Bisons Drop Opener against Omaha 7-3 Friday Night

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Bisons Drop Opener against Omaha 7-3 Friday Night

July 18, 2025 - International League (IL)
Buffalo Bisons News Release


Buffalo, N.Y. - The Buffalo Bisons began play on the other side of the All-Star break at Sahlen Field on Friday night, losing their season-high ninth straight game as they fell to the Omaha Storm Chasers 7-3.

Omaha got the scoring started against Buffalo's Adam Macko in the first. MJ Melendez led off the game with a double down the first-base line, advanced to third on a flyout and scored the game's first run on an RBI single by Carter Jensen.

Dairon Blanco then plugged the gap in right-center field for an opposite-field RBI triple and Joey Wiemer followed with a bouncing-ball RBI double down the first-base line, making it 3-0.

Buffalo had a scoring threat against Omaha's Dallas Keuchel in the third. Christian Bethancourt singled and Josh Rivera walked to start the inning, but a strikeout and a strike 'em out-throw 'em out double play eliminated the chance to score.

Joey Wiemer produced the Storm Chasers' fourth run of the game in the fourth. He walked to start the frame, then stole second and scored on a Diego Castillo RBI single.

Macko's day ended after the fourth inning, marking the first time since June 20 that he made it through the fourth. He gave up four earned runs on six hits, two walks and two strikeouts.

Omaha pressured the Buffalo bullpen immediately, as the first two reached against Hunter Gregory in the top of the fifth. A sac bunt advanced them into scoring position, but Gregory struck out the next two to notch a scoreless inning.

Buffalo was able to get Keuchel out of the game in the bottom of the fifth. Rainer Nunez singled to start the inning and advanced on a couple of groundouts, the first induced by Keuchel and the second by reliever Chazz Martinez. With two outs, a wild pitch by Martinez brought home Nunez for the Herd's first run.

In the top of the seventh, the Storm Chasers loaded the bases with two outs against Jacob Barnes on a walk, a hit and an error. That brought in Hayden Juenger, who promptly gave up a two-run single to Harold Castro that extended Omaha's lead to 6-3. Both of those runs charged against Barnes were unearned.

The Bisons inched closer in the sixth with two runs. Buddy Kennedy walked to begin the inning, then Ali Sánchez drilled one to the gap in left center for an RBI double. Yohendrick Piñango followed with his own RBI double, this one along the left-field line, to make it a one-run game. A single by Nunez put runners at the corners, but Martinez and Stephen Nogosek picked up back-to-back strikeouts to preserve the Omaha lead.

A Melendez homer leading off the top of the eighth inning for Omaha made it 7-3, but Nunez and Bethancourt walked with two out in the bottom of the frame to get deeper into the Omaha bullpen. Michael Fulmer struck out Josh Rivera to end the inning, though.

Kevin Gowdy worked a scoreless ninth to keep the deficit at four, but Fulmer shut down Buffalo 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning to finish the game.

The Bisons and Storm Chasers will play the second game of this three-game weekend set on Saturday at Sahlen Field at 6:35 p.m. RHP CJ Van Eyk will start on the mound for the Bisons. You can tune in to the game live on MyTV Buffalo starting at 6:30 p.m. with Pat Malacaro and Duke McGuire. You can also listen to the action on The Bet 1520 AM, the Audacy app, and Bisons.com starting at 6:15 p.m. with Paul Hamilton.

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