BUFFALO, N.Y. (Interstat) — The Buffalo Bisons erupted for six runs in the fourth inning to overcome an early three-run deficit and defeat the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders 7-3 on Sunday afternoon in the first game of a doubleheader at Sahlen Field.

A crowd of 3,191 watched the Bisons even their season record at 1-1, while the RailRiders also moved to 1-1. The game lasted 2 hours, 2 minutes.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre struck quickly against Buffalo starter Austin Voth. Center fielder Spencer Jones led off the game with a solo home run to right-center field. Two batters later, Ernesto Martinez Jr. tripled sharply to center but was stranded.

The RailRiders added to their lead in the second when right fielder Yanquiel Fernández launched a solo homer to center, making it 2-0. They tacked on another run in the fifth on an RBI groundout by Jonathan Ornelas that scored Payton Henry, who had doubled.

Buffalo’s offense, held to just one run through the first three innings against RailRiders starter Dom Hamel, exploded in the fourth. The inning featured five hits, three walks and a critical error.

Josh Rivera walked and C.J. Stubbs singled to set the table. Ryan McCarty then lined a single to right, scoring Rivera. An errant throw by Fernández allowed Stubbs to take third and McCarty to reach second. Carlos Mendoza followed with a sacrifice fly to tie the game 3-3.

After two walks loaded the bases, Riley Tirotta delivered the decisive blow, a two-run single to center that scored McCarty and Jonatan Clase. Josh Kasevich followed with another RBI single to cap the six-run outburst and give Buffalo a 7-3 lead.

The Bisons’ bullpen sealed the victory. Devereaux Harrison, who entered in the fourth, earned the win with three innings of relief, allowing one run on one hit. He struck out one. Michael Plassmeyer pitched a scoreless seventh.

Hamel took the loss for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, charged with six runs, five earned, on six hits over 3 1/3 innings. RailRiders relievers Zach Messinger and Harrison Cohen combined for 2 1/3 scoreless innings in relief.

Jones and Fernández provided the offense for the RailRiders with their early home runs. For Buffalo, Clase went 2 for 3 with a walk and two runs scored, while Tirotta drove in two runs with his key single.

The most important part of the game was undoubtedly the bottom of the fourth inning. Trailing 3-1, the Bisons sent 12 batters to the plate, transforming a two-run deficit into a four-run lead. The rally was a combination of patience, timely hitting and capitalizing on a defensive mistake, shifting all momentum decisively to the home side.

The teams were scheduled to meet again for the second game of the doubleheader later Sunday. The RailRiders travel to Rochester for a six-game series starting Tuesday, while the Bisons head to Omaha for a six-game set beginning the same day.