Herd closes out strong week with 7-1 win over Wings

After claiming the series victory on Saturday, Jacob Waguespack and the Buffalo Bisons kept their foot on the gas, dominating the Rochester Red Wings, 7-1, in Sunday's series finale from Frontier Field.

Waguespack made his second start of the series following a game one victory in which he pitched 5.2 innings, allowed one run on seven hits and struck out five. It was more of the same in game six as he dictated the pace over five innings, allowing no runs and four hits while striking out six.

Waguespack got his curveball working in the third inning and used it to strike out four batters over his final three innings. The curve's velocity hung around 75-79 MPH for the game, and he complimented it with a fastball that stayed peak at 96 MPH and stayed around 93-95 MPH throughout.

With a second consecutive victory, the 6’6” righty has begun to string together impressive starts following an uneven beginning to 2021. He has allowed two runs in his last 15.2 innings after allowing 13 runs in the first 21.1 innings of the season.

Just three hitters and nine pitches into the game the Bisons put their first runs on the board. Christian Colon lined a single into right field to drive home George Springer for his 18th RBI of the season and second of the series. The Bisons alternated single and then walk for the first four batters of the game to load the bases before Tyler White drove home Breyvic Valera to give Buffalo a 2-0 lead after the one inning.

Kevin Smith continued on his unrelenting hot streak in the second inning unloading a three-run home run to left field that exited with at a velocity of 107 MPH. Smith has made a mockery of the Red Wings’ pitchers in the series collecting eight hits, three extra-base hits, 10 RBIs and hitting .364 with a .481 OBP.

After a nightmare game one start from the Red Wings’ Tyler Eppler, allowing ten runs on 11 hits (six home runs) in 4.2 innings, he got off to a similar start Sunday. The righty exited after allowing five runs and six hits in just two innings.

The Bisons scored again in the third to extend the lead to 6-0. Logan Warmoth led off the inning with a triple that hit the base of the wall in right field, and was driven home by a Rodrigo Vigil ground out.

Jackson McClelland took over for Waguespack in the sixth and brought Bisons fans to the edge of their seats. He surrendered a run and left the game with bases loaded and two outs for Kirby Snead. Fortunately, Snead was able to induce a groundout and escape the inning with a 6-1 Bisons' lead.

Curtis Taylor, Dany Jimenez and Bryan Baker took care of an inning each to close the game allowing just one hit and no runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings.

Series Highlights

Firing on all-cylinders was the only way to describe the Bisons (22-18) in their second series of the year against the Red Wings (15-27). Following losses in three of their last four series, Buffalo took five of six games in the series including four consecutive victories to close the week.

The Bisons’ averaged 6.5 runs a game, 39 runs total, to throttle the Red Wings by a total score of 39-11 in the series.

The Bisons’ starting pitching was even stronger than the offense. The Bisons’ starters in the series earned three wins while posting a 2.03 ERA, a 1.73 points lower than the Bisons’ Triple-A East league-leading starting pitcher ERA of 2.76.

Zach Logue was the highlight of the rotation. The 25-year-old lefty made a historic first career start at the Triple-A level one hitting the Red Wings over seven innings and striking out eight to earn his first career victory in game four Friday.

Three-time MLB all-star and World Series MVP George Springer was thrown into the mix on an MLB rehab assignment. Springer played center field and hit out of the designated hitter spot for the Bisons producing just three hits and one RBI in the series.

The Bisons will take a well-earned day-off Monday before heading to Syracuse for their first road series against the Mets.