Bisons fall, 3-2, to the RailRiders in game one of doubleheader

The Bisons couldn't get the offense going until it was too late in a 3-2 defeat to the RailRiders in the first game of a Thursday night doubleheader at Trenton Thunder Ballpark. Cullen Large's two-run home run with two outs in the seventh inning wasn't enough to counter Scranton/Wilkes-Barre scoring in three consecutive innings.

After the two teams were held scoreless through five innings, the RailRiders’ got on the scoreboard by scoring in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings. The rival club doubled in three consecutive innings, putting runs on the board in all three frames.

Derek Dietrich singled to lead-off the top of 5th, but after two flyouts by the RailRiders, the inning seemed as if it would soon end and the two teams would be scoreless yet again. With two outs though, Jacob Waguespack left a ball on the inside part of the plate and Andrew Velazquez took advantage, roping the ball down the right-field line. The double scored Dietrich from first and the RailRiders took a 1-0 lead with just three at-bats left for the Herd.

The RailRiders added to their lead in the top of the 6th. With one out and Mike Ford on first base, Socrates Brito, a former Bison, hit a double of his own down the right-field line, moving Ford to third. Reliever Dany Jimenez then threw a wild pitch, scoring Ford and expanding the RailRiders’ lead to two runs. Jimenez was able to work out of the jam, limiting the bleeding for the Bisons.

Scranton Wilkes-Barre added one more insurance run to their lead in the top of the 7th. Armando Alvarez doubled and then worked his way to third on a wild pitch, giving the RailRiders a runner on third with no outs. After a strikeout and a ground out, it seemed as if Jackson McClelland was going to work his way out of the jam, but Greg Allen singled to right field, giving the rival club a 3-0 lead heading into the Herd’s final at-bat.

The Bisons didn’t go down without a fight. In the bottom of the 7th, with Jared Hoying on first base, Large homered to right-center field, cutting the lead to just one run. Dilson Herrera wasn’t able to keep the two-out rally going and the RailRiders took game one of the doubleheader. Large’s 7th inning home run was his first of the season.

Jacob Waguespack started on the mound for the Herd and had one of his best outing of the season so far. The big right-hander reached five innings on the bump for the second time this season, allowing just one run on four hits.

Waguespack was effective with his off-speed pitches, striking out the side in the second inning and five batters total throughout his five innings on the mound. The right-hander barely found himself in trouble against the powerful rival lineup, holding them to just one extra-base hit.

Two of the newest Bisons impressed in game one of the doubleheader. Jared Hoying and Rodrigo Vigil had three of the club’s four hits.

Hoying was signed to a minor league contract on May 30th from the Gulf Coast League and was assigned to the Herd on June 8th. Vigil joined the club on June 8th too after being optioned from the Double-A Fisher Cats.