Des Moines, IA – The Buffalo Bisons scored first for the second straight day, this time striking for six runs in the top of the second inning on their way to a 10-8 victory over the Iowa Cubs on Wednesday afternoon at Principal Park.
The Bisons brought 10 batters to the plate in the top of the second inning to help jump out to a six-run advantage. Will Robertson led off the inning by reaching on an error, he would score along with Rainer Nunez on a Christian Bethancourt three-run home run. Bethancourt’s third home run of the season gave Buffalo a 3-0 lead.
Joey Loperfido extended the lead to 5-0 with a two-run base hit later in the inning. His single to center field scored Josh Rivera and Steward Berroa, thanks to both runners being in scoring position. Loperfido now leads the Bisons with 13 RBIs, one ahead of Michael Stefanic. The Bisons capped their scoring in the inning with a Davis Schneider RBI triple. It was Schneider’s fifth extra-base hit since being optioned to Buffalo and made the score 6-0.
Iowa would answer back with three runs in the bottom of the third inning against Anders Tolhurst. However, the young right-hander was able to complete five innings to earn his first career Triple-A victory in just his second start with Buffalo.
Robertson’s lone hit of the day was an RBI double in the top of the fourth inning that extended Buffalo’s lead back to four runs, 7-3. Robertson reached base three times in the victory, including an eighth inning walk. The Bisons scored another solo run in the top of the fifth inning after Riley Tirotta led off the inning with a walk from former Blue Jays reliever Trevor Richards. Rivera’s second hit of the day was an RBI double that scored Tirotta for an 8-4 advantage.
The I-Cubs scored three more times in the bottom of the fifth inning before the Bisons would add a run in the top of the seventh and one more in the eighth inning for the double-digit run total. Bethancourt’s fourth RBI of the day came on a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Nunez after he was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. The run was scored against ex-Bisons starter Nate Pearson for a 9-7 lead.
Buffalo’s final run of the day was scored on Schneider’s second extra-base hit of the afternoon. The utilityman’s RBI double to center field scored Jonatan Clase from second base and gave the Bisons a 10-7 lead. Iowa would score one run in the bottom of the ninth against Justin Bruihl, but could only get within two runs, 10-8.
Three Bisons’ relievers combined to allow just one run in four innings. Andrew Bash worked a pair of scoreless innings, while Braydon Fisher was charged with a run in an inning plus one batter into the ninth. He allowed a leadoff base hit to Matt Shaw that scored on a Jonathan Long base hit. Bruihl earned his first save with the Bisons recording the final three outs to preserve the victory.
The Bisons and Cubs are scheduled to meet again on Thursday afternoon for a 1:08 p.m. EDT first pitch at Principal Park. Easton Lucas is on track to make his second straight start for the Bisons. Countdown to Bisons Baseball with the ‘Voice of the Bisons’ Pat Malacaro begins at 12:45 p.m. on The Bet 1520 AM. The game can also be heard on the Audacy App and bisons.com.
