Bisons Game Notes

Today, the Buffalo Bisons take on the Pawtucket Red Sox in the third game of a four-game series from Coca-Cola Field (1:05 p.m.). The Herd is still looking for their first win of the 2009 season after falling in game two of the series on Friday, 9-0. Today’s game is the third of an eight-game homestand to begin the 2009 campaign. On Monday, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees come in for a four-game series.

OH NELLY: RHP Nelson Figueroa gets the ball today looking to get the Bisons in the win column in 2009. The 34-year old was 4-7 with a 4.43ERA in 20 games and 16 starts with New Orleans last year. The veteran is an “innings eater,” averaging 6.1 innings a start last year. He worked 7.0 innings or more in half of his starts in 2008. In 2007 with Chihuahua of the Mexican League, Figueroa pitched 10 complete games in 19 starts.

TOUGH START: The Bisons haven’t started 0-2 since the 2002 season. That year, the Herd opened up on the road with losses of 4-3 and 8-3 in Pawtucket. The Bisons rebounded to win the third game in 2002, 6-0 over the PawSox. Buffalo started the 2007 and 2008 seasons 2-0, but missed the playoffs each year.

SULLY: OF Cory Sullivan is the lone Bisons player to have a hit in each of the first two games. His 5th-inning single last night was one of the team’s two hits against PawSox pitching. Sullivan hit .320 in 94 games for Colorado Springs (AAA) last season.