Lukes powers Bisons offense with six-hit game in 14-3 win Thursday

ROCHESTER, NY - Nathan Lukes accounted for nearly half of the Buffalo Bisons hits with a six-hit performance that led the team to a 14-3 victory over the Rochester Red Wings on Wednesday night at Innovative Field.

The outfielder’s first hit of the night came as the second batter to face Thaddeus Ward, with Spencer Horwitz on base. Lukes belted a two-run home run to give Buffalo an early 2-0 lead. It was his fifth homer of the season, clearing the right field wall. Damiano Palmegiani added an RBI base hit to extend the team’s lead to 3-0 after just a half inning.

Chad Dallas would work 5.1 innings for his second straight Triple-A win. Dallas allowed just one run through his first three innings of work. An Erick Mejia solo home run in the bottom of the third inning trimmed the Bisons lead to 3-1 after three.

However, Buffalo roared back with eight runs in the top of the fourth inning on only four hits to balloon the lead to 11-1. Lukes’ third hit of the night was a two-run double scoring Leo Jimenez and Steward Berroa. Nine straight batters would reach base, including three straight bases loaded walks against Luis Reyes that allowed Buffalo to bring 12 men to the plate overall in the half inning.

Jimenez led off the inning with a walk and reached base for a second time with a two-run single to cap the eight-run inning. Rafael Lantigua also batted twice, reaching with a two-out base hit.

Buffalo would tack on two more runs in the top of the fifth. Horwitz was hit by a pitch, allowing the first baseman to reach base in each of his first four at-bats. He finished the night with three walks, three runs scored, and a hit by pitch. Lukes followed it up with a double. Both men would score in the frame. Orelvis Martinez’s 31st RBI of the year came on a sacrifice fly for a 12-1 lead. It would be extended to 13-1 with a Payton Henry RBI double.

The Red Wings would get a pair of runs back in the bottom of the sixth to trim the deficit to 13-3. However, the final run of the night was scored by Lantigua on a Berroa RBI base hit.

Lukes finished the night with his third single of the contest, it came with two out in the top of the ninth. He went 6-6 with three singles, a pair of doubles, a two-run home run and six RBIs in the blowout victory.

It marked the second straight year a Bisons’ batter recorded a 6-6 day after L.J. Talley accounted for it last year on April 30 at Gwinnett. It was also the first six-hit game surrendered by Rochester since Justin Turner with Buffalo in 2010.

The two teams are scheduled to meet at 6:05 p.m. on Thursday night in Rochester. Aaron Sanchez is scheduled to start for Buffalo against the Red Wings.