Bats Wranlge Bisons, 5-2
Bats starter Matt Maloney followed up a strong outing by his teammate, Justin Lehr last night. After two games of a combined 29 innings on Saturday and Sunday, Lehr and Maloney allowed the bullpen to get a little extra rest. Lehr pitched eight innings on Monday, and Maloney tossed seven innings tonight.
Maloney (7-6, 2.51) picked up the win by going seven innings, surrendering seven hits, two runs, no walks, while striking out six.
The Bats were able to get on the board first in the bottom of the second inning. Wes Bankston led off the inning with a single, his first of four hits on the evening. He was knocked in on a double by Danny Dorn, putting the Bats ahead 1-0.
The Bisons responded in the top of the third by putting a run up of their own. Josh Petersen, making his first appearance in AAA this season, led off the inning with a double for the Bisons. Wilson Valdez followed him with a single, putting runners on first and third with no out. Maloney was able to strike out the next batter, but then Jesus Feliciano hit a single, knocking in Petersen, evening the score at one.
The Bats struck again in their half of the third. Rehabbing shortstop Alex Gonzalez worked a one-out walk and was followed by a double by Chris Heisey putting runners at second and third with one out. Darnell McDonald knocked in Gonzalez with a sacrifice fly, and Heisey was plated on a single by Bankston, thrusting the Bats back in front, 3-1.
The Bats added another run in the top of the sixth by leading off the inning with three consecutive singles by McDonald, Bankston, and Dorn, pushing the lead to 4-1. The Bisons closed the gap slightly in the top of the seventh on a lead-off home run by Nick Evans, making it a 4-2 game.
In the Bottom of the eighth, the Bats picked up an insurance run on a solo home run by McDonald, extending the lead to 5-2. The home run barely cleared the left field fence and it is his seventh of the season, and his second in two nights.
Zach Stewart came in to relieve Maloney in the eighth inning. He pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth inning, allowing two hits and striking out one to pick up his second save of the season in a Bats uniform.
Tobi Stoner (2-4, 5.13) started and took the loss for the Bisons. Stoner went six innings, giving up seven hits, four runs, one walk and struck out six.
The Bats and Bisons will hook up again tomorrow for game three at 7:05 p.m. RHP Ramon Ramirez (5-6, 4.60) is scheduled to start for the Bats and the Bisons starter has yet to be determined.