What a relief: Bisons bullpen day produces 2-1 win

If you don’t have an MLB All-Star like Stephen Strasburg, why not build one? That is what the Bisons did Sunday putting together a bullpen game opposite the 2019 World Series MVP.

The Bisons used six different relievers over the nine innings, striking out five and giving up only six hits and one run to defeat the Rochester Red Wings 2-1 in the series finale at Trenton Thunder Ballpark.

“We needed every inning we could and we needed all those guys and they did a great job coming in,” said Bisons' manager Casey Candaele. “And like I said, they keep attacking and they keep trusting their stuff and they're getting the job done.”

Snead, primarily a relief pitcher for the Bisons, made his first ever start after Nick Allgeyer got the call up to the Toronto Blue Jays roster. He was followed by Jackson McClelland for three innings and then one frame each from Tayler Saucedo, C.J. Edwards, Bryan Baker and Hobie Harris

Snead began the game striking out the first batter he faced and threw only nine pitches to retire the side in the first inning. But he got into trouble in the second inning after giving up a pair of singles and a walk to load the bases to start the inning. He recovered to strike out the side to escape the jam.

McClelland retired the first eight he faced before allowing a solo home run to Alec Keller in the fifth inning for the Wings lone run of the game.

Tayler Saucedo and newly acquired Carl Edwards Jr. took care of the sixth and seventh innings to keep the Bisons within one. Edwards, who won a World Series with Chicago in 2016, allowed a lead off double in his frame before retiring the next three batters on a pair of ground outs and a fly out.

Righty Bryan Baker took care of the eighth and Hobie Harris got the save, his second of the year, retiring the side in the ninth in order.

Strasburg, meanwhile, made an unexpected rehab start for the Rochester Red Wings in the series finale and began the game uneven, walking the second batter and throwing nine strikes in twenty pitches in the first before striking out the next two to retire the side.

“He obviously throws the ball where he wants it most of the time and he's you know coming back and being able spot his stuff like he did,” said Candaele. “I think we did a great job of kind of making it work a little bit.”

Strasburg got his curveball working in the first inning but struggled to locate his high fastball until the fourth inning when he struck out the side. On a 75 pitch limit, Strasburg threw 4.1 innings, struck out six, gave up two hits and no runs.

“It was a good battle I mean and that's what you want you want, to face the best and kind of grind it out against him and he did a good job getting his work in,” said Candaele. “And we did a good job of getting him some pitches.”

The Bisons' batters weathered the Strasburg storm and finally broke through against Tyler Eppler with a two-RBI single into left field from Dilson Herrera. The score gave the Bisons a 2-1 lead and put Edwards in line for the win, his first of the year.

“These guys are pretty resilient,” said Candaele. “You know, to start the season and they're, they're battling and they're always grinding stuff.”

After dropping the first game of the series the Bisons won five in a row to move to 9-3 and tied for first in the Triple-A East division.

The Bisons will go on the road against the Worcester Red Sox for a six-game series starting Tuesday. It will be the first road series for the Bisons in 2021 and the first time ever playing at Polar Park where they will look to keep the momentum going.

“When you pitch well go after people and play solid quality defense, you're going to, you're going to be in most games,” said Candaele. “So, you know we have been doing that and hopefully we can keep that up on the road trip.”

Game 1 starters expected to be red-hot righty Alek Manoah for the Bisons against the Red Sox’s righty Daniel Gossett.