Bisons Notes
Published on April 8, 2008 under International League (IL1)
Buffalo Bisons News Release
TODAY'S GAME: Tonight, the Buffalo Bisons take on the Richmond Braves for the second game of a four-game series from The Diamond (7:00 p.m.). The Herd improved to 3-2 on its season-opening eight-game roadtrip with a 6-4 win in 10 innings last night. The Bisons opened up the season with a four-game split in Norfolk. On the mound tonight will be RHP Matt Ginter, who will be making his Buffalo debut. Ginter pitched 32 games in the Pacific Coast League last year with Memphis and Nashville. The R-Braves will counter with LHP Jo-Jo Reyes.
THE BEST FOR LAST: RHP Matt Ginter is the 24th and final Bisons player on the Opening Day roster to appear in a game. Ginter will also be making his Bisons debut, having signed with the Cleveland Indians during the off-season. The pitcher is quite familiar with the International League, however, as he has pitched for Charlotte, Norfolk, Toledo, Pawtucket and Indianapolis in his nine-year career.
ON TOP EARLY: It may be early but infielder Andy Gonzalez has the top batting average in the International League. Gonzalez has hit in all four games he's played in and his eight total hits in 14 at-bats gives him an IL-best .571 batting average. Last night, Gonzalez singled in the Bisons four-run fifth inning and doubled in the sixth. He then came through with the game-winning hit, an RBI-single in the 10th inning. With his three walks this year, Gonzalez has also posted a .647 on-base percentage.
HERE COME THE HITS: Catcher Wyatt Toregas collected the first Triple-A hits of his career last night. Toregas first hit was the most important as he lined a two-run double in the fifth inning. He also singled later in the game for a 2-5 performance at the plate. Toregas has been doing fine work behind the plate as well. He has thrown out six of 11 would-be base stealers (55%) this season.
ONLY THE GOOD ONES: Bisons hitters have shown some good patience early in 2008. Seven different batters drew walks in last night's victory and the team has 23 walks in five games this season. That total is third-most in the International League. Buffalo has also struck out just 33 times and has the fourth-best team batting average (.273) in the IL.
Matt Ginter
-2008 Spring (CLE/BUF): (0-1, 4.05ERA)(8G, 13.1IP, 21H, 6R, 6ER, 4BB, 9K).
-2007 w/ Memphis (PCL): (2-6, 4.06)(31G, 68.2IP, 86H, 39R, 31ER, 8BB, 43K).
-Pitched in 1 games with Nashville (PCL) in 2007 (0.2IP, 2H, 3R 2BB).
-Made just 8 starts in 32 games in 2007: scoreless work in 14 of 24 relief appearances.
-92 career M.L. games with White Sox, Mets and Tigers (4-4, 5.46ERA, 211.0IP, 120K).
-Originally a 1st round pick (22nd overall) by the Chicago White Sox in 1999.
-Signed as a free agent on December 21, 2007
International League Stories from April 8, 2008
- Norfolk tops Rochester 6-5 - Norfolk Tides
- Braves beat Bisons - Gwinnett Stripers
- Indians Keep Rolling; Knock off Syracuse 4-3 - Indianapolis Indians
- Hall of Famer to Attend Cooperstown Classic - Syracuse Mets
- Tribe Adds Former Pirate And Big League Veteran - Indianapolis Indians
- Twins phenom, Liriano, faces off with Penn Tonight at Harbor Park - Norfolk Tides
- WBEN's Monica Wilson to Serve as Buffalo Bisons Public Address Announcer - Buffalo Bisons
- Carlton Fisk to join IL at Cooperstown Classic - IL1
- Bisons Notes - Buffalo Bisons
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