Hickey Homers Again, WooSox Win Second Straight in Buffalo

BUFFALO, NY — The Worcester Red Sox (20-20) scored five runs in the fifth inning to come from behind for the second-straight game to beat the Buffalo Bison (14-25) 8-4 on Wednesday night at Sahlen Field.

Buffalo opened the scoring with a two-run homer from Davis Schneider in the bottom of the first.

The WooSox responded with a run in the second thanks to a sacrifice fly from Yasmani Grandal.

In the fifth, the WooSox sent nine batters to the plate and scored five runs. Marcelo Mayer knocked in a run with a single. Then, both Trayce Thompson and Grandal drove in a pair. Thompson doubled in two, and Grandal laced a two-run single to give the WooSox a 6-2 lead.

The Bisons chipped away in the sixth, as Joey Loperfido hit a solo homer.

In the top of the seventh, Nathan Hickey blasted a two-run homer to make it an 8-3 game. Hickey has homered in back-to-back games and three times in his last five games.

A Christian Bethancourt single in the last half of the seventh made it 8-4, but the WooSox were able to hang on.

Right-hander Brian Van Belle made his fifth start of the season and turned in his first quality start. Van Belle tossed six innings and allowed three runs without walking anybody. Tonight marked his longest outing since September 15, 2023.

The WooSox continue the six-game series with the Buffalo Bisons on Thursday at 6:05 p.m. On the mound, Lazaro Estrada is the scheduled starter for Buffalo. Radio coverage begins at 5:45 p.m. on 98.9 Nash Icon and the rest of the WooSox Radio Network.