STAFF REPORTS
With the induction of former slugger Brian Dorsett into the Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame prior to the game, there was a festive atmosphere around Sahlen Field on Friday night. But despite some late-game magic, the Buffalo Bisons fell at the hands of the Syracuse Mets, 5-3, in front of 11,895 fans at Sahlen Field.
Trailing 5-1 heading into the bottom of the eighth, the Herd had a spark against Syracuse starter Drew Gagnon. With Jonathan Davis on first and two outs, Richard Urena hit a sharp ball and reached first base successfully after a wild throw threw Travis Taijeron off the first base bag. Then on the next pitch, Rowdy Tellez knocked in Davis with a sharp single to center to cut Syracuse’s lead to 5-2.
The hit produced Tellez’s second RBI of the night. The slugger finished the game 2-for-4 at the plate to extend his hitting streak to four straight games. Additionally, Tellez now has 17 RBI in just 18 games with the Herd since joining from Toronto in early July.
The Bisons went back to work in the ninth inning and came just a few feet short of tying the game. After Andy Burns doubled home Jordan Patterson, Patrick Cantwell drove a pitch from Syracuse reliever Peterson deep to the wall in left center. Unfortunately for the Herd, Arismendy Alcantarawas able to make the catch with his back against the wall.
All of the late-game action came after what was started as swift battle between Gagnon and Bisons hurler, Conor Fisk. Neither started issued a walk and Gagnon struck out six in only allowing on run through the first seven frames.
Fisk delivered a quality start as well, allowing just three runs over six innings with four strikeouts. However, we the defeat, the righty fell to 3-6 on the season.
The Mets got on the board first in the top of the third thanks to three straight singles form Taijeron, Ali Sanchez and Rymer Liriano. The Bisons ended the third inning on a high note defensively as Cantwell and Burns caught Sanchez attempting to steal home in a double steal play.
In the fourth, Arsimendy Alcantara brought home Ruben Tajada on a two-out single to right field to put Syracuse out in front, 2-0. Then, in the fifth, Liriano recorded a solo home run for Syracuse’s 3-0 lead.
The Mets scored their final two runs against Bisons reliever Zach Jackson. Alcantara scored on a wild pitch after hitting a lead-off triple moments prior in the seventh. Luis Guillorme added a home run in the eighth before Buffalo momentarily swung the momentum.
BISON NOTES: Urena joined Tellez and Burns as Buffalo players with two-hit games tonight. He is now at a team-high seven-game hit streak… A catcher and first baseman who spent parts of three seasons (1987, 1991, 1992) with the Herd, Brian Dorsett led the Bisons to their second straight Association East Division title in 1992 and became the team’s first player to have a 100-RBI season in the Modern Era (1985 – present). Dorsett finished the 1992 campaign batting .289 along with 21 home runs and a then-franchise record 102 RBIs. His RBI record is now second all-time in the Modern Era behind Alex Ramirez (103 in 1998)… The Herd resumes their weekend homestand with the Mets Saturday night at Sahlen Field with first pitch at 6:05 p.m. T.J. Zeuchtakes the mound for the Herd and will face Syracuse’s Chris Mazza for the Labatturday game.
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