BUFFALO, NY – Although the Buffalo Bisons picked up eight hits, four of them being doubles, they were kept quiet by the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders in a 9-1 loss on Friday night at Sahlen Field.
Jay Harry was the only Bison to have a multi-hit game. Harry hit his 10th double of the season in the bottom of the fifth inning and singled in the seventh and ninth.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre got off to a fast start thanks to J.C. Escarra, who was the first batter of the game. In the top of the first inning, Escarra drilled a solo shot to right field. Ernesto Martínez Jr. then gave the RailRiders a two-run cushion, as Martínez Jr. grounded into a force out at second base to score Oswaldo Cabrera.
Escarra continued to stay hot at the plate in the second. He smoked his second solo shot of the night, but this time to left field.
The Bisons would cut into the lead in the bottom half of the inning. Munguia doubled to right field, scoring Willie MacIver from second base to give the RailRiders only a 3-1 lead.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre would respond to start the sixth inning. Tyler Hardman blasted a solo shot to center field.
The RailRiders carried their offensive success into the seventh. Yanquiel Fernández singled on a fly ball that just dropped in center field, allowing Escarra to cross home plate to increase the lead to 5-1. Hardman went on to drill a single to center field, driving in Cabrera from second base.
Duke Ellis would further add cushioning to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s lead in the eighth inning. Ellis doubled to left-center field to score Kenedy Corona from first base, giving the RailRiders a 7-1 advantage. Escarra went on to hit a sacrifice fly to center field.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre carried its offensive momentum into the ninth. Corona singled to right field to score Fernández from third base, extending the RailRiders’ lead to 9-1.
Buffalo and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre are scheduled for a seven-inning doubleheader on Saturday at Sahlen Field with the first pitch being at 4:30 p.m. The RailRiders lead the series 3-0. Simeon Woods Richardson will start the first game on the mound while Jake Bloss will start the second for the Bisons. Pregame coverage on The Bet 1520 AM, the Audacy app, and Bisons.com begins broadcast coverage at 4:30 p.m.