TRENTON, NJ. – The Worcester Red Sox opened its first season against the Toronto Blue Jays affiliate Buffalo Bisons on Tuesday night in Trenton, NJ.
The first Worcester batter in team history was center fielder Jarren Duran. Home plate umpire Junior Valentine called Duran out on strikes on a 2-2 pitch.
Worcester went down in order in the first.
The Opening Day starting pitcher for Worcester, Tanner Houck, got in trouble quickly in the bottom of the first.
The Bisons opened the inning with back-to-back singles before a fly ball to center field turned into a gift double play at first base.
After catching a break, Houck couldn’t get out of the inning clean. Buffalo DH Tyler White doubled to right center driving in Forrest Wall from second.
The next batter, Buffalo right fielder Josh Palacios, singled to center to drive home White. Two pitches later, Worcester catcher Connor Wong threw out Palacios trying to steal second to end the inning.
Worcester First Baseman Michael Chavis became the team’s first baserunner when hit by a pitch to lead off the second inning.
With one out in the inning, third baseman Yairo Muñoz delivered the first hit for Worcester with a single to left field.
Two consecutive strikeouts ended a scoreless top of the second inning.
Houck pitched a scoreless second inning, while striking out two before a single with two outs in the third made the score 3-0.
Houck did not return after the third and ended allowing 3 runs on 8 hits, four strikeouts and no walks.
Worcester threatened in the third with a double by Chavis with one out and a single by Muñoz with two outs. A walk to left fielder Marcus Wilson loaded the bases with two outs.
The next batter, Worcester second baseman Johnathan Araúz, singled and drove in Chavis for the first run in WooSox history.
It was also the only run Worcester would score on opening day. The team recorded only one hit after the fourth inning.
Buffalo added three more runs in the eighth inning against Worcester reliever Kevin McCarthy to extend its lead to 6-0
The second game of the six-game series in Trenton is on Wednesday at 7 PM.
Lead image credit: Worcester Red Sox second baseman Jonathan Araúz/Worcester Red Sox
