TODAY'S GAME: This afternoon, the Buffalo Bisons face the Indianapolis Indians in the third game of a four-game set from Victory Field (2:00 p.m.). The series is tied a game apiece as the Herd evened the set with a 6-3 win last night. Buffalo is now 2-4 on their eight-game roadtrip that began with a 3-1 series loss in Louisville. After the series against Indianapolis, the Bisons return home for a four-game series against Pawtucket, July 28-31.
vs. THE INDIANS: The Bisons are 2-4 against the Indianapolis Indians this year. The Indians took three of four games from the Herd at Coca-Cola Field from June 6-9. The two teams split the season-series a year ago, 4-4. Buffalo has a .538 winning percentage (50-43) against Indianapolis since returning to the International League in 1998.
ROCKIN' ROADIE: INF/OF Nick Evans has collected a hit in all six games this roadtrip. Since July 20, the slugger has averaged .304 (7-23). Five of the seven hits have gone for extra bases (4 doubles, 1 home run) as Evans has also doubled in three straight contests. Since returning to the Bisons on July 11, Evans has averaged .268 (11-41) with four doubles, a home run and three RBI.
NO HITZ SWITZ: LHP Jon Switzer earned his first save of the season last night with a pair of shutout innings. He's the sixth Bisons hurler to save a game for the team this year, led by RHP Elmer Dessens' 11 saves. Since May 25, Switzer has made 14 appearances. In eight of those games, he hasn't yielded a hit. Opponents are hitting just .225 of the southpaw this season.
HIT MACHINE: OF Jesus Feliciano has hit in 19 of his 21 games this month, averaging .313 (26-83) with seven doubles, seven RBI and three runs scored. On the season, his 101 hits are tied for the 4th most in the International League. Feliciano trails a pair of hitters, Gwinnett's INF Barbaro Canizares and former Bison OF Jordan Brown by nine. Overall, his .306 batting average ranks 10th in the IL. He also leads the Bisons with 36RBI this year.
CHART TOPPERS: Along with Feliciano on the IL leaderboards is RHP Nelson Figueroa. The veteran is 3rd in the IL with a 2.42ERA, trailing only Charlotte's Carlos Torres (2.20) and now Boston Red Sox Clay Buchholz (2.36).
MEET THE METS: Now with the Mets, former Bisons LHP Jonathon Niese continued his recent dominance. The southpaw allowed just one run on four hits in seven innings of work as New York (45-51) blew out the Astros last night, 10-3. Niese earned his first major league win, with home run support from Jeff Francoeur, Omir Santos and David Wright. Francoeur drove in four runs in the win.
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