The Bisons were blanked by the Pawtucket Red Sox 4-0 on Friday. In the continuation of Buffalo’s nine-game homestand, the Herd was held to just two hits in the opener of a three-game series against the PawSox.
11,406 fans packed Coca-Cola Field in the second-to-last fridaynightbash! of the season. The crowd saw Pawtucket’s Justin Haley keep the Bisons’ bats at bay, holding all but Jesus Montero, who went 2-4, out of the hit column, in 8.0 innings of work.
“The only guy that really had consistent at bats off him was Montero, who had both of our hits,” Allenson said of his lineup’s performance against Haley. “You got to hand it to [Haley]. He had some pretty good numbers coming in there and we just did nothing off him.”
Haley beat Buffalo his last start in Pawtucket on Aug. 7, limiting the Herd to no runs and five hits in 7.0 innings. He has not allowed an earned run in his last three starts.
The PawSox struck for three runs off Buffalo starter Mike Bolsinger in the top of the third. Rusney Castillo roped a two-run triple, lining a shot over the head of centerfielder Dalton Pompey. A batter later, Ryan LaMarre made it 3-0, scoring Castillo with a single into centerfield.
The Bisons’ first baserunners came in the bottom of the second, as they put runners on second and third. With one out, A.J. Jimenez grounded out to the mound, and Andy Burns was robbed on a dive by shortstop Deven Marrero. In the fourth, the Herd squandered an opportunity with runners on the corners, with Domonic Brown grounding into the Bisons’ 133rd double play of the season, a high among IL teams.
Pawtucket scored a fourth run in the top of the seventh. Jantzen Witte leadoff with an infield single, advanced to second on a throwing error by Andy Burns, and moved to third on a passed ball that hit home plate umpire Eric Gillam square in the facemask. Deven Marrero plated Witte with a run-scoring single.
Outfielder Ezequiel Carrera, rehabbing an Achilles injury, joined the Bisons on Friday. He struck out swinging in his first two at bats, grounded out in the sixth, then struck out swinging again in the ninth. Carrera has batted .258 in 75 games with the Blue Jays this year, and spent part of last season with Buffalo, hitting .276 in 30 games. He had not seen action in a game since July 31.
“He’s obviously, I think, a little bit rusty,” Allenson said of Carrera. “He chased some high fastballs, and hadn’t seen a breaking-ball in a couple of weeks. So much of hitting is getting used to game-speed pitches and seeing the breaking balls. I’m sure he’ll do better the next day, and the next day after that.”
The Herd’s lone two his came off the bat of Jesus Montero. The Bisons’ designated hitter went 2-4, with one of his outs coming in the form of a deep fly ball to right field in the bottom of the seventh. Chris Colabello and Matt Dominguez also reached base via base on balls, while Andy Burns reached on an error in the eighth.
Mike Bolsinger finished with a line of 4.0 innings, four hits and three earned runs allowed. 39 of his 61 pitches were thrown for strikes.
“He’s got to get the ball down,” Allenson said of Bolsinger. “He threw the ball up a little too much.”
Jason Berken provided the Herd with 4.0 innings of scoreless ball in relief of Bolsinger. Berken appeared in just his second game with Buffalo, his first coming on July 7, when he allowed four earned runs in 3.1 innings. Bo Schultz then worked a perfect inning in the top of the eighth.
“He did a real good job,” Allenson said of Berkens’ relief outing. “He did a great job keeping us in the game, which is all you can ask of a guy that’s coming in in that long relief role. He did a super job, but we just didn’t do anything with the bats.”
On Saturday, Casey Lawrence will be opposed by Sean O’Sullivan in game two of the Bisons’ three-game series against the Red Sox. First pitch from Coca-Cola Field is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
BISONS NOTES:
A.J. Jimenez threw out his fourth would-be base stealer in the last two games on Friday. He has nabbed 22 runners this season… Andy Burns ended his hitting streak at eight games, going 0-3… Pawtucket takes the advantage in the all-time matchup against the two clubs, as their records sit at 162-161 in favor of the PawSox.
from Bisons.com via IFTTT
