BUFFALO, NY – Max Scherzer threw three shutout innings for the Buffalo Bisons. However, they fell 8-5 after giving up a grand slam in the seventh inning against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs on Sunday afternoon at Sahlen Field.
Scherzer walked two batters and struck out four on the mound. He was sent down to Buffalo on injury rehab, after being placed on the 15-day injured list for right forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation. Scherzer has been on the injured list since April 25.
Just like yesterday, the Bisons got on the board first. In the top of the third inning with two outs, RJ Schreck hit an RBI single to shallow right field. Willie MacIver added onto Buffalo’s lead with an RBI double to left-center field, giving the Bisons a 2-0 lead. MacIver soon crossed home plate in the inning, as Josh Kasevich launched a single to right field that deflected off the glove of Liover Peguero.
Lehigh Valley cut into the lead in the top of the fifth. Bryan De La Cruz drilled a double to right-center field, scoring both Peguero and Christian Cairo. After De La Cruz’s double, Caleb Ricketts hit a sac-fly to center field to drive in De La Cruz, tying the game 3-3.
In the bottom of the inning, the Bisons snapped the tie. MacIver singled to left field, scoring Davis Schneider from second base. After MacIver’s single, Josh Kasevich hit a sac-fly to left field to score Schreck, giving Buffalo a 5-3 lead.
The IronPigs cut the lead in half in the top of the sixth. De La Cruz hit a sacrifice fly to right field, driving in Gabriel Rincones Jr.
With two outs in the top of the seventh inning, Lehigh Valley took their first lead of the game. Peguero crushed the grand slam to left field to give the IronPigs an 8-5 lead.
Buffalo and the Worcester Red Sox are scheduled for a 6:05 p.m. pitch on Tuesday at Polar Park. It will be the first game of the series. Pregame coverage on The Bet 1520 AM, the Audacy app, and Bisons.com begins broadcast coverage at 5:45 p.m.