STAFF REPORTS
BUFFALO — In the last of a three game series with Toledo, the Bisons lost 5-2 at Coca-Cola Field on Thursday Afternoon. A sacrifice fly from Efren Navarro clinched the victory for the visitors in front of a crowd of 16,074 on School Kids Day at the ballpark.
Navarro hit a Brett Oberholtzer (1-3) pitch in the fifth inning far enough into centerfield to score Brendan Ryan from third base and seal the win. Ryan gave the Mud Hens the final lead of the afternoon an at bat earlier when he doubled to send Matt den Dekker to home plate from first base.
Toledo added a pair of insurance runs later in the ninth inning. Argenis Diaz singled on a grounder to left field to score Ryan from third and Navarro batted a grounder to center field to send Michael Almanzar to home plate.
Both of the Bisons’ runs were off of sacrifice fly balls, as well. Shane Opitz got the Herd on the board in the second inning to score Ian Parmley from third base with a sac fly to right field. With Roemon Fields on third base after hitting a triple, Rowdy Tellez batted in Fields with a sac fly to left field, bringing Buffalo within one run at 3-2.
Buffalo had four errors on the afternoon. Christian Lopes had two fielding errors while Parmley and Rowdy Tellez each had one for a missed catch.
In regards to the errors Buffalo faced, Jason Leblebijian commented after the game by replying, “It’s just one of those days. All year we’ve been fielding the ball pretty well, it happens, just have to clear your mind for tomorrow and be ready to go.”
Oberholtzer started for the Herd from the mound and gave the bullpen some much needed rest by pitching for seven complete innings on 90 pitches. The southpaw allowed three runs off of five hits and delivered three strikeouts before retiring from the mound. Chad Girodo and Wil Browning closed out the final two innings for the Herd. Girodo allowed one hit in the third of an inning he pitched and Browning let two runs by.
The Bisons move to 28-23 overall on the season with the loss and will continue the remainder of their home stand starting on Friday when they take on Charlotte at 7:05 p.m. Jarrett Grube (2-2, 5.89 ERA) is scheduled to be on the mound for Buffalo.
BISONS NOTES: Jason Leblebijian had a solid afternoon, getting three hits in four plate appearances. His batting average is now up to .315 on the season…Buffalo moves to 11-15 when they make at least one error in a game and 9-20 when they don’t hit a home run…Despite the loss, Brett Oberholtzer still retains a solid 2.53 ERA.
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