Buffalo Game Notes

***REMINDER: Due to field conditions in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, the Bisons game tonight (4pm) and Sunday, July 12 (12pm) will be played at against the Yankees Alliance Bank Stadium in Syracuse, NY***

TODAY’S GAME:

This afternoon, the Buffalo Bisons take on the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees in the first game of a two-game series at Alliance Bank Stadium in Syracuse, NY (4:00 p.m.). This weekend series is being played in Syracuse because of drainage issues at the Yankees’ PNC Field. Buffalo is coming off a sweep of a two-game series against the Pawtucket Red Sox.

ROADIE DETOUR:

Tomorrow’s game between the Bisons and Yankees will also be played at Syracuse, NY (12:00 p.m.). The last time the Herd knowingly had a change in venue was September 16 & 17, 2004. Buffalo lucked out then as hurricane conditions in Richmond, VA forced the entire Governors’ Cup Championship series to be played in Buffalo. The Bisons won Games 3 and 4 as the “road” team to capture their sixth IL Championship. In 2007, the Bisons lost all four games against the Braves in Buffalo because of snow. The Herd played a pair of games as the “home” team in Richmond later that year. vs.

THE YANKS:

The Bisons are 2-6 against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this year. After being swept by the Yanks in the second series of the season, April 13-16, the Bisons have split two straight two-game sets against their IL North rivals. The last series was July 7-8 at Coca-Cola Field with the Yankees winning 5-1 in 11 innings and the Bisons taking the second game, 4-1.

NIESE-LY DONE:

LHP Jonathon Niese has been unhittable of late. The southpaw is coming off a 9.0-inning complete game shutout of Rochester last Saturday. In his last five starts, Niese is 4-0 with a 0.72ERA (3ER, 37.1IP) and 35 strikeouts to only 24 hits allowed. The stretch has lowered Niese’s season ERA from 7.36 to 4.32. Today will be his first start since being named International League Pitcher of the Week on Monday.

HOT JAVY:

INF Javier Castillo has longest hit streak for a Bison this year. Castillo has hit in 14 straight, averaging .389 (21-54) with three doubles, three home runs and five RBI since June 26. That surpasses INF/OF Wily Mo Pena’s streak of 13 games set early last month. Castillo has now hit in 21 of 25 total games with the Bisons. With his RBI last night, the infielder has averaged .429 (9-21, 9RBI) with runners in scoring position with the Bisons.