Bisons Notes 5/14/10 - Norfolk at Buffalo (7:05 p.m.)

Buffalo Bisons (19-15, 3rd(-2.0), North) vs. Norfolk Tides (15-20, 4th(-6.0), South)

Friday, May 14, 2010 (7:05 p.m.) - Coca-Cola Field

RHP R.A. Dickey (3-2, 2.56) vs. RHP Chris Tillman (3-3, 3.49)

TV: Time Warner Cable SportsNet 13 Radio: WWKB AM 1520, WGR Sportsradio 550, http://www.bisons.com/


TODAY’S GAME: Tonight, the Bisons face the Norfolk Tides in the first game of a four-game series from Coca-Cola Field (7:05 p.m.). Today’s contest starts an eight-game homestand for the Herd as it will also welcome Charlotte to town, May 18-21. Buffalo is coming off a 3-5 roadtrip, but has won the past two nights. The Bisons are 10-4 at home while the Tides are 6-10 on the road.

vs. THE TIDES: Tonight’s game is the first match-up between the Bisons and the Tides this season. Last year, the Herd collected the 4-3 season-series win. Since 1998, Buffalo has a 57-35 record against Norfolk, good for a .620 winning percentage. The Bisons have lost just one season series to the Tides in the last 12 seasons (2008, 3-4).

HIT MACHINE: OF JESUS FELICIANO singled in last night’s victory to push his average to .351 on the season. The Bisons’ outfielder now holds the top spot in the International League, .002 ahead of INF STEVE PEARCE (who is now playing with Pittsburgh). Last season, Feliciano led the IL with 154 hits.

NEW KID ON THE BLAQ: In just his second career Triple-A game, C JEAN LUC BLAQUIERE hit a pair of home runs last night. The catcher had a three-run shot and a solo blast in the victory. INF MIKE HESSMAN is the only other Bisons batter to have two homers in one game this season as he accomplished the feat on April 27 against Durham. Blaquiere now has two doubles, two home runs and four RBI in his first eight at-bats above the Single-A level.

CLUTCH!: With 38 runs driven in, INF MIKE HESSMAN has five more RBI than any other batter in the International League. The Bisons’ slugger is averaging .415 (17-41) with a 1.000 slugging percentage with runners in scoring position. Hessman hit in all eight games of the Bisons roadtrip (.357, 10-29).

ROSTER MOVES: INF VALENTINO PASCUCCI and C J.R. HOUSE have been signed by the Mets and assigned to the Herd. Both were playing in the Independent Atlantic League. Pascucci hit .275 (14-51) with three homers and nine RBI in 14 games with the Camden Riversharks. House had a .345 (20-58) with eight RBI in 16 games with the Newark Bears. To make roster room, OF FERNANDO MARTINEZ was placed on the disabled list (left hamstring strain).

METS UPDATE: The Mets (18-17) lost to the Marlins, 2-1, last night in Florida. New York had just four singles in the loss. Former Bisons INF IKE DAVIS had one of those hits and is now averaging .292 on the season. LHP JOHAN SANTANA allowed just one unearned run in seven innings of work. The Mets take on the Marlins again tonight at 7:10 p.m.