MOOSIC, PA - The Buffalo Bisons scored five times in the top of the first inning, but the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders were able to overcome the early deficit for a 9-6 win on Tuesday night at PNC Field.
Jose Berríos made his first start for the Bisons, using 70 pitches in four innings as he comes back from an injury that landed him on the 15-day injured list to begin the season. Berríos struck out two batters in his four innings of work.
The Bisons wasted no time in the opening game of the series, batting around in the top of the first inning and scoring five times. They were aided by the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre defense, as well as a pair of walks.
Carlos Mendoza led off the game with a walk against Yerry De Los Santos. He scored on a Riley Tirotta RBI ground ball to third base. Willie MacIver followed with a two-run base hit to left field that scored Josh Kasevich and Chales McAdoo. The back-to-back run producing base hits gave Buffalo a 3-0 lead.
Josh Rivera reached on a fielder’s choice, but an errant throw to second base allowed MacIver and Tirotta to score. That extended the Bisons advantage to 5-0 after just a half inning.
Berríos allowed a lead-off home run to Spencer Jones that cut into Buffalo’s lead 5-1 in the bottom of the first inning. However, the right-handed starter on a Major League injury rehab assignment retired the next three batters to preserve the four-run advantage.
But the RailRiders would strike for two runs in each the second and third innings, respectively, to tie the game 5-5. Jones hit a two-run single in the bottom of the second inning to trim the deficit to two. While Seth Brown hit a two-run home run to center field that tied the game at five in the bottom of the third.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre would score three more times on another home run. This time a three-run opposite field home run by Payton Henry gave the RailRiders an 8-5 in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Buffalo tried to mount a late-game comeback with a run in the top of the eighth inning to pull within two runs. Rivera hit a one-out single and scored on a double off the bat of William Simoneit. The designated hitter’s seventh double and ninth RBI with the Bisons cut the deficit to 8-6.
However, once again Jones provided the answer for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. His second home run of the night helped the lead-off hitter record his fourth RBI of the game as well. It extended the lead back to three runs, 9-6.
The two teams will meet for game two of their six-game series at PNC Field on Wednesday evening. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. on the Bisons Baseball Network. Pregame coverage with the ‘Voice of the Bisons’ Pat Malacaro and Dave Popkin begins at 6:15 p.m.