Worcester Red Sox Suffer Six-Run Eighth Inning in Road Loss to Buffalo (Video)

BUFFALO, NY – Chase Meidroth hits his third homer of the year, but a six-run eighth inning dooms the Worcester Red Sox (30-37) as the club falls seven games under .500 after their loss 8-3 against the Worcester Red Sox (30-37). Buffalo Bisons (35-32) in game four of their six-game series at Buffalo.

Continuing her rehabilitation mission, Romy Gonzalez, who made her WooSox debut on Thursday night, played a crucial role in Friday’s game. The 27-year-old, batting second and playing the entire game at first base, had one hit in four at-bats, contributing to the team’s performance.

Jason Alexander, who got off to a good start against Rochester on June 8, where he pitched six shutout innings, continued his impressive form in the game against the Buffalo Bisons. The 31-year-old, who started the game on the mound for Worcester, allowed just one unearned run and struck out six Bison batters in five innings.

With two June starts under his belt, Alexander has held opponents to a .114 batting average and has yet to allow an earned run in 11 innings of work.

While the WooSox sent a traditional starter to the mound in Alexander, the Bisons opted for a bullpen game Friday night. In 4.1 scoreless innings, Buffalo leadoff Nick Fraze scattered three hits and struck out three.

Trailing 1-0 entering the sixth inning, Chase Meidroth broke through for Worcester, throwing his third long ball of the year. For the WooSox utility infielder, it was his first home run since May 5 against Lehigh Valley. With two more hits on Friday, the 22-year-old is now hitting .287 with a astronomical .448 OBP.

Alexander was relieved by Isaiah Campbell to start the bottom of the sixth, finishing the night with a line of 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 6 K. In his only inning, Campbell threw a frame scoreless and had a strikeout to keep the game at one.

To start the seventh, Matthew Lugo lined a ball into the left-center space and was thinking a three-pointer out of the box. However, an excellent throw by center fielder Steward Berroa downed the speedy WooSox outfielder at third for the first out of the inning.

Two Worcester batters were retired to send the game into the seventh inning.

Luis Guerrero came in for Campbell to start the eighth and after two quick outs, he walked the final two batters in the Bisons order. With Berroa batting for Buffalo, Guerrero induced a grounder that should have ended the inning, but a misplay allowed a run to score and gave Buffalo a 2-1 lead.

The Bisons broke the game open in the bottom of the eighth. Buffalo scored six runs in the frame on four walks and three hits, including shortstop Michael Turconi’s three-run double that put the exclamation point in the inning.

Starting the ninth with a seven-run deficit, the WooSox got two back after doubles by Nick Yorke and Nathan Hickey and Matthew Lugo’s bloop RBI single.

However, two was all the WooSox could get through as Worcester lost the fourth game of its six-game set at Buffalo, 8-3. Paxton Schultz picked up the win for the Bisons, while Guerrero suffered his second loss of the year.

The WooSox and Bisons will continue their series Saturday night at 6:35 p.m. in Buffalo. On the mound, Worcester’s Richard Fitts (4-2, 4.02 ERA) is scheduled to face Buffalo’s Andrew Bash (2-0, 3.91 ERA).