Romero deals Herd big road win
The best road team in the International League felt right at home on Saturday night in Pawtucket.
Ricky Romero delivered seven solid innings of work and five different Bisons had multi-hit performances as the Herd defeated the PawSox, 7-2, at McCoy Stadium. One of Moises Sierra's two hits was a three-run home run in the fourth inning that put the game out of reach for Buffalo.
The Bisons are now 35-27 on the road this season, a half-game better than the Bulls' record away from Durham. More importantly, the victory helped the Herd close to within just a half-game of Pawtucket in the IL Wild Card race.
Romero returned to the site of arguably his best outing of the year and he came through again for the Herd. On June 14, Romero tossed six shutout innings and only allowed two hits in a no-decision to the PawSox. This time, the southpaw went seven innings and yielded just a single run on six hits in his return trip to McCoy Stadium. This time, Romero was rewarded with his fourth win of the season.
Once Romero was given the 5-1 cushion in the fourth inning, the veteran locked it down. He retired 13 of the final 15 PawSox he faced, with the only two hits he allowed coming off broken bats. Romero walked just one batter and the PawSox could not advance a runner to third base against him after the second inning.
Newcomer Brad Glenn and Jim Negrych broke a 1-1 tie when they led off the fourth with back-to-back doubles. And while Pawtucket starter Steven Wright retired the next three Bisons batters, Mike McCoy reached first base when a wild pitch negated his strikeout. That gave Sierra an at-bat and the slugger deposited the first pitch he saw beyond the wall in right-center for a three-run shot.
The blast was Sierra's 11th home run of the year.
Negrych also singled home a run in a two-run Bisons ninth that put the game away. The Buffalo-native had three hits on the night, increasing his season-average to .299.
Just promoted from Double-A, southpaw Sean Nolin will start for the Bisons on Sunday in Pawtucket (1:05 p.m.). With a win and some help on the out-of-town scoreboard, the Herd has a chance to be in front of the Wild Card race by the end of the weekend.
BISONS NOTES: Catcher A.J. Jimenez also joined the Bisons on Saturday, but he did not appear in the game…Brad Glenn went 2-3 with a pair of walks and is now hitting .400 in three game with the Bisons…John Stilson closed out the win with two innings of one-run relief work.