Bisons make statement in 15-2 win
It's on!
The red-hot Buffalo Bisons sent a clear message on Saturday night that they are in this to win it, picking up a 15-2 statement victory in the first game of a massive four-game series with the Pawtucket Red Sox. The win pulls the Herd to within just a game of the PawSox for the IL's lone wild card spot.
In what could easily be called the biggest four-game series in nine years at Coca-Cola Field, the Bisons wasted no time winning round one. The club batted around the first and third innings, scoring 10 runs before Pawtucket could even send their first 10 men to the plate.
Kendall Graveman backed up the offense with seven solid inning on the mound, taking advantage of even more stellar Bisons' defense as well as the overwhelming run support.
The Bisons 40th win at Coca-Cola Field this season wasn't much in doubt after six of the first seven batters reached base. Kevin Pillar showed no rust after missing four games, taking the second pitch he saw over the wall in left field for a 3-0 Herd advantage. Matt Hague, Cole Gillespie and Ryan Goins followed with hard-hit doubles to cash two more runs and make it 5-0.
From there, the Herd kept rolling.
Five more runs came across in the third inning, giving the Bisons four, five-run rallies in a span of nine trips to the plate going back to Friday. Dalton Pompey doubled in a pair with one of his three hits in the game while two more scored when Mike Nickeas' grounder was misplayed at shortstop.
In all, Buffalo had eight doubles and a season-high 10 extra-base hits in the game. Ryan Goins had three doubles as part of his four hits, but his night will be remembered by an incredible defensive gem in the sixth. Pawtucket's Travis Shaw grounded a ball to third base that deflected off Hague's glove. Goins was alertly backing up the play, and in one motion he barehanded the ball and threw Shaw out at first base.
Graveman, who had just 10 runs of support in his first four Triple-A starts, threw another quality start for the Herd. He allowed just two runs over seven innings to improve to 2-2 on the season.
Buffalo kept pouring it on with Hague's first Bisons home run in the sixth, a Pillar sacrifice fly for his fifth RBI in the seventh and three more runs in the eighth. Their 19 hits in the game fell one shy of a season-high.
The series continues Sunday with the hot-hitting Herd up against one of the league's best. Anthony Ranaudo will put his 14-4 record up against Buffalo southpaw at 1:05 p.m.