WORCESTER, MA – Dylan Cease started on a Major League injury rehab assignment for the Buffalo Bisons but took the loss in the team’s 5-1 defeat at the hands of the Worcester Red Sox on Thursday evening at Polar Park.
Cease worked the first four innings, using 75 pitches to complete his first start since being placed on the Toronto Blue Jays 15-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. The right-hander struck out six batters overall, including the side in the bottom of the third inning.
Jonatan Clase had two hits and a solo home run to score the Herd’s only run of the game. His solo shot was his third home run of season.
Worcester got on the board first in the bottom of the second inning, starting with an RBI single by Matt Lloyd to score Allan Castro. Tsung-Che Cheng followed with a two run homer to score Lloyd and give the Red Sox an early 3-0 lead.
Braiden Ward homered over the Worcester Wall to start the bottom of the third. Castro later hit an RBI single to score Vinny Capra and extend the Red Sox lead to 5-0.
Pat Gallagher stepped onto the mound for Buffalo in the fifth and pitched a scoreless inning.
Clase scored the Herd’s first and only run of the game with a solo home run in the top of the seventh inning to cut the deficit to 5-1.
Richard Gallardo closed the game for Buffalo, pitching three scoreless innings.
Buffalo and Worcester are scheduled for a 6:05 p.m. first pitch on Friday evening for game four of this series. The Red Sox lead the series 2-1**.** Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer is slated to start on the mound for Buffalo to continue his rehab assignment. Pregame coverage on The Bet 1520 AM, the Audacy app, and Bisons.com begin at 5:45 p.m.