7/14/11

Buffalo Pre-Game Notes

Buffalo Bisons (38-53, 5th(-15.5), North) vs. Rochester Red Wings (35-55, 6th(-18.0), North)Thursday, July 14, 2011 (7:05 p.m.) - Coca-Cola Field

RHP Miguel Batista (0-0, 18.00) vs. RHP Thomas Diamond (0-3, 8.64)

TV: SNY, Time Warner Cable SportsNet 13

Radio: WWKB AM 1520, bisons.com

TODAY’S GAME: Tonight, the Buffalo Bisons begin the second half of the 2011 season with the first game of a two-game series against the Rochester Red Wings at Coca-Cola Field (7:05 p.m.). The Herd ended the first half on a three-game losing streak and a 2-4 roadtrip. The Bisons are home for just two games before heading on a six-game roadtrip to Rochester and Syracuse. VS. THE RED WINGS: The Bisons are 4-4 against the Red Wings this season. The clubs split a pair of doubleheaders in Buffalo, April 19 and 21 before the teams split a four-game set in Rochester, April 26-29. Despite hitting just .209 as a team against Wings’ pitching, the Bisons have outscored their rival, 25-21. ON THE BUMP: RHP MIGUEL BATISTA will make his first start with the Bisons tonight in his Coca-Cola Field debut. Signed by the Mets on July 5, the 40-year old allowed four runs in two relief outings during the club’s roadtrip (2.0IP, K). A World Series Champion with Arizona in 2001, Batista has pitched in 614 major league games with 10 different teams during his career. SEVEN HEAVEN: Bisons’ All-Star RHP CHRIS SCHWINDEN needed just seven pitches in a perfect inning of relief in last night’s Triple-A All-Star Game. The righty induced three groundballs in the 5th inning to help preserve the International League’s lead in a 3-0 victory over the Pacific Coast League. It was the fourth straight year a Bisons’ pitcher worked an inning of shutout relief in the All-Star Game, following LHP Rich Rundles (2008), RHP Nelson Figueroa (2009) and LHP Pat Misch (2010). FIRST HALF NOTES: The Bisons ended the first half of the season at 38-53. The club is 15 games under the .500 mark for the second time in 2011. The Bisons are 23-23 in games decided by two runs or less and 23-25 at home this year. The team has completed 16 comeback wins and four walk-off victories. BISONS BITS: Thirty-seven of the Bisons’ remaining 53 games are against IL North division opponents, including the next 28 contests...The Bisons (6-8) are 3.5 games back of Syracuse (11-6) in the 2011 Thruway Cup Series. The Red Wings (8-11) are in third place.

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