STAFF REPORTS
The Bisons dropped a pair of games in Lehigh Valley on Wednesday. Brett Oberholtzer took the tough-luck 2-1 game one loss while Raffy Lopez homered in game two’s 6-3 defeat.
Game one – Buffalo 1, Lehigh Valley 2
Both Buffalo and Lehigh Valley exchanged first-inning blows, but the Bisons fell short 2-1 in the first of two games.
A first-inning error by Bisons first baseman Rowdy Tellez proved very costly as it allowed a run to score. After a pair of singles, Tellez was unable to handle a ground ball as a run came in to score on the error. The IronPigs managed to tally another run in the inning on Rhys Hoskins’ RBI single to make 2-1.
The Bisons got on the board early in the first. Leadoff batter Roemon Fields worked a walk and quickly swiped second for his 11th steal of the season. Reigning IL batter of the week, Jason Leblebijian, provide the RBI knock up the middle to score the first run of the game.
A single by Jake Elmore and a pair of walks dealt to Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Fields loaded the bases for the Herd in the top of the seventh. However, the rally fell short as IronPigs closer Pedro Beato survived without allowing a run and earned his 17th save of the year.
Bisons starter Brett Oberholtzer had a very strong outing despite the loss. He pitched the complete seven innings and only allowed four hits with three strikeouts. The first-inning error proved to be very costly for the Herd as they were unable to overcome the deficit.
Game two – Buffalo 3, Lehigh Valley 6
The IronPigs scored the final five runs in game two against the Bisons to earn the doubleheader sweep.
With the game tied at three in the fifth inning, Rhys Hoskins doulbed home the go-ahead run. Lehigh Valley added to their lead in the next inning when Nick Williams homered to left, and Jorge Flores hit a sacrifice fly to make it 6-3 in the sixth.
The Bisons managed to get on the board early in the second game, as well. After Rowdy Tellez was issued a free pass, Jarrod Saltalamacchia’s ground ball was dropped at second by IronPigs shortstop on a potential force out allowing both runners to reach safely. With two on, Raffy Lopez powered a ball over the right-centerfield wall for his sixth homer and an early 3-1 advantage for the Herd. Unfortunately that would be all of the offense for the Bisons in the second game.
With runners on the corners in the fifth, Dwight Smith Jr. was picked off at first to end the inning and leave the go-ahead run at third.
The Bisons will look to return to the win column Thursday night in Pawtucket, taking on the Paw Sox at 7:05 p.m.
Bisons Notes: Raffy Lopez was 2-3 in game two with a three-run homerun…. The Bisons are just 1-9 in their last ten games against the first place IronPigs.
