Buffalo Pre-Game Notes

*There are ONLY 3 HOME GAMES LEFT in the 2011 season*

Buffalo Bisons (59-76, 5th(-17.5), North) vs. Rochester Red Wings (50-87, 6th(-27.5), North)

Monday, August 29, 2011 (7:05 p.m.) - Coca-Cola Field

RHP Chris Schwinden (7-7, 3.86) vs. RHP Eric Hacker (7-12, 5.74)

TV: Time Warner Cable SportsNet 13

Radio: WWKB AM 1520, bisons.com

TODAY’S GAME: Tonight, the Buffalo Bisons host the Rochester Red Wings in the second game of a two-game series at Coca-Cola Field (7:05 p.m.). The Herd is looking for the sweep after defeating its rival last night, 3-1. The Bisons have won two straight and are an even 13-13 for the month of August.  Buffalo has just three home games left in the 2011 season.

VS. THE WINGS: The Bisons clinched the season-series victory over the Red Wings with their win last night. Buffalo is 9-6 against Rochester this season. Last night’s victory was the Herd’s fifth straight over the Wings at Coca-Cola Field. The Bisons are 20-11 against Rochester since the start of 2010.

SCHWING AND MISS: RHP CHRIS SCHWINDEN takes the ball for his team-high 25th start of the season. He is the 16th Bisons pitcher in the modern era to make 25 starts for the team in one season. The Triple-A rookie has 123 strikeouts on the year, the fourth most by a Bisons pitcher. Schwinden can pull into the top three with seven more punchouts, trailing RHP Mike York’s 130 strikeouts in 1990. Schwinden also leads the Bisons with a 3.86ERA.

Mr. VP: INF VALENTINO PASCUCCI slugged his 21st homer of the season last night. He now has 91RBI on the season, tied with Gwinnett’s Stefan Gartrell for the most in the IL. The last Bisons player to lead a league in RBI was OF Nigel Wilson, who led the American Association with 95 in 1996. Pascucci’s 91RBI this year are already the 6th most for a Bisons player in the modern era.

SPIN CONTROL: INF JORDANY VALDESPIN brings a seven-game hit streak into tonight’s game. Since August 22, the Triple-A rookie has averaged .429 (12-28) with four doubles, three RBI and three runs scored. He has also stolen two bases during the streak.

BISONS BITS: OF JESUS FELICIANO has become the first Bisons player in the modern era to collect three consecutive 100 hit seasons. The outfielder is now 10 hits shy of Bill Selby’s modern era record total of 378...

RHP DALE THAYER earned his 20th save last night. He’s the fifth Bisons pitcher in the modern era to reach that single-season milestone...LHP MIKE O’CONNOR is 3-0 with nine strikeouts and 10.1 scoreless innings against Rochester this year.