An energized and enthusiastic sold out Star Wars Night crowd were treated to a game on the field that came down to the very last play. … Unfortunately for the Herd, that last play was an out.
Domonic Brown was thrown out at the plate on A.J. Jimenez’s infield single as the Bisons fell one run short in a 2-1 defeat to the Gwinnett Braves in front of 17,600 on Saturday night at Coca-Cola Field. It’s the club’s fourth consecutive defeat and puts them in danger of being swept at home by the Braves for the third straight year.
Gwinnett has now won 12 straight games in Western New York, dating back to June of 2013.
Brown attempted to catch the Braves napping in the ninth after Gwinnett had broken the 1-1 tie in the top half of the inning. The right fielder lined his second double of the game to left to lead off the frame, but could not advance on Andy Burns’ grounder to third or Matt Dominguez’s fly to shallow right.
Now with two outs, catcher A.J. Jimenez chopped a slow roller to the right side. Gwinnett second baseman Omar Infante was shaded up the middle, and by the time he ranged far enough to his left to field the ball, Jimenez had beat out the play for a single.
Alertly, Braves veteran first baseman Reid Brignac turned around in time to see Brown trying to take the extra base. Briagnac’s throw home was in plenty of time for catcher Michael McKenry to apply the tag for the final out of the game.
Gwinnett’s game-winning run in the ninth didn’t come without some dispute from the Bisons dugout. The Herd thought Ben Rowen had caught Rio Ruiz looking on a 1-2 delivery on the outside corner but the pitch was called a ball. Three pitches later, Ruiz singled home pinch runner Matt Lipka.
Before the next batter came to the plate, Bisons manger Gary Allenson was ejected for voicing his displeasure of the non-call.
Drew Hutchison started for the Bisons and allowed just one run on four hits over six innings of work. Buffalo scored their lone run in the eighth inning on Dalton Pompey’s sacrifice fly.
Jose Bautista picked up his first hit with the Herd in the eighth when he singled with two outs. He finished the game 1-4.
BISONS NOTES:
Ben Rowen came no in the eighth inning and stranded an inherited runner. He has now allowed just two of 24 inherited runners to score this year…The Bisons had doubles in four straight innings from the second through the fifth but couldn’t push any of the runners around…Former Bisons’ pitcher Roberto Hernandez started for Gwinnett and pitched five innings of five-hit shutout baseball. He asked for his release from the Blue Jays on July 3.
from Bisons.com via IFTTT
