There have been only two simple pleasures while watching the Buffalo Bisons this year. Fernando Martinez's big May at the plate was one. Jonathon Niese's brilliant June on the mound was the other.

Despite throwing a season-high eight innings and posting his fifth straight quality start, Niese got a no-decision in Tuesday's 4-3 loss to the Charlotte Knights before 7,473 in Coca-Cola Field. Box score

But that doesn't diminish the job the New York Mets' top pitching prospect has done in recent weeks. The 22-year-old left-hander is 3-6 on the season with a 4.85 earned-run average but went 3-2, 2.43 in June.

And check out Niese's numbers from his last five outings: 3-1, 1.31 with 29 strikeouts and

eight walks in 34 1/3 innings. Pretty big difference from his combined April-May disaster

(0-4, 7.96).

"My mechanics have stayed the same," Niese said. "I've been mixing my pitches up more, not

throwing too many fastballs and it's been working out. I feel great. I'm throwing the ball

where I want to right now. I'm using my curveball, cutter and changeup and it's working."

"He's really got confidence right now and he's locating his ball," said manager Ken Oberkfell.

"He's not missing, not getting behind hitters and he's avoiding the big inning. He's got

electric stuff when he's on."

Niese struck out four, walked one and got 14 groundball outs Tuesday. He gave up one run in

the first on Josh Kroeger's RBI single and then yielded Michael Restovich's two-run homer to

left in the fourth — the first against him in 39 2/3 innings.

"It was a cutter I left up that got too much of the plate," Niese said. "I was trying to go

more in on him and jam him but I left it over the plate and he got his barrel on it. You make

a mistake to a guy like that, well, he's a real good hitter."

With injuries ravaging their big-league club, you have to wonder how much longer before Niese

gets another shot in New York — or if the desperate Mets will have to think about

dangling him in a trade for an established hitter. The way he's pitching, any opposing scout

would recommend Niese as big-league ready right now.

"I still really don't care about the numbers," Niese said. "Every outing I just try to stay

consistent throwing strikes and pounding the zone. Numbers will take care of themselves if I

do the job. If it works out, great. You've just got to go out every day and keep pitching."

Not much worked out for the Bisons as they were swept in a four-game series after they had

forged a 12-11 record in June. The Herd lost this one when third baseman Javier Castillo's

bizarre throwing error in the top of the ninth allowed Wilson Betemit to score the winning

run.

Betemit led off the ninth with a walk off Brandon Knight (4-8) and went to second on a Keith

Ginter sacrifice. Donny Lucy grounded to Castillo between third and the mound and Castillo

tried to flip the ball to shortstop Wilson Valdez, who was running toward third, instead of

taking the sure out at first. The throw was too far in front of Valdez, and went into left

field as Betemit came home.

"I've been in this game 37 years and I've never ever seen that. Ever," Oberkfell said. "He's

just got to get the out. I don't know what he was thinking. He's got no play at third. He's

charging. Just come up and get the out. But that's typical of the way things have gone for

us."

The Bisons fell to 26-49, a season-high 23 games below .500. They have dropped eight of 10

overall and are 14-30 at home this season. They get today off before hosting Rochester at 1

p.m. Thursday.