By Tiffany Williams –
Saturday night the Massachusetts Pirates were home at the DCU Center in downtown Worcester. The Massachusetts Pirates closed out their regular season with eight straight wins and Saturday night they were looking to win their first playoff game against the Bismarck Bucks.
Massachusetts Pirates and the Bismarck Bucks both went the first quarter scoreless. The first quarter was a match of defensive greatness for both teams.
The playoffs are about teams that have grit, toughness and the drive. Offensively the Pirates had this in the first quarter but a Bucks defensive unit was like a brick wall that the Pirates could not get past.
The Bucks had the same issue of getting past a tough and rough Pirates defensive unit that has played smart and aggressively all season. Eventually Isaiah Strayhorn found that tight path past the Pirates and he got his second rushing TD of the season. The kick-after was good and it was a 7-0, Bucks lead.
As the second quarter began, it looked like the Pirates had a sliver of a chance to get by the Bucks defense. Eventually the Pirates did find a way and Alejandro Bennifield connected with Thomas Owens to get his 23rd TD of the season and his first in this game. The kick-after by Josh Gable was good to make it a 7-7 tie game.
With just under 3 minutes remaining in the second quarter, Alejandro Bennifield connected with Laquvionte Gonzalez for the Pirates second TD of the game. The kick-after was good by Gable to make it a 14-7, Pirates lead.
In the second quarter, as the clock came down to the final seconds, Alejandro Bennifield found his rhythm with his receivers. He needed that rhythm with his receivers to get the ball into a position where Gable could come in and get a field goal. With five seconds remaining in the second, Gable came in to do his thing and made a 26 yard field goal which made it a 17-7, Pirates lead.
With 5:31 remaining in the third quarter, Alejandro Bennifield connected with Thomas Owens in the endzone for his second TD of the game and his 24th of the season. The kick-after by Gable was good to make it Pirates 24-7 lead.
With 13:23 on the clock in the fourth quarter, Isaiah Strayhorn made his second TD of the night. The kick-after was no good and it was 24-13, Pirates lead.
With 11:17 on the clock in the fourth quarter, Alejandro Bennifield took the ball in for to get his seventeenth rushing TD of the season. The kick-after was no good and it was a 30-13, Pirates lead.
With 8:46 remaining in the fourth, Aarion Maxey-Penton had an interception return. The kick-after by Josh Gable was good to make it a 37-13, Pirates lead.
With less than two minute remaining in the game. Juston Christian got a TD, kick-after was good and it was a 44-13, Pirates lead.
After winning their first playoff game tonight the Massachusetts Pirates will play their second playoff game here at the DCU Center. That game will be next Saturday at 7:05 PM.
Saturday night in Buffalo, the Worcester Red Sox claimed their sixth straight win, beating the Buffalo Bisons 7-6.
At the top of the first Joey Meneses hit a single and Delino DeShields scored to make it a 1-0, Worcester lead.
At the top of the first, Josh Ockimey hit a single and Franchy Cordero scored to make it a 2-0, Worcester lead.
Jeter Downs hit a fly ball out to left field, it was caught by Logan Warmoth and Joey Meneses scored to make it a 3-0, Worcester lead.
Top of the fourth, Chris Herrmann hit his seventh homer of the season to make it a 4-0, Worcester lead.
In the bottom of the fifth, Logan Warmoth scored to make it 4-1, Worcester lead. Danny Jensen then hit a homer and got two RBI (Otto Lopez and Tyler White) to make it a 4-4, tie game.
At the top of the sixth, bases were loaded, Jack Lopez was hit by a pitch and took first base while Jeter Downs Scored to make it a 5-4, Worcester lead.
At the top of the seventh, Jeter Downs hit a fly ball out to left field, it was caught by Logan Warmoth and Joey Meneses scored to make it a 6-4, Worcester lead.
Bottom of the seventh, both Christian Colon and Cullen Large scored to make it a 6-6, tie game.
At the top of the seventh, Jack Lopez hit his first triple for the season and Delino DeShields scored to make it a 7-6, Worcester game.
The Worcester Red Sox who won their last home game against the RailRiders and now five games in Buffalo, have 6 consecutive victories. On Sunday when Worcester and Buffalo meet for game six of this six game series, Worcester will look to extend their winning streak to seven games.
On Saturday night in Cleveland, the Boston Red Sox claimed their third consecutive win after beating the Indians 5-3.
At the top of the first Kyle Schwarber hit his 27th homer of the season that was followed by J.D. Martinez scoring and it was 2-0, Boston lead.
In the Bottom of the second, Franmil Reyes hit his 24th homer of the season and that was followed up with Bradley Zimmer scoring to make it a 2-2, tie game.
This game went the next seven innings scoreless and then finally at the top of the tenth inning, J.D. Martinez hit his 24th homer of the season and got two RBI (Jarren Duran and Kyle Schwarber) to make it a 5-2, Boston lead. In the bottom of the tenth, Jose Ramirez scored to make it a 5-3, Boston game.
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