Bisons Notes 8/26/10 - Buffalo at Syracuse (7:10 p.m.)

Buffalo Bisons (70-61, 2nd(-9.5), North) vs. Syracuse Chiefs (68-63, 3rd(-11.5), North)



Friday, August 27, 2010 (7:10 p.m.) - Alliance Bank Stadium


RHP Josh Stinson (0-1, 4.50) vs. RHP Yunesky Maya (0-0, NR)


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




TODAY’S GAME: Tonight, the Bisons play the Syracuse Chiefs in the final game of a two-game set at Alliance Bank Stadium (7:10 p.m.) The Herd is 5-8 against the Chiefs this year and is three games behind Columbus in the IL Wild Card race. After this series, the Bisons travel to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for a three-game in two-day series that starts with a doubleheader on Saturday.



WILD RACE: The Bisons lost a game to the Clippers in the IL Wild Card race with the 5-4 loss to Syracuse last night. Buffalo is three games behind Columbus, as the Clippers beat Louisville, 5-2. Louisville now leads Columbus by half of a game in the IL West division race.



THRUWAY SERIES: With a win tonight, Syracuse (18-7) would clinch the 2010 Thruway Series. The Bisons (14-13) are in second place, five games back of the Chiefs. The two-time defending champion Rochester Red Wings (7-19) are in third place and eliminated from this year’s contention.



CERVENAK ATTACK: INF MIKE CERVENAK went 3-7 last night with an RBI and a run scored to extend his hit streak to seven games. During the stretch, Cervenak is batting .464 (13-28) with two RBI and six runs scored. The veteran has hit .333 (25-75) with two homers, 10 RBI, and 15 runs scored in 20 games this month.



DOMINATING: LHP MIKE O’CONNOR has been spectacular of late. The reliever has tossed 16.0 consecutive innings of scoreless relief for the Herd over his last eight-plus outings. The southpaw has 64 strikeouts in 64.0 innings this season and 21 punchouts in his last 16.0 innings of work.



BISONS BITS: Despite going 0-6, OF LUCAS DUDA did manage to draw a walk last night. In 24 games in August, Duda has failed to reach base safely in only two games...In 16 games in August, OF RUSS ADAMS has hit seven home runs. Before August, it took him 79 games to amass the same amount...Last night, the Bisons stranded a modern-day franchise record 19 baserunners. The previous record was 17, set August 24, 1997, in 3-2, 12 inning win against the Nashville Sounds...Yesterday’s game took a season-long 4:22. This is the longest Bisons game since July 21, 2008 when the Herd lost to Norfolk in 4:41.