Bisons come back for extra inning victory over RailRiders

MOOSIC, PA - The Buffalo Bisons used a pair of late-game runs to defeat the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders 2-1 in 10 innings to earn their first win in three games at PNC Field this week.

The first five and a half innings was a pitcher’s duel, with just six total hits between the two teams and no runs to speak of. Tanner Tully was lights out in his start for the RailRiders, pitching six innings of scoreless ball with three strikeouts and only allowing four hits, all but one of which were singles.

Buffalo on the other hand, relied on their bullpen to hold Scranton in check for the majority of the game. While Kyle Johnston officially was the starting pitcher for the Bisons, it was a collective effort by Buffalo’s bullpen to keep their team in the game.

Johnston pitched the first inning and did not allow a hit while striking out one Scranton batter. He then gave way to Hagen Danner, who allowed just one hit and also had a strikeout of his own. Brandon Eisert then took over and gave the Bisons two innings where he didn’t allow a baserunner and racked up three strikeouts.

Junior Fernandez also gave the Bisons an inning of scoreless ball out of the bullpen in the seventh. Jimmy Burnette gave Buffalo a clean 2.2 innings of work while striking out five batters.

Hayden Juenger was touched for the only RailRiders run of the game. After relieving Eisert, he pitched a clean bottom of the fifth. However, a lead-off home run in the bottom of the sixth by Estevan Florial broke the scoreless tie. It was Florial’s 19th home run of the season. Juenger would then retire the next three batters he faced to finish with two innings of one run ball and one strikeout.

Fellow lefty Matt Krook relieved Tully in the top of the seventh and picked up right where the starter left off. Krook finished with 1.2 innings of scoreless relief before Michael Gomez became the third Scranton/Wilkes-Barre pitcher of the game.

The Bisons would finally get on the board at just the right time in the top of the ninth. After Wynton Bernard drew a lead-off walk, he would steal second and moved third on a throwing error by Ben Rortvedt. Lukes came through with a RBI double two batters later to drive in Bernard and tie the game 1-1.

The Bisons then got the go-ahead run in the 10th thanks to a walk by Davis Schneider, a groundout by Addison Barger to advance the runners and a sacrifice fly by Jordan Luplow scoring Spencer Horwitz.

Burnette and Jay Jackson combined to strikeout all three RailRiders batters in the bottom of the 10th to preserve the win. Burnette was credited with his first career Triple-A victory in 2.2 innings of relief that included striking out the last five batters he faced. Jackson’s second save came following a strike out of the final batter of the game.

The teams will meet back at PNC Field on Friday night for game four of the series. Zach Thompson will start for the Bisons while Mitch Spence will take the mound for Scranton. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. ET.