Herd walked-off by Parmelee in 2-1 RailRiders' win
The Bisons were walked-off on Friday night, losing for the 10th-straight time to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. A walk-off solo home run by Chris Parmelee ended the ballgame, sealing a 2-1 win for the RailRiders.
The Bisons began the final roadtrip of the season on Friday, with a short two-game set against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre followed by another two-contest series in Pawtucket.
It was a pitcher's duel early on Friday, with Buffalo's Mike Bolsinger and SWB's Bryan Mitchell each tossing multiple scoreless frames.
The Herd scored its lone run in the sixth, taking a 1-0 lead against Mitchell. Buffalo loaded the bases with one out, forcing Mitchell from the game after 5.1 innings, six strikeouts, and four hits. With James Pazos on the mound, Jesus Montero plated Quintin Berry with a single to right, while Melky Mesa was thrown out trying to score on a throw by right fielder Mark Payton.
Mesa, the Bisons' second batter of the game, singled in the top of the first, and was the lone Buffalo baserunner until Casey Kotchman was plunked by Mitchell in the fourth.
Bolsinger retired the first eight batters he faced, as the RailRiders did not have a baserunner until Jonathan Diaz singled with two outs in the third. In the fourth, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre loaded the bases with no outs, but Bolsinger struck out Kyle Higashioka looking, and got Jake Cuvler to ground out into an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.
Though he walked three, Bolsinger pitched five-shutout innings, surrendering just two hits. He earns a tough-luck no-decision. He was relieved by Aaron Loup in the sixth, and making his Bisons' debut in the seventh was sidewinder Wil Browning. The newest Bison made the most of his debut, striking out the side in order in his first inning of work.
A leadoff walk to Pete Kozma, who stole second and moved to third on a sac-bunt by Jonathan Diaz, forced Browning from the game. Mason Williams tied the game at one, hitting a sac-fly off Chris Smith that scored Kozma.
On the first pitch of the bottom of the ninth, designated hitter Chris Parmelee mashed a walk-off homer off Smith, the first earned run allowed by the reliever at the Triple-A level. Smith earns his first loss with the Herd, as J.R. Graham, who pitched a scoreless top of the ninth, wins his first game of the year for the RailRiders.
Giovanny Gallegos struck out five Bisons in two innings of relief for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
The second game of a two-game set in at PNC Field is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. on Saturday, with Casey Lawrence taking the mound for the Herd. Brady Lail is set to throw for the RailRiders.
BISONS NOTES:
September call-ups have shaken up the Bisons' roster. Relievers Danny Barnes, Matt Dermody and Ryan Tepera, and outfielders Darrell Ceciliani and Dalton Pompey have been called-up to the Blue Jays. Dermody earns his first MLB promotion… Relievers Wil Browning and John Stilson have joined the Herd from Double-A New Hampshire. Reliever Bobby Korecky, infielder David Adams and outfielder Melky Mesa all were activated off the disabled list for Buffalo… Browning becomes the 30th pitcher to throw for the Bisons this season.