Stevie Berman lifts Bisons to late game 5-4 win over Lehigh Valley

BUFFALO, NY - The Buffalo Bisons won a back and forth affair with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs 5-4 on Thursday afternoon at Sahlen Field, thanks to a late-game sacrifice fly by Stevie Berman.

Otto Lopez scored each of the first two Bisons’ run in the matinee. The utilityman extended his hitting streak to 11 straight games thanks to a hit off of the glove of Christopher Sanchez. He scored three batters later on an RBI base hit by Cullen Large to give the Herd a 1-0 lead in the first.

After Lehigh Valley scored a pair against Buffalo starter Nick Allgeyer, Lopez singled to lead off the bottom of the third and scored the game-tying run. A throwing error by Sanchez that allowed Lopez to go from first to third proved to be pivotal with Spencer Horwitz adding an RBI on a ground out. Horwitz’s eighth RBI with the Bisons tied the game 2-2.

Allgeyer finished his start with three innings, allowing just one hit and two runs with a walk and strikeout as well. He was followed by Shaun Anderson. The righty logged three innings of scoreless relief, giving up just one hit and striking out one IronPigs batter. Anderson has now pitched 12.1 innings in August and had given up just three earned runs.

Rafael Lantigua collected his fourth hit in the last two games to help Buffalo enjoy their second lead of the game, 3-2. The RBI base hit scored Vinny Capra to give the team a short lived lead.

Will Toffey gave the IronPigs a 4-3 lead with a two-run home run to right field. However, Chavez Young answered with his fifth homer of the season. The solo blast to left field in the bottom of the seventh once again tied the game, 4-4.

Buffalo loaded the bases with only one out in the bottom of the eighth, when Berman came to plate against right hander Nick Duron. Berman battled in his at-bat and hit the sacrifice fly to right that scored Capra, producing the game-winning run.

Matt Gage pitched the ninth and used a double play ground ball to face the minimum. Gage is now a perfect 12 for 12 in save situations with the Bisons this season. Kyle Johnston was credited with the win for pitching a scoreless top of the eighth, as well.

The Bisons and Lehigh Valley will meet for the fourth game of the series on Friday night starting at 7:05 p.m. Casey Lawrence is scheduled to start for Buffalo.