That's just what happened for the Herd on Tuesday, and the results didn't disappoint.
The runs came early and often for Buffalo, and the verdict was not in doubt for very long. Jeremy Hefner's stellar outing complemented the offensive output - which was capped off by a 4-homer effort in the 8th - and Buffalo took home a stress-free 17-1 victory over Toledo to square the four-game set at a game apiece. The 16-run win ties a Bisons modern-era record for largest margin of victory, set April 16, 2007 at Columbus - also a 17-1 win.
"Well, that was the fireworks show," Bisons manager Wally Backman said. "It just started a little early. It was nice to see the guys swing the bat the way they did tonight."
With Buffalo already leading Toledo 6-0 in the 3rd, and the bases loaded, shortstop Josh Rodriguez launched a high fly ball to right field that was corralled by Mud Hen right fielder Ben Guez. Matt Den Dekker tagged up from third to score, and Matt Tuiasosopo made it from second to third without a problem.
That's when it got a little interesting. After Guez decided to gun the ball home in a late attempt to throw out Den Dekker, speedster Fred Lewis decided to attempt a delayed break from first to second. Toledo reacted to the break, and Lewis appeared trapped between bases.
But Toledo 1B Danny Dorn made an errant throw that sailed into the outfield, allowing Lewis to luckily reach second. Tuiasosopo scored from third without a problem, and the rout was on.
"That's something that doesn't happen all the time," Backman said. "When you run the bases hard, things can happen like that."
It was just that type of night for the Herd. Take Hefner's early work as an example. Making his first start for Buffalo since May 15, the right-hander allowed the minimum number of batters (12) through four innings - despite three scattered Mud Hens singles.
The reason? Three consecutive inning-ending double plays. In the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, Toledo batters sent one-out ground balls toward Buffalo shortstop Josh Rodriguez. Each time, a Mud Hen runner was already positioned at first. Each time, the Bisons infield turned the double play.
"He (Hefner) knows how to get outs, and he gets outs early when he has to sometimes," Backman said. "He knows how to get the double play, and when to get the double play."
Hefner was quite efficient early, needing only 26 pitches to make it through three innings - compared to Toledo starter Ramon Garcia, who needed 82 pitches to get six outs. Garcia was pulled from the game with no outs in the third, while Hefner lasted seven innings in a 92-pitch, one-run performance.
Quite the pitching dichotomy on the night. The outing boosted Hefner's average longevity to 6.4 innings per start - a number that easily leads the team (next is Matt Harvey, who averages 5.2 IP/GS). Hefner expects to pitch deep into games, and Tuesday's showing affirms the belief.
"He's not a 94, 95-mph guy," Backman said. "But he really knows how to pitch, and he can make the ball do different things...We expect him, every time he goes out there, to give us 7 or 8 innings. That's just the expectations, not only of myself, but I think his teammates as well."
With Garcia making a spot start on the mound for Toledo, Backman and his crew knew to stay aggressive from the get-go. Bisons batters weren't afraid to swing early in counts, and frequent offense was generated as a result. A prime example was Tuiasosopo in the 3rd, who came to the plate with the bases loaded and Buffalo up 4-0. Tuiasosopo wasted no time, swinging at the first pitch and driving in a run.
"We want to be aggressive on the fastball," Backman said. "When you're aggressive on the fastball, and you're getting pitches to hit, you're forcing the pitcher to try to nibble (at the corners) a little bit more. That's what happened tonight - we were in a lot of fastball counts, and we were able to square a lot of them up."
All in all, it added up to a performance worth savoring for the Coca-Cola Field faithful. After a two-game losing streak put a brief damper on things, the Bisons made sure the skid wouldn't extend any further.
If the Bisons look to fight their way back into the thick of playoff contention, the team needs to avoid lengthy losing streaks the rest of the way. Mission accomplished on Tuesday.
"It's the second half," Tuiasosopo said. "Time to finish strong. Every game is important now, and we're getting close."
Bisons Notes: This was the largest-ever margin of victory for the Bisons at Coca-Cola Field, and the 17 Bisons runs scored falls one shy of the team record at the ballpark - 18, in an 18-3 win over Toledo on June 2, 2000...Pinch-hitting to lead off the 8th, Oswaldo Navarro sent a fly ball to deep left field that cleared the fences for a home run. It was the first pinch-hit home run for the Herd since Jordany Valdespin turned the trick on May 19 vs. Indianapolis...Following Navarro in the 8th, Adam Loewen continued the momentum with a solo blast to right field - for the first back-to-back Bisons homers since June 29 vs. Louisville...Den Dekker completed the 8th-inning hat trick four batters later, with a 3-run blast to left-center field. Lewis added a solo shot later in the inning...Tuiasosopo turned in a flawless outing at the plate, going 4-for-4 with 3 RBI's.
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