For one night, BB&T Ballpark didn’t live up to its reputation as a hitters’ park.
In their series finale against the Knights on Monday, the Bisons were held to just five hits -four singles and a double-in a 3-0 shutout loss in Charlotte. The defeat drops the Herd to 64-66 on the season with just 14 contests left in 2016.
After hitting five home runs and scoring 13 times in the first two games of the series, Buffalo’s attack was silenced by Knights’ starter Chris Volstad. The 30-year old cruised through the early innings, making the first trip through the Herd’s lineup on just 25 pitches.
It wasn’t until Domonic Brown’s one-out double in the fourth that the Bisons had their first baserunner. But Volstad was quick to put down any Buffalo rally before it could get started. The righty got Matt Dominguez to fly out on one pitch and then jumped ahead of Jesus Montero 0-2 before the Bisons’ designated hitter grounded out to end in the inning.
Volstad stayed economical with his offerings throughout the night, needing just 96 pitches to post eight scoreless frames. He struck out five and did not allow the Herd to have more than one baserunner in any inning.
Volstad’s namesake on the mound for Buffalo was equally tough, but was bit by the longball that was absent from the Bisons’ arsenal. Chris Leroux worked into the seventh and delivered another quality start for Buffalo, but yielded a two-run home run in the first inning from rehabbing White Sox Avisail Garcia.
Leroux struck out three in his 6.2 innings of work. The only other run he allowed was on Adam Engel’s single off Andy Burns’ glove with two men on base in the fourth. With the loss, Leroux falls to 8-10 on the season.
The Bisons will now travel to Gwinnett for their only series at Coolray Field of the season. Game one of three is Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m.
BISONS NOTES:
Jesus Montero extended his hit streak to 13 games with a single in four trips to the plate. It was Montero’s 142nd hit of the season…Dalton Pompey collected his team-leading 17th stolen base of the season…The two one series defeat was the Bisons first at BB&T Ballpark in the three years since the ballpark opened in 2014.
from Bisons.com via IFTTT
