2-0 loss eliminates Bisons from postseason
For the final eight games of the 2015 season, the Bisons will be regulated to the roll of spoilers.
Buffalo was mathematically eliminated from post season contention on Sunday afternoon following a 2-0 loss to the RailRiders at Coca-Cola Field. Trailing the 1st-place Scranton/Wilkes-Barre squad by nine games with only eight left to play, the Bisons will have to look forward to 2016 for their next chance at the Governors' Cup.
The Bisons are now the best friends of the rival and 2nd place Rochester Red Wings. The Herd has three more games against the RailRiders this season and could still impact the how the IL North division ends up.
It was another pitcher's duel in downtown Buffalo even though neither starter finished five innings of work. Three Scranton/Wilkes-Barre hurlers held the Bisons to just six singles to earn their 76th win of the season. Johnny Barbato retired 10 straight out of the RailRiders bullpen to earn third win of the season.
The Bisons bullpen was equally impressive. Ben Rowan, Aaron Loup and Steve Delabar combined for 4.1 innings of hitless relief.
But by the time Buffalo went to the pen, they trailed 2-0. Rob Refsnyder dribbled a grounder through the right side with two outs in the second inning to score Gregorio Petit from second base. Three innings later, Dustin Ackley's two-out single scored Cole Figueroa for the 2-0 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre lead.
Buffalo had just six hits in the loss, two coming off the bat of Matt Hague. The veteran slugger singled with two outs in the first and third innings and now has 171 hits on the season. The total is just 10 shy of Jhonny Peralta's modern era record of 181 set during his 2004 MVP season.
The Bisons homestand continues Monday with another Markdown Monday. First pitch against the RailRiders is at 7:05 p.m. BISONS NOTES:
Ben Rowen retired all seven batters he faced in 2.1 innings of relief work. He has not allowed a run in any of his 12 outings with the Bisons…Chad Jenkins started for Buffalo and allowed two runs on eight hits in 4.2 innings of work…Buffalo had just one hit after the fourth inning.