Sports stats



IL1 Buffalo Bisons

Bisons' Dominguez and LeBlanc Roll in 5-1 Herd Win

June 14, 2016 - International League (IL1)
Buffalo Bisons News Release


The Bisons evened up their three-game series with the Durham Bulls on Tuesday. A grand slam by Matt Dominguez in the sixth inning broke a tie game, giving the Herd a 5-1 lead that held for the remainder of the game. Dominguez drove in all five runs for Buffalo. The Herd now improves to 34-31 on the season, as they look to move back up the IL North standings.

Bisons' starter Wade LeBlanc pitched 8.0 innings, allowing just one earned run, while striking out a season-high 11 batters. He improves to 7-2 on the season, and lowers his already IL-best ERA to 1.51.

"Wade LeBlanc was the difference in the game once again," Bisons' manager Gary Allenson said postgame. "If you watch him from the side it's not that impressive, but if you have a bat in your hand, it's tough to tell what he throws."

Dominguez gave the Herd a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, as his sac-fly platted Dalton Pompey for the first run of the ballgame. Durham's starter Justin Marks limited the Herd to just three hits through the first five innings. He ran into trouble in the sixth inning, allowing the Dominguez grand slam.

"I just got some good pitches to hit," Dominguez said postgame. "I just stayed on the fastball, and was able to get it in the air and get it out of the park."

"That four-run homer felt like an eight-run homer to me," Allenson said of Dominguez's grand slam.

The Bulls tied the score at 1 in the top of the third, as Daniel Robertson grounded into a force out with runners on first and second. On the play, a throwing error by Bisons' shortstop Jio Mier scored Jake Hager, resulting in an unearned run for LeBlanc. Durham totaled just two more hits after the third inning.

Through six frames, LeBlanc tied his season high of nine strikeouts, recording three in the sixth inning alone. He racked up another three punch outs, becoming the first Bisons' hurler to reach double-digit strikeouts this year.

"It's not velocity," LeBlanc said when asked for the reason for his string of strikeouts. Over his last 15.0 innings, he has strung together 20 strikeouts. "It's just kind of reading their swings, understanding what they're looking for and going off of that." "He works quick, throws a lot of strikes, and gets a lot of groundballs. As a defender, it's pretty much the best you can play behind," Dominguez said of LeBlanc.

Neil Wagner relieved Justin Marks for the bottom of the seventh, stranding runners on the corners. Danny Farquhar also pitched a scoreless eighth inning for the Bulls.

For the bottom of the ninth, Bo Schultz replaced LeBlanc. A diving catch by David Adams at second secured the first out, and the righty struck out Jake Goebbert to end the game.

Roberto Hernandez will start for the Herd on Wednesday for the series finale against the Bulls. Eddie Gamboa is set to take the mound for Durham, in what will be the last time these two clubs face each other in the regular season. First pitch from Coca-Cola Field is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

BISONS NOTES:

Pat Venditte was activated to the Bisons on Tuesday, after being sent down by the Blue Jays on Monday. Lefty reliever Patrick McCoy has been placed on the disabled list, retroactive to June 12... Wade LeBlanc has yet to allow more than three earned runs in a start. LeBlanc's 11 strikeouts are the most by a Bisons' starter since Daniel Norris in a game on August 15, 2014... Matt Dominguez's grand slam is the first bases-clearing bomb by a Bison since Ty Kelly last August 11, which came in a game against the Rochester Red Wings... David Adams extended his hitting streak to seven games, with a single to left field in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Check out the Buffalo Bisons Statistics



International League Stories from June 14, 2016


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central