Buffalo Bisons Game Notes

TODAY’S GAME:

Tonight, the Buffalo Bisons take on the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in the fourth game of a five-game in four-day series from Coca-Cola Park (5:35 p.m.). The Bisons trail 1-2 so far in the series but did collect the 6-4 victory last night. After today’s games, the Bisons and IronPigs will conclude the 2009 season with an afternoon game on Monday.

vs. THE IRONPIGS:

The Bisons are 6-8 against Lehigh Valley this season. The Bisons victory last night gives them the chance to still split the season series with the IronPigs. Buffalo would have to win the next two games to earn the 8-8 split. The two clubs split their first ever season-series in 2008 with each home team winning five or eight games.

OFF THE SNYD:

RHP Kyle Snyder makes his 15th start with the Herd tonight. A reliever and a starter for Buffalo this year, Snyder is 2-3 with a 4.70ERA in nine starts since re-entering the rotation on July 22. Last week, the Bisons named Snyder their Comeback Player of the Year. The veteran has pitched 104.1 innings (2nd on Bisons) this year after missing almost three months of the 2008 season with a groin injury.

HIT RACE:

The Bisons team MVP OF Jesus Feliciano used a three-hit game last night to take a three-hit lead in the International League hit race. Feliciano’s 151 hits on the season are three more than Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s OF Austin Jackson (148) and four more than Gwinnett’s INF Barbaro Cannizares (147). Feliciano becomes just the eighth Bisons player in the modern era to reach the 150-hit plateau. The last Bisons players to accomplish the feat where INF Jhonny Peralta (181) and INF Brandon Phillips (158) in 2004.

GETTING CHIPPY:

OF Chip Ambres enters tonight’s game on an 11-game hit streak. The veteran has hit .372 (16-43) since August 27, with three doubles, two home runs, seven RBI and six runs scored. It’s the second time Ambres has reached the 10-game mark with a hit streak this year. Ambres also hit in 10 straight from August 9-18, averaging .410 (16-39) over that stretch.

MEET THE METS:

The New York Mets (61-75) lost to the Chicago Cubs yesterday at Citi Field, 5-3. Former Bisons RHP Nelson Figueroa struck out eight in six innings but saw his record drop to 2-4. He allowed four runs on seven hits. Rookie C Josh Thole had two more hits and is now 4-9 in his first two big league games. Former Bisons OF Cory Sullivan homered for the second consecutive game. New York and the Cubs wrap up their three game series at 1:10 p.m. this afternoon.