Worcester, MA – After back-to-back nights beating Toronto Blue Jays stars Dylan Cease and Max Scherzer, the Worcester Red Sox made it three in a row over yet another Blue Jay standout pitcher on a rehab assignment as they defeated the Buffalo Bisons (AAA-Toronto), 7-4 on Saturday afternoon in front of another big crowd of 7,277 at Polar Park.
The WooSox scored twice in the 1st inning off RHP Shane Bieber, the 2020 American League Cy Young Award winner who has been on Toronto’s injured list since March 22 with elbow inflammation, and added a run in the 2nd inning, but Bieber escaped with a no-decision. Worcester used a 4-run, 6th inning to break a 3-3 tie and hold on for a 7-4 victory.
Bieber, who hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since he was charged with the loss in relief in Game 7 of the World Series last November 1, finished with a line of – 2.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO.
Worcester started fast facing a Major League starter for the third straight game. In fact, in the three games against Dylan Cease (a 5-1 win on Thursday), Max Scherzer (a 6-3 victory on Friday), and Bieber (a 7-4 win), the WooSox scored 12 runs in the 12.2 innings thrown by the trio of rehabbing Blue Jays.
Back to back, two out RBI doubles by catcher Matt Thaiss and 3B Vinny Capra accounted for Worcester’s 2 runs in the 1st inning and Tyler McDonough’s long solo HR (his first in just his third game with the WooSox) made it a 3-0 Sox lead in the 2nd.
Eduardo Rivera started for the Sox in place of lefty Alec Gamboa, who was recalled by Boston earlier in the afternoon, and Rivera tossed 2 hitless innings. Boston reliever Garrett Whitlock, making his first rehab appearance (left knee inflammation), came on to work the 3rd inning. He began with a three-pitch strikeout of Je’Von Ward but then gave up a single to Josh Rivera and back-to-back walks to load the bases.
Whitlock, who threw 21 pitches in his inning, escaped the jam by inducing Buffalo’s #2 batter Josh Kasevich to bounce into a 5-4-3 double play. It was Worcester’s 10th double play turned in their last four games.
Buffalo scored single runs in the 4th, 5th, and 6th innings to tie the game at 3-3, but the WooSox answered right away with a decisive 4-spot in the bottom of the 6th. Allan Castro’s 2-run opposite field double was the tie-breaking blow. McDonough added a sac fly and Braiden Ward, who again played outstanding defense in center field, had an RBI single to cap the uprising.
Ward, Thaiss, and Capra all had 2 hits apiece and Castro and McDonough both had 2 RBI. The win went to Jacob Webb (2-0) who was charged with an unearned run in his 2 innings of relief. Conor Larkin (0-1) took the loss giving up the 4 runs (only 1 earned) in the 6th inning.
The WooSox will take their 4 games to 1 series lead into the finale on Sunday afternoon at 1:05 pm at Polar Park. RHP Grant Rogers (2-5) will break the streak of Buffalo rehab starters while the WooSox starter is TBD. Sunday’s game will be televised live on NESN+ and broadcast on radio on NASH 98.9 FM.
As part of Heart Health Awareness Day on Sunday at Polar Park, the first 5,000 fans will receive a Clara, The Heart of the Commonwealth bobblehead, compliments of ckSmithSuperior. It will also be a Holden Town Takeover, presented by Rodenhiser, and Kids (of all ages) will get to Run the Bases post-game.