Buffalo Pre-Game Notes

Buffalo Bisons (29-42, T5th(-14.0), North) vs. Durham Bulls (38-31, 1st(+2.0), South)Monday, June 20, 2011 (7:05 p.m.) - Durham Bulls Athletic ParkRHP Dylan Owen (2-3, 5.00) vs. RHP Chris Bootcheck (2-1, 3.82)Radio: WWKB AM 1520, bisons.com TODAY’S GAME: Tonight, the Bisons take on the Durham Bulls in the first  game of a four-game series from Durham Bulls Athletic Park (7:05 p.m.). The Herd began this eight-game roadtrip with a series split in Norfolk. After Thursday, the Bisons return home for a season-long 10-game homestand against Norfolk, Lehigh Valley and Syracuse. VS. THE BULLS: Tonight’s contest is the Bisons first against Durham this year. Last season, the home team ruled this season series. Buffalo won three of four at Coca-Cola Field (April 27-30), while the Bulls swept the Herd at DBAP (June 8-11). In the last two seasons, the home team has won 13 of 16 games in games between the Bisons and the Bulls. ON THE BUMP: RHP DYLAN OWEN makes his seventh start and 12th appearance for the Bisons today. The righty lost his last outing on June 13 against Columbus after allowing three runs in 4.2 innings of work. As a starter this season, Owen is 2-3 with a 3.71ERA in six appearances. GONE FISHIN’: INF MICHAEL FISHER owns the longest active hit streak in the International League. The Triple-A rookie has hit in 13 straight contests with a .308 (16-52) batting average. Fisher has also added four doubles, five RBI and 11 runs scored during the stretch. The streak is the second longest for a Bisons batter this season (OF KIRK NIEUWENHUIS, 16 games). EVANS ALMIGHTY: INF/OF NICK EVANS brings a nine-game hit streak into action tonight. Evans has averaged .441 (15-34) during a streak that began in May before a month-long promotion to the Mets. Evans drove in five runs yesterday for the first time as a Bison, going 2-4 with three runs scored.