STAFF REPORTS
Coming off a heart-breaking 10-inning loss against Durham Saturday night, the Buffalo Bisons got back to the type of baseball they’ve been known for playing up to this point Sunday evening – timely hitting and dominant pitching working together for the win.
A solo home run from Rowdy Tellez in the fourth and a two-RBI game from Andy Burns at the plate plus a combined three-hitter from the pitching staff helped the Bisons finish their roadtrip with a 4-0 victory over the Bulls at Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham, NC.
Their first shutout victory since a 1-0 edge in the back half of a doubleheader with Scranton Wilkes / Barre on June 27, the Bisons quickly got to work at the plate in the second inning.
With two men in scoring position thanks to Tellez’s walk and a Richard Urena double, Burns recorded his first RBI of the night with a single through the infield grass off Durham starter Sam McWilliams. This allowed Tellez to score from third for the 1-0 lead. His first multi-RBI game since July 17 against Charlotte, the veteran utilityman recorded the team’s fourth and final run in the sixth when his sacrifice pop-out against reliever Austin Pruitt brought home Jonathan Davissafely.
Also in the second, Michael De La Cruz brought his veteran presence to the plate with a successful fielder’s choice play, prompting Urena to score for Buffalo’s 2-0 lead.
Tellez continued to show his power down in Durham. On the first pitch McWilliams threw to start the fourth, the veteran first baseman sent another baseball over the outfield wall to put Buffalo out in front, 3-0. His fifth home run of the season and second in this series alone, Tellez now has a six-game hitting streak since arriving from Toronto earlier this month.
Meanwhile, on the mound, the bullpen came through with eight innings of work behind starter Sean Reid-Foley, who was removed after just an inning of work. Taylor Saucedo worked the next three frames and allowed just a hit and a walk to improve to 6-0 on the season.
Bryan Baker pitched in a pair of innings and Brian Boshers worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning with two strikeouts. Ty Tice polished off the shutout with four strikeouts over the eighth and ninth innings.
Not to be overlooked from the game was top prospect Bo Bichette being replaced in the third inning by Alen Hanson. With the moves made by Blue Jays on Sunday -trading infielder Eric Sogard and pitcher Marcus Stroman, Bichette’s mid-inning removal from the game would suggest his imminent promotion to the big leagues.