Herd Game Notes

TODAY’S GAME:

Tonight, the Buffalo Bisons take on Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees in the final game of a two-game series from PNC Field (7:05 p.m.). The Herd is looking for the sweep of the two games after defeating the Yanks last night, 7-3. The Bisons are now 1-3 on their rain-shortened five-game roadtrip that ends today. After an off-day on Thursday, the Bisons will open up a four-game series against the Syracuse Chiefs back at Coca-Cola Field.

HERE’S FREDDY:

RHP Freddy Garcia makes his 2009 debut today. The two-time American League All-Star missed most of last season recovering from labrum surgery on his right shoulder. Garcia has a career major league record of 118-77 with a 4.07ERA in 266 games. He won 13 or more games in seven seasons, including an 18-6 record with Seattle in 2001. That year, he led the American League with a 3.05ERA.

IN THE CLUTCH:

Four of the Bisons seven runs last night came with two outs. OF Fernando Martinez got the Herd on the board with a two-out, two-run single in the 3rd inning. INF Michel Abreu and OF Jason Cooper added insurance with back-to-back two-out RBI-singles in the 8th inning. As a team, Buffalo was 3-8 (.375) with runners in scoring position last night.

THE BIG THREE:

Twenty of the Bisons 38 runs this year have been driven in by three players. INF Nick Evans and INF Michel Abreu both collected RBI last night to remain tied for the team lead with 7RBI on the season. OF Fernando Martinez knocked in three against the Yankees to give him 6RBI this year. COOP-A-LOOP: OF Jason Cooper is approaching another team milestone. ‘Coop drove in his first run of the year last night, giving him 223RBI in a Bisons uniform. He is now just 22RBI shy of Bill Selby’s team record of 245. Cooper has hit in all three games since being activated with a .273 (3-11) average. His Bisons Modern Era record for games played is now at 413.