Today's Notes From The Herd

TODAY’S GAME: Today, the Buffalo Bisons take to the road for the first time in the 2009 season by opening up a six-game roadtrip with the first game of a four-game set in Syracuse at Alliance Bank Stadium (6:00 p.m.). The Herd is looking to rebound off a tough homestand as it went just 1-7 against Pawtucket and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. After this four-game series, the Bisons will travel to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for a two-game set against the Yankees.

CASEY ON THE MOUND: LHP Casey Fossum was very impressive in his Bisons debut on Sunday against Pawtucket. The veteran allowed just two singles and two walks over five shutout innings. With three strikeouts and two double plays, the PawSox didn’t get a runner in scoring position against the southpaw. Fossum left with the lead in a game the Bisons eventually won 4-2 in 15 innings.

F-MART: OF Fernando Martinez continued his torrid start to the season with a pair of doubles yesterday. Martinez hit .368 (7-19) in the four-game series against the Yankees with four doubles and a home run. Martinez’s eight-extra base hits on the year (6 doubles, 1 triple, 1 homerun) are two more than any other player in the entire International League.

WHY STOP AT ONE: INF Nick Evans hit a pair of two-run homeruns in yesterday’s defeat to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The slugger launched blasts in the first and fifth inning to give him a team-high three homers on the season. Last season, six different Bisons collected two-homerun games with 2008 Bisons MVP Todd Linden accomplishing the feat twice.

PEN WORK: RHP Eddie Kunz is one of only five pitchers in the International League with perfect 0.00ERAs and enough innings to qualify. Kunz has appeared in five games for Buffalo and has allowed just a pair of hits while striking out five in 6.1 innings of work.

THRUWAY CUP: Today’s game marks the first for the Bisons against a Thruway Cup opponent in 2009. Syracuse won the season series against the Bisons last year, due in large part to five straight victories to begin the season. After that, Buffalo won seven of the final 11 games against the Chiefs in 2008.