By Stephen Ur –
The Worcester Red Sox hosted the Buffalo Bisons on Opening Day 2024 at Polar Park in Worcester, MA on Tuesday afternoon. The team began their season under third year manager Chad Tracy. Cooper Criswell was on the mound for the WooSox as they began their fourth season in Worcester after moving from Pawtucket in 2021.
It was a pitcher’s duel through most of the game as Buffalo pitcher Yariel Rodriguez pitched four hitless innings, allowing just one walk while striking out six before he was pulled. Criswell gave up four hits and a walk and struck out five in five innings pitched.
With one out in the eighth inning, Mark Contreras attempted to score the first run of the game for Worcester, but he was thrown out at home. This allowed Nick Sogard to get to third base. The inning would end, however, as Dalton Gurthie hit a pop-up to center field. The game would go into the ninth scoreless. Neither team would score in the ninth, either, and the game went into extra innings still tied at zero.
The first score of the game came in the top of the 10th inning by way of Steward Berroa scored on a double hit by Addison Barger on a drive in right field. Barger would later score on a groundout double play from Henry Payton.
Hagen Danner would finish the job for the Bisons in the bottom half of the inning, and the WooSox dropped their Opening Day game by a final score of 2-0.
The two teams will play the second game of this opening series tomorrow afternoon at Polar Park. First pitch is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. ET.