7/16/11

Buffalo Pre-Game Notes

Buffalo Bisons (40-53, T4th(-15.0), North) vs. Rochester Red Wings (35-57, 6th(-19.5), North)Saturday, July 16, 2011 (6:05 p.m.) - Frontier Field

RHP Chris Schwinden (6-3, 3.07) vs. RHP Andrew Baldwin (4-7, 5.55)

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

TODAY’S GAME: Tonight, the Buffalo Bisons host the Rochester Red Wings in the first game of a two-game series at Frontier Field (6:05 p.m.). The Herd is coming off a two-game sweep of the Wings at Coca-Cola Field to begin the season’s second half. After Sunday’s contest, the Bisons will move along the I-90 for a four-game series in Syracuse. VS. THE RED WINGS: The Bisons are 6-4 against their closest rivals this season. The clubs split a pair of four-game sets earlier this season before Buffalo’s two-game sweep this week. The last time Buffalo played a two-game series at Frontier Field they swept the Red Wings by scores of 6-4 and 16-1 on September 5-6, 2010.

SCHWING AND MISS: RHP CHRIS SCHWINDEN makes his team-high 17th start of the season tonight. The righty is also making his first appearance since working a 1-2-3 inning on seven pitches in Wednesday’s Triple-A All-Star Game. Schwinden ranks 6th in the IL with a 3.07ERA and also leads the Bisons with six wins and 81 strikeouts. In his last four starts, Schwinden is 3-0 with a 2.77ERA and 24 strikeouts in 26.0 innings of work. 1-2 PUNCH: INF VAL PASCUCCI (4RBI) and INF LUIS HERNANDEZ (3RBI) combined to drive in seven of Buffalo’s eight runs last night. Pascucci leads the Bisons with 55RBI on the season with Hernandez second at 41RBI. Pascucci has averaged .299 (23-77) with runners in scoring position this season while Hernandez had hit at a .301 (25-83) clip in the same situation.

CLOSER: RHP DALE THAYER earned saves in each of the last two nights and now has converted his last eight save opportunities. The veteran now has nine saves of the year. The last Bisons reliever to post 10 or more saves in a season was RHP Elmer Dessens during the 2009 season.

BISONS BITS: C RAUL CHAVEZ brings a seven-game hit streak into tonight’s game, over which he has averaged .375 (9-24)...OF JESUS FELICIANO averages a strikeout every 18.13 plate appearances, the best ratio in the International League...With a double and a home run last night, INF VALENTINO PASCUCCI now has 33 extra-base hits this year, 8 more than any other Bison.

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