Buffalo Pre-Game Notes

Buffalo Bisons (31-45, 6th(-13.0), North) vs. Norfolk Tides (29-45, 4th(-12.0), South)Saturday, June 25, 2011 (7:05 p.m.) - Coca-Cola FieldRHP Dylan Owen (2-4, 4.71) vs. RHP Mitch Atkins (1-3, 3.06)Radio: WWKB AM 1520, bisons.com TODAY’S GAME: Tonight the Bisons take on the Norfolk Tides in the second game of a four game series at Coca-Cola Field (7:05 p.m.). The Bisons 10-game homestand began last night with a 4-2 victory over the Tides. After this series come to an end on Monday, the Herd will take on the IronPigs for four games and the Chiefs for two. VS. THE TIDES: Buffalo is now 3-2 against the Tides this season. The Bisons split a four-game series against the Tides last week in Norfolk. Since 2009, the Herd has won 13 of the last 20 games in the match-up against the Tides. Buffalo took three games of a four-game set the last time Norfolk visited Coca-Cola Field (May 14-17, 2010). ON THE BUMP: RHP DYLAN OWEN will make his eighth start and 13th appearance tonight. The righty was a hard-luck loser his last time out, allowing just two runs in six innings in a 2-1 loss in Durham on Monday. Owen’s ERA as a starter this season is over five runs better than as a reliever. He has a 3.58ERA when starting the game and an 8.68ERA in five relief outings. EVANS ALMIGHTY: INF NICK EVANS extended his hit streak with a go-ahead RBI-single in the seventh inning last night. His 14-game stretch is tied with Durham’s Lastings Milledge for the longest active streak in the league. Evans has averaged .473 (26-55) during a streak that began in May before a month-long promotion to the Mets. Ten of the 14 games during the Evans’s stretch have been multi-hit performances. STARTING IT OFF: RHP DYLAN OWEN will look to close out a good week for the starting rotation. In the last six games, Herd starters have not allowed more than three earned runs in a start and have posted a 3.44ERA. During the stretch, the starters have allowed 34 hits in 34.0 innings with 21 strikeouts. BISONS BITS: INF MICHAEL FISHER hit a double last night to add to his performance of getting a hit in 17 out of 18 games (21-69, .304)...LHP MICHAEL O’CONNOR picked up his third consecutive win which is  now currently tied for the longest winning streak with RHP DALE THAYER...RHP RYOTA IGARASHI has made 10 consecutive scoreless appearances (10.0IP).