August 28, 2021 under International League (IL)
Worcester Red Sox News Release


BUFFALO, N.Y. - Jack Lopez delivered a go-ahead eighth inning triple to lead the Worcester Red Sox (54-46) past the Buffalo Bisons (56-41), a 7-6 win in a three hour, 57 minute affair at Sahlen Field on Saturday night.

It was a 6-6 game entering the top of the eighth inning, and with one out, Delino DeShields drew a walk to put the eventual winning run on base for the WooSox. Lopez saw one pitch go by, then cracked a deep fly ball that snuck over the right fielder-by the time the ball was retrieved, DeShields had crossed the plate, Lopez was standing on third with his first triple of the season and Worcester led 7-6.

Brandon Brennan and Kaleb Ort (15th save) combined to hold Buffalo scoreless over the final two innings, and the WooSox notched their sixth straight victory, one victory away from tying the team's longest win streak of the year.

The road team scored first in each of the first four games, and Worcester continued the trend on Saturday, plating three in the opening inning. Singles from Delino DeShields and Jack Lopez began the night, and after a groundout, Joey Meneses and Josh Ockimey did exactly what they would later do in the seventh: come through back-to-back knocks, this time each brought home a run. Downs followed with his first sacrifice fly of the day to make it 3-0.

After Chris Herrmann homered in the top of the fourth inning to make it 4-0, Buffalo answered with a rally in the bottom of the fifth.

Working against WooSox starter Connor Seabold, the Bisons put two men on with one out. Tyler White was next, and he doubled Logan Warmoth home. Danny Jansen, on a Major League rehab assignment from Toronto, was next, and he crushed a two-run home run over the left field wall to tie the game. Altogether, Seabold allowed four runs over 4.1 innings, striking out four and walking two in a no decision.

It was a 4-4 game in top of the sixth inning, when the Bisons went to Julian Merryweather out of the bullpen. The right-hander allowed a single to Downs, got a strikeout, gave up another single to Chris Herrmann and walked Chad De La Guerra to load the bases. Merryweather struck out DeShields, his final pitch of the night, and Kyle Johnston came in to the game with the bases full and two outs in a tie game. The first pitch from Johnson plunked Jack Lopez, scoring Downs, for a go-ahead hit-by-pitch.

The WooSox extended their 5-4 lead in the seventh inning, a frame that began with a single from Meneses-part of his fourth straight multi-hit game-and a knock by Ockimey. Downs then stepped up with runners on first and third and flew out to deep left field, bringing Meneses home for a sac-fly that extended the Worcester lead to 6-4.

But once again Buffalo came right back, putting runners on second and third versus reliever Zack Kelly in the bottom of the seventh. Nash Knight grounded out to second to score a run, and one batter later, Warmoth hit a shallow fly ball to center-DeShields caught it but his throw to the plate was just behind the runner Cullen Large, tying the game before Lopez' triple in the eighth.

The WooSox continue the six-game series Sunday at 1:05 p.m. against the Buffalo Bisons, the team's first and only road trip to Sahlen Field. Radio coverage starts live at 12:45 p.m. on 98.9 Nash Icon and the WooSox Radio Network. On the mound, Worcester's Raynel Espinal (9-4, 3.74) faces Nick Allgeyer (4-4, 4.73).

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International League Stories from August 28, 2021


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