Bisons take first two games of series in 6-2 win over Syracuse

BUFFALO, NY- The Buffalo Bisons have won two straight games, and three of their last five, with a 6-2 victory over the Syracuse Mets on Wednesday afternoon at Sahlen Field.

Phil Clarke would lead the way for the Buffalo offense driving in the first runs of the game. Clarke would go 1-4 at the plate and notch two RBIs. He would be supported by Rafael Lantigua who would finish with two hits in four at bats and scoring a run.

Mike Brosseau and Pablo Reyes led the way for Syracuse late in the game with both players driving in a run for the ball club. Brosseau would secure a base hit as well on the day.

The Bisons struck first to take a three-run lead in the bottom of the first. Buffalo secured an initial 2-0 lead courtesy of a two run double from Clarke. The play was ruled a ground rule double after the ball bounced out of play by the Bully Hill Vineyards section of Sahlen Field.

Alan Roden would help extend the lead to 3-0 Bisons after being hit by pitch with the bases loaded. Luis De Los Santos, Will Robertson and Damiano Palmegiani would all score runs in the inning.

The Mets wouldn’t secure their first base-hit until the top of the third, this was in large part due to another excellent outing from Bowden Francis. Francis got the start for Buffalo Wednesday afternoon to anchor the bullpen. He would pitch 5.1 innings and finish giving up just three hits and throw six strikeouts. This would also be his second straight scoreless start since the all-star break.

Luis Quinnones would pitch two innings in relief giving up just one hit and throwing four strikeouts. Mike Mayers and Mason Fluharty would both pitch an inning of relief with Fluharty notching two strikeouts to close the game.

The Bisons added two more runs in a four-walk inning. A walk with the bases loaded would score Palmegiani to bring the score to 4-0. Miguel Hiraldo would follow with a sacrifice fly that scored De Los Santos to give Buffalo a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth.

The trend would continue throughout the afternoon with the hitting crew for the Bisons drawing 11 walks with three being hit by pitch.

Buffalo added one more run as extra insurance in the bottom of the eighth. De Los Santos hit an RBI single that scored Lantigua and secured the 6-2 win over the Mets. Syracuse would try to rally in the top of the ninth with two runs driven in by Brosseau and Reyes but could not complete a comeback.

Palmegiani was reliable in the win over the Mets going 1-2 at the plate while scoring two runs and drawing two walks.

The Bisons will be back at Sahlen Field for the third game of the series against Syracuse. Game three will take place Thursday night with the first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m.