Bisons fall short of sweep
PawSox get a win before big crowd
The Buffalo Bisons didn’t get the series sweep they were seeking on Friday night. They lost the finale of a brief homestand against the Pawtucket Red Sox, 4-3, but still ended July with their first winning month since June of 2008.
Also, by going 3-1 against the PawSox, Buffalo completed its most successful homestand of a disappointing International League season.
For a change, the Herd, which has floundered at home, gave the largest Coca-Cola Field crowd of the season (17,788) some excitement. Buffalo scored once in the ninth and had the potential tying and winning runs on base when Rene Rivera hit into his third double play of the game to end it.
“It was a good series for us, but it would have been nice to get that fourth win,” said Bisons manager Ken Oberkfell. “[Bisons starter Tobi] Stoner kept us in the game and we had our chance.”
Jesus Feliciano singled to extend his hitting streak to eight games to open the Buffalo ninth against Pawtucket reliever Fernando Cabrera. Nick Evans singled to left. Chip Ambres struck out, but hot-hitting Mike Lamb lined a shot to right field, his third hit of the game, to score Feliciano.
Lamb’s ball was hit so hard that Evans could only advance to second. That brought up Rivera and the Herd catcher was an easy double-play victim on his ground ball to shortstop.
Three of the Pawtucket runs came off the bat of catcher Mark Wagner, who lined two balls over the wall in left — the first in the third inning with Brian Anderson aboard and the second in the eighth with two out and the bases empty. Wagner had not homered in his first 58 at-bats for Pawtucket this season.
Andy Green homered for the first Buffalo run. Another run crossed in the seventh as Rivera was hitting into a double play.
It was another well-played game completed in a brisk 2 hours, 17 minutes. The defense on both sides was outstanding.
“Probably our best defensive game of the year,“ Oberkfell said.
The Bisons made no errors in the four games here against the PawSox. Shortstop Wilson Valdez, second baseman Argenis Reyes and center fielder Feliciano were particularly outstanding all series, but especially Friday.
Valdez went behind second to glove Brian Anderson’s grounder, made a 360-degree pivot and threw the Pawtucket center fielder out by a step. It was just one of about five standout defensive plays by the Herd.
Feliciano again showed his range going against the center-field wall to pull down a drive by Chris Carter that seemed headed for a home run or a triple. Feliciano banged his knee making the catch but apparently suffered no serious injury.
It took a diving, backhanded catch by Bubba Bell in right field to retire Lamb, the only time he didn’t hit safely in four at-bats. Lamb’s 3 for 4 night raised his batting average to .245.
Lamb, who was inactive for a month after he was released in spring training by the Milwaukee Brewers, got off to a slow start.
“My first 100 at-bats put me in such a hole,” he said. “It’s taken some time to get back to respectability.”
Same with the Bisons, who started 2-17 and have paid for it.
“Don’t get me wrong,” Lamb said. “There’s lots of things we can improve upon but our last two months have not been terrible.”
•••
Each of the Bisons players and the three-man umpire crew wore light blue wrist bands to raise awareness and for the promotion of early detection and improved treatment of prostate cancer. . . . Kyle Snyder (1-5, 3.89) will get the start in Toledo tonight (7 p. m., Radio 1520 AM) when the Herd opens an eight-game Ohio road trip. Brooks Brown (3-9, 3.95) is the scheduled starter for the Mud Hens.
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