IL Worcester Red Sox

Rafaela, Dalbec and Abreu Homer in Doubleheader Split with Buffalo

Published on August 11, 2023 under International League (IL)
Worcester Red Sox News Release


WORCESTER, M.A. - The Worcester Red Sox (22-14, 61-50) and Buffalo Bisons (20-16, 54-57) split a doubleheader on Friday at Polar Park, a 7-1 Buffalo win in game one and a 5-0 victory for the home team on the back end.

In game two, Ceddanne Rafaela opened the scoring, continuing his torrid power streak since joining the WooSox. With two on in the third, he lifted a three-run home run the other way to put the home team on top 3-0.

Since being promoted to Triple-A on June 28, Rafaela is tied for the International League lead with 12 home runs (with Memphis' Luken Baker, the IL season leader) and also leads in extra-base-hits.

After a Bradley Zimmer RBI infield single in the fourth made it 4-0, the long ball once again delivered for Worcester. Wilyer Abreu worked a 1-1 count with one out in the fifth, then launched a 408-foot home run to dead center, a solo shot to extend the lead to five.

Abreu now has 16 home runs in 76 games, second-most on the team.

Brandon Walter went three scoreless to start, and the relief trio of Ryan Fernandez, Joe Jacques and Nick Robertson combined to give the WooSox their third shutout win of the season.

Tanner Houck was strong in a game one start for Worcester, posting the following line: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K on 34 pitches (23 strikes). After allowing a hit in the first, he retired seven straight Buffalo hitters to end his outing.

Houck threw 15 sliders, recording 11 strikes and five swing-and-misses.

Following Houck's departure, Buffalo would score seven of the next eight runs. Orelvis Martinez put the road team up 3-0 with a three-run home run to dead center off Brendan Nail, the third of the Triple-A career for Toronto's number four prospect.

Bobby Dalbec clubbed his 28th homer in the sixth, an opposite field shot that just crept over the Worcester Wall in right. Dalbec ranks second in the International League in long balls, trailing only Baker.

Buffalo blew the game open late in the top of the seventh, scoring four times on a two-run single by Ernie Clement, an RBI walk from Martinez and a Tanner Morris sac-fly, the final runs of game one.

With the split, Worcester is 5-2-4 in doubleheaders this season.

The WooSox continue the six-game series and 12-game homestand on Saturday at 4:05 p.m. against the Buffalo Bisons, affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. On the mound, Brian Van Belle (1-2, 8.02) faces Mitch White (0-1, 10.45). Television coverage is on NESN+, while radio coverage is live on 98.9 Nash Icon and the WooSox Radio Network.

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International League Stories from August 11, 2023


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