The International League All-Stars defeated their counterparts from the Pacific Coast League Wednesday night 4-2. Playing at BB&T Ballpark in Charlotte, NC, the IL’s win at the Triple-A All-Star game also clinches home field advantage for the Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game, scheduled for Sept. 20 in Memphis, TN.
Three Bisons appeared in the game, with Jesus Montero starting at designated hitter for the IL, going 1-4 with a single. Relievers Ben Rowen and Dustin Antolin also saw action out of the bullpen, both facing two hitters each, while allowing no hits or earned runs.
The IL benefited from timely hitting, including home runs by Lehigh Valley’s Andrew Knapp and Pawtucket’s Chris Marrero, while also limiting the PCL to just three hits.
Designated hitter Travis Taijeron of the Las Vegas 51s put the PCL up 2-0 in the top of the second, smacking a home run off IL starter Jason Wheeler.
In the bottom of the inning, Erik Gonzalez of Columbus hit a solo shot, cutting the PCL’s lead to 2-1. The IL tied the game at two in the fourth, when Lehigh Valley catcher Andrew Knapp pinch-hit for Gary Sanchez, proceeding to drive a ball over the leftfield wall for a home run.
With two runners on and no outs in the bottom of the fifth, IronPig Cam Perkins scored the Clippers’ Brian Goodwin with a RBI groundout to short, giving the IL a 3-2 lead that they did not relinquish.
Chris Marrero crushed a long ball to dead-centerfield in the bottom of the eighth, increasing the IL lead to 4-2. The Pawtucket Red Sox slugger won Monday night’s home run derby, as Marrero bested six sluggers, including the Bisons’ Jesus Montero.
Montero batted fifth in the IL lineup in what was his seventh All-Star game as a professional. Montero is the Bisons’ team-leader in home runs, RBI, total bases, batting average, slugging percentage, and OPS. He became the fourth player to appear in four Triple-A All-Star games, joining Lee Stevens, Joe Thurston and Todd Williams
Bisons’ sidearm reliever Ben Rowen faced two hitters in the top of the eighth, inducing groundouts of Rob Segedin and Jordan Patterson, the latter of which was corralled by Rowen himself on the mound. Rowen leads the Herd with 13 saves, and has appeared in a team-high 31 games at the All-Star break.
Dustin Antolin, the Bisons’ righty reliever, also faced a pair of hitters in the ninth, getting Travis Taijeron to bounce into a double play. The 26-year old contemplated retirement this past offseason, and has not only been rewarded for sticking with baseball by being named a Triple-A All-Star this year, but also earned his first big league call-up earlier in the season with Toronto. Antolin owns a 2.50 ERA in 30 games with Buffalo so far in 2016, and has notched eight saves. His 41 strikeouts are most among Bisons’ relievers.
Pawtucket’s Edward Mujica sealed a victory for the International League, as Brett Nicholas grounded out to end the game.
Jason Wheeler went 2.0 innings in the start for the IL, giving way to Cleveland Indians’ farmhand Mike Clevinger in the third inning. Clevinger was the first of 10 relievers used by the IL, with Austin Pruitt of the Durham Bulls notching the win, tossing a scoreless fifth inning.
Frank Duncan of the Indianapolis Indians took just eight pitches to retire the side in the sixth. With the IL up 3-2 and a runner on second, Columbus’ Shawn Armstrong entered in the seventh, striking out Jack Reinheimer and Carlos Asuaje.
Brady Rodgers of the Fresno Grizzlies also went 2.0 inning for the PCL, who also utilized 10 relievers. Ty Blach leaves the game with the loss, due to the IL taking the lead while he was on the mound in the fifth.
Wally Backman, current manager of the Las Vegas 51s, skippered the PCL in the loss. Backman managed the Bisons in 2012 while the Herd was affiliated with the New York Mets. Chris Tremie, manager of the Columbus Clippers, led the IL to its fourth consecutive All-Star win, and its ninth victory in the last 11 years.
Bisons’ starting pitcher Drew Hutchison was also named to the IL All-Star squad on June 29, but did not appear in the contest.
Hutchison is scheduled to start for Buffalo on Thursday, as the Herd takes on the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in Allentown, PA. First pitch from Coca-Cola Park is set for 7:05 Thursday night.
from Bisons.com via IFTTT
