BASEBALL
Losses pile up for Bisons
Cabrera could face suspension
The Buffalo Bisons are down to the final two months of their season, down to what appears to be their final 57 games as a Cleveland Indians affiliate.
What slim hopes they had of clawing back into the International League wild-card race probably evaporated with two gut-wrenching losses this week at Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre. So what’s left to focus on?
For starters, it will be interesting to see what impact the Tribe’s moves around the July 31 trade deadline will have on its Triple-A club. As for the Bisons, they’re trying to finish at least .500 in all 14 seasons they’ve been affiliated with the Indians, but it will be tough. Buffalo fell to 40-47 with Wednesday’s 5-4, 12-inning loss to Rochester before 6,890 in Dunn Tire Park.
Rochester won it on Rob Macri’s bases-loaded infield single. Buffalo’s Andy Gonzalez was thrown out at the plate for the final out by Rochester left fielder Tommy Watkins as he tried to score on a Jordan Brown single.
The teams will meet again tonight at 6 (Radio 1520 AM) in the annual Independence Eve celebration featuring a postgame concert by the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. All tickets are $22 and there are only about 2,500 left.
The Buffalo ninth ended with the ejection of shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera on a called third strike, and Cabrera’s reaction is probably going to get him a suspension from the International League. Cabrera raised his bat briefly over his head at umpire Jason Klein before on-deck hitter Gonzalez stepped in and Cabrera flung his helmet to the turf.
Cabrera was then ejected while walking away from the plate and flipped his batting gloves in the direction of the umpires, striking first base ump Justin Vogel.
IL President Randy Mobley is sure to watch this tape. Cabrera, who hasn’t spoken to the media since coming down from Cleveland, briefly met with Torey Lovullo in the Buffalo manager’s office after the game.
“I don’t know exactly what he was doing,” Lovullo said. “I don’t think there was any intent as to him trying to throw his equipment. . . . They’ll have to look at it.”
Both teams scored in the ninth. Rochester got an unearned run off Jensen Lewis on Trevor Plouffe’s sacrifice fly, and Buffalo came back on Brad Snyder’s no-doubt solo homer to right, his second of the game. Snyder’s blasts were the only hits the Herd had, however, in innings 4-10.
“I’m not going to lie. It’s frustrating sometimes,” Snyder admitted. “It seems like we have different guys every night getting big games and other guys have been struggling. Hopefully at some point it starts clicking on all cylinders.”
The Bisons have been in an uphill climb all season after struggling to a 7-16 start. A 9-6 record in their last 15 games and a team ERA of 3.84 that’s fourth in the IL have been largely rendered moot. That’s because of a team batting average of .245 — the lowest in Triple-A and a mark that would be 12 points lower than any other season in the franchise’s modern era.
“We’ve got to believe it’s going to change, it’s going to turn around,” Lovullo said. “I don’t think we’re a .245 hitting team and we shouldn’t be at the bottom of the barrel.”
The losing pitcher was reliever Randy Newsom, promoted earlier in the day from Double-A Akron. He was 5-0, 1.75 with an Eastern League-leading 24 saves for the Aeros.
