The Buffalo Bisons fell for the second straight game as the Lehigh Valley IronPigs used four runs in the third inning to propel themselves to a 5-2 victory.
IronPigs’ starter Ben Lively was limited to five effective innings. The 24-year-old righty allowed just one run and two hits, punching out seven batters en route to his 10th win of the year.
“Lively’s a tough pitcher. We’ve seen him a few times, he’s got some good stuff,” said manager Gary Allenson postgame.
“He’s probably going to be a big leaguer.”
In his fifth start with the Herd, Mike Bolsinger struck out eight as he also threw five frames. The right-handed Texan was charged with three of four runs scored against him on seven hits and a pair of walks.
All four tallies came in a bat-around top of the third. Lehigh Valley used four hits, a walk, and benefitted from a throwing error to take a 4-1 lead.
The Bisons opened the scoring early as Dalton Pompey led off the home half of the first with his 14th double of the year, sneaking a grounder just inside the third-base bag and into the left-field corner.
The center fielder made his way to second on a sacrifice bunt by Ryan Goins. Also sacrificing himself in the next at-bat, Darrell Ceciliani plated Pompey with deep fly to center.
Trailing by three in the sixth, Ceciliani sent a two-out single to center field. After Jesus Montero was hit by a pitch, Matt Dominguez brought Ceciliani around the final 180 feet, making it 4-2 with a base hit through the middle of the diamond.
Lehigh Valley capped the scoring with a run off of Matt Dermody in the eighth.
Chris Smith made his Triple-A debut as he took the hill to start the ninth. The 28-year-old struck out Brock Stassi with a 96 MPH fastball, then fanned Darin Ruf the same way before ending the frame with a ground out.
“It’s definitely exciting to be up here. Getting up here and getting your feet wet on the first day is something I like,” said the 28-year-old reliever.
“It was a good debut and I’m happy with it. But at the same time the outing’s over and now I’m just trying to finish out the year and stay strong. We’ve got another eight games so I just want to finish strong and hopefully set myself up for next year.”
Smith took a 3 a.m. car service and two flights just to make it on time for Sunday’s contest.
“That’s pretty good stuff for a guy who’s pitched independent ball for five years,” noted Allenson.
“He’s good a real live fastball and a pretty good slider from what I saw.”
NOTES:
Prior to Sunday’s samba, Chris Leroux was released by the Blue Jays…Chris Smith was called up from Double-A New Hampshire to aid a fatigued Bisons bullpen…Darrell Ceciliani extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a single in the sixth…Matt Dominguez’s 65th RBI puts him seven ahead of Jesus Montero for the team lead…Chris Smith is the 53rd different Bison to appear in a game this season.
from Bisons.com via IFTTT
