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A total of 17 home games in August as opposed to just 11 games at Coca-Cola Field in April highlight a back-loaded 2010 team schedule announced by the Buffalo Bisons today. The Herd will also host 19 summer home weekend dates, ensuring Coca-Cola Field will be a busy place when summer returns to Western New York next season.

Overall, the Herd's 125th season of professional baseball in Buffalo features an increase of five home games over the final two months of the season compared to the 2008 schedule.

The 2010 regular season will begin on Thursday, April 8 in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre with Opening Day in Buffalo scheduled for Wednesday, April 14 against the Pawtucket Red Sox. A total of 44 of the team's 72 home games will be played in the months of June, July, August and September (four more than in 2009).

"Our 2010 schedule is very summer-friendly. With the number of home games we have late in our schedule, Coca-Cola Field is sure to be the top destination for families and baseball fans next season," said Mike Buczkowski, Bisons Vice President/General Manger.

Game times will be released at a later date.

A Summer at the Ballpark
Next year's schedule will feature 17 home dates in August, and increase of six from the 2009 schedule. The team will also have a total of 14 home weekend dates in July and August next year -an increase of five from the current season.

The Bisons host three straight fridaynightbash!® games in July and two more in August next year and five Saturday home games over the final two months of the season (three more than in 2009).

The 17 home games in August are tied for the most games the Bisons have in any one month next year. Their 11 home games in April are the fewest games they have in any month.

After hosting a pair of games in September, the Bisons will end the 2010 season on the road with a Labor Day match-up in Rochester for the final contest of the season.

A Dozen fridaynightbash!® Games Will Do
The 2010 Bisons home schedule will feature 11 fridaynightbash!® games with post-game fireworks. Next year, seven of the fridaynightbash!® games will be between May 28 and the rest of the season. In 2009, six of the team's fridaynightbash!® games came in the first seven Fridays of the season.

The team will host three consecutive fridaynightbash!® games July 2, 9 and 16, the first of which will set up an amazing back-to-back game stretch with the team's Independence Eve Celebration with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra on Saturday, July 3.

Along with 11 Fridays, the Bisons will be home for 11 Saturday games and 10 Sunday games, giving fans 32 weekend games to choose from (44 % of schedule). The team will host 13 Thursday games in 2009 with the fewest games falling on Mondays (8), Tuesdays (10) and Wednesdays (9).

Herd/PawSox Opener Starts Year Off
The Bisons home opener on Wednesday, April 14 against Pawtucket will start their 23rd season at Coca-Cola Field. Since the ballpark opened on 1988, the Bisons are 13-9 in home openers. This Bisons have hosted the Red Sox for their home opener three other times, defeating them 5-2 on April 5, 2001 and 10-8 on April 3, 2003, but losing 6-4 on April 9, 2009.

The Bisons have posted a winning record at home in 17 of the previous 22 seasons at Coca-Cola Field, with an overall record of 915-650 (.586 winning percentage).

Since Coca-Cola Field opened in 1988, the Bisons have had a paid attendance of 17,933,920.

2010 Schedule Highlights -Holidays and Rivals Aplenty
The 16th Annual Independence Eve Celebration with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus will be held on Saturday, July 3rd against the Rochester Red Wings. The team will be home for Father's Day on Sunday, June 20 against the Indianapolis Indians, Armed Forces Day on Saturday, May 16 against Norfolk and Memorial Day on Monday, May 31 against Syracuse.

The Bisons will begin the home portion of the 2010 Thruway Series on Memorial Day against the Chiefs. Buffalo's closest rival, the Rochester Red Wings, makes three trips up the I-90 to Western New York, July 1-3, July 21-22 and August 18-20.

Among the team's other rivals, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees will come into town April 17-20, July 8-9 and September 1-2 for the Triple-A Subway Series between the affiliates of the Mets and Yanks. Including Opening Day, the Red Sox top farm club Pawtucket will be in Buffalo from April 14-16 and then for a five-game showdown, August 11-15.

Schedule Format
The International League format is unchanged from last season. Each team is scheduled to play 144 games (72 at home). The Bisons will play North Division opponents 16 times each (eight at home) and the Herd will face teams from the South and West Division eight times each (four at home).

2009 All-Star Game
The 23rd Annual Triple-A All-Star Game will be played on Wednesday, July 14th at Coca-Cola Park in Lehigh Valley, PA, home of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Representatives from the International League will face off against the best from the PCL.

--herd--

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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