Bisons offense comes through in 10-4 win against Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - The Buffalo Bisons jumpstarted their offense on Friday night with eight runs on 15 hits to defeat the Indianapolis Indians 10-4 on Friday night at Victory Field.

The Bisons scored first for the second straight game, this time in the top of the third inning. With two outs Steward Berroa lined a base hit the other way to left field. The speedy outfielder stole second base for his 13th steal of the season, and advanced to third on a throwing error by Grant Koch. Berroa was able to score on a Spencer Horwitz base hit to center field for a 1-0 Bisons lead. The RBI was Horwitz’s 16th of the season.

Indianapolis was able to take advantage of three walks in the bottom of the second inning to erase the one-run deficit and turn it into a one-run lead. Andrew Bash allowed all three walks, making the start for Buffalo. Jake Lamb hit a line drive that made it into centerfield, allowing Gilberto Celestino and Matt Gorski to score. The two-run base hit gave the Indians a 2-1 lead through three.

Buffalo answered in the top of the fifth inning thanks to a lead off walk to Leo Jimenez against reliever J.C. Flowers. Jimenez went from first to third base on a base hit by Wil Robertson and scored on the next ball put in play by Cam Eden. His sacrifice fly to right field evened the score 2-2 in the fifth.

Flowers issued a pair of walks to start off the top of the sixth inning and they both came around to score for Buffalo. Rafael Lantigua and Orelvis Martinez each scored after drawing back-to-back walks to start the inning. Damiano Palmegiani reached base on an error by the third baseman that allowed Lantigua to score. Jimenez followed it up two batters later with an RBI single to give the Bisons a 4-2 lead.

Berroa led off the top of the seventh with a base hit to left field. A pair of errors by reliever Ben Heller allowed the speedy baserunner to advance to third without the benefit of a base hit. Berroa would score on an RBI double by Lantigua to extend Buffalo’s advantage to 5-2. Palmegiani would turn around an RBI double to score Lantigua and make it 6-2 Bisons.

Andrew Bash opened for the Bisons in what was a bullpen game for the team on Friday night. The right hander was followed by Hayden Juenger. He worked two innings, striking out five of the six outs he recorded.

Indianapolis would get one run back in the bottom of the seventh inning after a lead off base hit by Gilberto Celestino. He would score on a Matt Gorski sacrifice fly to trim Buffalo’s lead to 6-3.

The Bisons would get the run right back in the top of the eighth thanks to a two out Berroa single that scored Jimenez. The insurance run made it 7-3 Buffalo. The lead ballooned to five with Horwitz’s second RBI base hit of the game to score Berroa. It allowed Buffalo to enjoy an 8-3 lead.

The Indians were able to scratch across one run in the bottom of the eighth to get back within four runs, 8-4. Horwitz drove in two more runs with a bases loaded base hit to center field that capped the scoring at 10-4.

The two teams will meet for the fifth game of the six-game series on Saturday night. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. at Victory Field.