Lopez's Homer Not Enough in 3-1 Loss to Buffalo
June 26, 2018 - International League (IL1)
Pawtucket Red Sox News Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - Tasked with cobbling together nine innings on a last-minute bullpen day, the Pawtucket Red Sox stayed within striking distance of the Buffalo Bisons but fell 3-1 on Tuesday night at Coca-Cola Field.
The Bisons (35-35) broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the fifth inning on a two-run homer and warded off the PawSox (38-38) down the stretch to level the four-game series at a game apiece. Pawtucket had won six of its previous seven games after toppling the Bisons, 3-2, in Monday's series opener to climb above the .500 mark for the first time since May 8.
After scheduled starter Justin Haley was summoned to Boston to replace Steven Wright in the late afternoon, Pawtucket right-handed reliever Fernando Rodriguez Jr. made a spot start on two days rest and tossed three innings of one-run ball with a trio of strikeouts. Left-hander Williams Jerez (L, 2-1) ceded two runs on a walk, hit batter and four hits across the next two frames. Fellow southpaw Robby Scott then threw a season-high 39 pitches and logged two shutout stanzas in which he only allowed one hit to go along with three strikeouts. Righty Kyle Martin impressed in the eighth by striking out two in a tidy 10-pitch 1-2-3 inning.
Pawtucket second baseman Deiner Lopez, a 24-year old from Venezuela playing in just his second career Triple-A game, went 2-for-3 with a solo homer and a double to lead the offense.
Buffalo starter Sean Reid-Foley (W, 3-2), a 22-year old former second-round pick, fired 6.2 innings of one-run work in which he punched out eight. Former Florida Gator Justin Shafer (S, 6) locked up the victory in the ninth.
Buffalo built a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when shortstop Lourdes Gurriel stroked an RBI single to shallow left field, where the ball just popped out of the glove of PawSox outfielder Aneury Tavarez, who nearly made a fine running catch.
In the top of the fifth, Lopez pulled a solo homer to right field - his first long ball of the season between Pawtucket and Double-A Portland - to tie the game 1-1.
Moments later in the home half of the fifth, however, Buffalo right fielder Anthony Alford crushed a two-run homer to left field to vault the Bisons back ahead, 3-1.
The PawSox continue their four-game series with Buffalo on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. Pawtucket right-hander William Cuevas (5-4, 3.71) is scheduled to oppose Bisons righty Chris Rowley (4-4, 3.36). Radio coverage on WHJJ (920 AM and 104.7 FM) and throughout the PawSox Radio Network begins with the pre-game show at 6:35 p.m.
The PawSox then return to McCoy Stadium on July 2-3 (Monday-Tuesday) for the start of a holiday home-and-home series against the Rochester Red Wings (Minnesota Twins). Good seats are available, and fans can visit the McCoy Stadium box office, which is open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. through 5 p.m., and during all home games. Fans can also call (401) 724-7300 or log on to PawSox.com for tickets.
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