PRESS RELEASE: - Bisons-Yanks Split Doubleheader

The Buffalo Bisons and Scranton Wilkes-Barre Yankees split a crucial doubleheader on Saturday from PNC Field. The Bisons took game one 4-0, before dropping the second game 2-1. Both games were very exciting and had the energy of playoff baseball.



The Bisons did gain ground in the Wild Card race with Columbus losing their game tonight 8-0 against Indianapolis. Buffalo finds themselves 1.5 games back of the Clippers with 10 games remaining on the schedule.

In the first game of the doubleheader Kei Igawa and Dillon Gee were in a pitchers duel. Igawa faced the minimum 12 batters through the first four innings. Gee threw a shutout through 5.2 innings and tied a season high with 11 strikeouts to bring his season total to 161.



The Bisons however, jumped on Igawa in the seventh inning. The Herd started off the frame getting three hits off the starter, including a two-run double off the bat of the hot Russ Adams.



Buffalo would add a two-run homer from Mike Cervenak, his seventh long ball of the year, to go up 4-0. They would hold on to win by that final in the first game of the double dipper. In the first game the Yankees left 12 men on base in just seven innings and went 0x10 with runners in scoring position.


In game number two the Bisons once again saw a low scoring affair.



The Yankees took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a solo home run from Jorge Vazquez, his 15th of the year. The lead would hold up until the sixth inning when the Bisons struck back.



After Royce Ring got the first two outs of the frame, the Yankees brought in their star closer Jonathan Albaladejo. He already broke the International League record for saves earlier this year and has 42 total saves on the season. Albaladejo is also eight saves shy of establishing a new Minor League record for saves in a year.

However, this would not be his night and he would blow just his second save of the season. With the bases empty and two away in the inning, Valentino Pascucci hammered a fastball over the left field wall for his 16th homer of the year and to tie the game 1-1.



But the Yankees got that run right back in the top of the 7th. The speedy Greg Golson led off the frame with a double down the third base line. Two batters later it was Vazquez again providing the go-ahead run, this time with a bloop base hit into right field to easily score Golson and help the Yankees retake the lead 2-1.


The Bisons and Yankees will play the rubber match and the final game on top of Montage Mountain in 2010 tomorrow, with a 5:05 p.m. start time from PNC Field.



BISONS NOTES: With a hit in both games today Mike Cervenak has extended his hitting streak to 10 straight games...In his first games back with Buffalo since being sent down from the big leagues, Jesus Feliciano went 3x6 in the two games...With one win and one loss tonight the Bisons are now 5-2 at PNC Field this season