WORCESTER – In their rain-shortened series finale, the Worcester Red Sox (15-18)/(50-58) settled for a series split, losing 10-1 to the Buffalo Bisons (14-19)/(51-56) on Sunday afternoon at Polar Park.
Triston Casas (1-for-3, 2B) and Vaughn Grissom (1-for-2, BB) continued their rehab assignments on Sunday and each recorded a hit.
Quinn Priester made his first start with the WooSox since being acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates ahead of the trade deadline and looked to make a nice first impression in his new threads. However, the 23-year-old struggled with his command in the first inning, allowing four runs on three hits, three walks, and two wild pitches.
Will Robertson’s three-run double led the Bisons’ offense in the inning as the team took an early 4-0 lead.
In the bottom of the second, Worcester got a run back thanks to some small ball. With men on the corners and two outs, Tyler McDonough broke for second and, as Buffalo catcher Nick Raposo threw down to second, Eddy Alvarez took off for the plate. The relay home was late as Alvarez scored the WooSox’ first run of the game to cut their deficit to three.
After a bounce-back second inning for Priester, his struggles continued in the third. Four batters into the frame, the bases were loaded for Cam Eden who lined a two-run single into left, ending Priester’s afternoon. Bailey Horn was first out of the ‘pen for the WooSox and entered the game hoping to stop the bleeding.
Added to Worcester’s roster on Sunday following his option from Boston, the southpaw surrendered an RBI knock and sacrifice fly before the inning finally ended. All four runs were charged to Priester’s line who finished the day with eight runs allowed in just 2.1 innings.
The Bisons offense continued to add in the sixth inning when six-time All-Star and 2010 National League MVP Joey Votto belted a two-run shot over the Worcester Wall – his first home run with Buffalo this season. The 40-year-old signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays this past offseason but had been on the injured list since April 7.
