Bisons take opener at Coca-Cola Park

The Buffalo Bisons used a five-run top of the third and a three-run top of the fifth to take the homestand opener from Lehigh Valley 9-4. Jason Leblebijian gave Buffalo a four-run lead in the top of the third with a grand slam to left field off of Drew Anderson (2-2).

The Bisons led from the start when Anthony Alford put Buffalo up with a steal of home in the top of the first inning. The grand slam by Leblebijian and a solo home run by Darnell Sweeney in the top of the third gave Buffalo a 6-1 lead against Anderson. Buffalo extended their lead in the fifth with four singles (and three runs) against Jacob Waguespack.
Anderson was lifted after 2 2/3 innings, allowing five hits and five runs while striking out four. Waguespack surrendered three runs in 2 1/3 innings of relief before turning the ball over to Tom Windle, who tossed two scoreless innings for the Pigs, allowing three hits and striking out one. 
The IronPigs were only able to must three hits against Buffalo starter Chris Rowley (4-3) who went 6 2/3 innings and struck out seven. Rowley did not allow a hit in 15 batters after surrendering a second-inning home run to Trevor Plouffe. Rowley's three walks came during that stretch.
Leblebijian and former IronPig Darnell Sweeney carried to the offense for Buffalo. Leblebijian finished the game with four RBI, three hits and two runs scored. Sweeney drove in three had a pair of knocks including a solo home run. 
Plouffe, Danny Ortiz and Mitch Walding accounted for the four IronPigs runs. Plouffe belted a pair of solo home runs for his first multi-home run game of the season. Ortiz drove in the second run for Lehigh Valley with an RBI single. Walding blasted his eighth home run of the season with a solo shot in the eighth. Joey Meneses also extended his hitting streak to seven games with a single in the bottom of the seventh. 
The Pigs and Bisons will play a twin bill tomorrow night beginning at 6:05 p.m. Gates open at 5 p.m. and 3,000 fans 18 and older will receive a J.P. Crawford 'Grand Slide' bobblehead presented by Coordinated Health. Enyel De Los Santos will start Game 1 for the IronPigs and Tom Eshelman will be start 2ame 2. 
The 2018 Season is the IronPigs' 11th season at Coca-Cola Park and 11th as the top affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. Fans can get closer to the team than ever before with a Bacon, USA membership -- a year-round IronPigs experience pass featuring numerous amenities such as savings on parking at games and at the Majestic Clubhouse Store at Coca-Cola Park, on-field VIP access to watch batting practice, access to the annual holiday party, and more. For more information, visit IronPigsBaseball.com or call (610) 841-PIGS (7447).
The 2018 IronPigs baseball season is presented by Capital BlueCross.