STAFF REPORTS
The Bisons began their week-long road trip with a 6-5 loss to Gwinnett on Tuesday night at Coolray Field. A David Freitas homer in the fourth inning helped the Braves win the first of a three-game series with the Herd.
With the game tied at three in the fourth inning, Freitas drove a fly ball to left field for only his second home run of the season. The homer came with one out on the board and also scored Carlos Franco, giving the Braves a 5-3 advantage. Franco got on base after T.J. House walked him on a full count and then reached second after a wild pitch.
The eventual game-winning run came in the same inning when Mel Rojas Jr. grounded into a force out to score Ozzie Albies from third.
Gwinnett lead off with a quick start in the first inning to claim their first lead of the evening. Lane Adams doubled to right field to score Johan Camargo and Albies from the first and third corners respectively. Dustin Peterson brought Adams to home plate after hitting a ground-rule double to give the Braves a 3-0 lead.
The Herd fought back when Dwight Smith Jr. sent a Sean Newcomb pitch from the middle of the strike zone on a 3-0 count just past the right field wall. The homer also scored Roemon Fields and Christian Lopes, who found their way on base with respective walks, to knot up the ball game with three runs each.
Jonathan Diaz began an attempted Herd comeback when he scored off of a wild pitch by Caleb Dirk in the eighth inning. Smith Jr. built on his strong night when he singled to center field to score Fields for the second time of the evening and bring the deficit to within one at 6-5.
After making the start, the Bisons kept House (4-4) on the mound for five innings, giving up all six Gwinnett runs, four of which were earned. Wil Browning and Chris Smith were solid in relief, giving up just two hits combined.
Buffalo returns to action on Wednesday for another game with Gwinnett. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. with Luis Santos projected to start atop of the mound.
BISONS NOTES: Buffalo is still winless in the last eight contests with the Braves, with their last win coming from a 2-0 decision in August 2015…The Bisons are now 1-15 when trailing after the sixth inning…Dwight Smith Jr.’s home run in the fourth inning is his fourth of the season…Smith still leads the Herd with the most hits (43) and runs (24).
