WooSox and Bisons Split Offense-Filled Doubleheader

WORCESTER, M.A. — The Worcester Red Sox (38-35) and Buffalo Bisons (46-26) each ran away from each other to split a doubleheader Thursday at Polar Park, a 7-0 WooSox victory in game one and an 8-1 Bisons win in the nightcap in front of 5,882 fans at Polar Park.

Worcester catcher Jett Bandy smashed two homers to lead the charge in game one, while Buffalo's Dilson Herrera went deep twice in the nightcap and Christian Colon drilled a grand slam home run.

The WooSox began game one with an offensive onslaught, plating five runs in the first inning. Yairo Muñoz set the tone by doubling to begin the frame, immediately extending his hitting streak to 21 games. After a flyout, Marcus Wilson brought him home with a double of his own.

After another popout, Michael Gettys grounded a ball to the left side—the shortstop Kevin Smith spiked the throw, and Wilson charged home to put the WooSox up 2-0. Tate Matheny was up next, and he cracked a double off the Worcester Wall, putting two on for Bandy.

Bandy entered the day with zero home runs for the WooSox. He worked a 2-2 count against Buffalo starter Anthony Kay (0-2), then blasted a three-run shot off the batter’s eye in center, a 434-footer to make the score 5-0.

Two innings later, Matheny came up with a runner up and this time tagged a double to left, scoring one to extend the Worcester lead to 6-0. The centerfielder now has hits in 9 of his last 14 games in Triple-A.

In the sixth, Bandy delivered his second homer of the day, a 373-foot long ball over the left field wall. On the mound, Austin Brice, Marcus Walden (4-3), John Schreiber and Kaleb Ort combined to toss Worcester’s third shutout of the season by allowing just three hits in the seven-inning affair.

Confirmed: Jett hits bombs 💥 pic.twitter.com/fPPwQt1hq5

— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) July 29, 2021

In game two the Bisons’ offense returned the favor, scoring in the first, fifth and seventh to win the back end of the doubleheader. Connor Seabold (0-2) got the start for the WooSox and made his Polar Park debut, tossing five innings of four-run ball, allowing eight hits with five strikeouts.

Seabold allowed a Herrera home run in the third to put Buffalo up 1-0 in the third. In the fifth, the second-baseman went yard again, 445 feet deep to left to make it 2-0.

Two batters later, Logan Warmoth came up with a runner on second and reached on a fielding error by third-baseman Ryan Fitzgerald. Kevin Smith followed with a double, and Tyler White delivered a run-scoring knock to extend the lead to 4-0.

Gettys answered with his fifth home run of the year in the sixth, part of a two extra-base hit night for the right fielder. But Colon crushed a grand slam in the seventh to put the game out of reach, the final hit in Buffalo’s 8-1 win to close the day.

The WooSox continue the six-game series Friday at 6:35 p.m. against the Buffalo Bisons at Polar Park. Television coverage is on NESN+, while radio coverage starts live at 6:15 p.m. on 98.9 Nash Icon and the WooSox Radio Network. Nick Allgeyer (3-2, 3.47) is scheduled to start for Buffalo.