IL1 Syracuse Mets

Bisons Edge Chiefs in Series Opener

Published on April 20, 2012 under International League (IL1)
Syracuse Mets News Release


The Syracuse Chiefs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, fell 6-4 to the Buffalo Bisons in the opener of a three-game series on a balmy Friday night at Alliance Bank Stadium.

With the wind blowing out, Buffalo's Valentino Pascucci smoked a solo home run in the top of the first for the game's first run. The ball sailed past Alliance Bank Stadium's new scoreboard, which is now fully constructed, beyond the left-center field fence.

Syracuse (3-12) answered with a home run of its own in the bottom of the first. Josh Johnson walked with one out and came in on a mammoth Tyler Moore homer off of the batter's eye in dead center field. Moore's sixth homer of the season gave the Chiefs a 2-1 edge. Only Brad Eldred of Toledo has more (eight) in the International League.

Chiefs starter Mitch Atkins got out of the second inning unscathed after allowing a double and a single thanks to the right arm of center fielder Bryce Harper. The 19-year old picked up an Omar Quintanilla single and proceeded to fire a strike home to catcher Jeff Howell, who caught the throw standing up and then easily tagged out Adam Loewen attempting to score from second.

Harper's arm couldn't keep Buffalo (8-8) off the board again in the third, however. Pascucci drove home his third RBI of the night on a single to plate Jordany Valdespin from second with two outs to tie the game, 2-2.

In the top of the fourth, Atkins retired the first two batters he faced, but the Bisons retook control with a two-out rally. Rob Johnson doubled, Atkins intentionally walked Quintanilla, and then pitcher Matt Harvey picked up his first Triple-A hit to drive home Johnson. Valdespin followed that with an run-scoring hit of his own, as Quintanilla scored.

Buffalo bolstered its lead to 5-2 in the fifth when the visitors again generated offense with two outs. Vinny Rottino singled and scored on a Raul Reyes pinch hit-double over the head of Harper in center. Atkins finished his night after the fifth having allowed five runs on 10 hits with two strikeouts and a walk.

Besides producing an RBI at the plate, Harvey also settled in on the mound after the first inning. The seventh overall pick in the 2010 MLB Draft blanked the Chiefs for four straight innings.

Syracuse drew within a run at 5-4 after seven. In the sixth, Seth Bynum walked and came around after a Carlos Rivero two-out double. An inning later, Jarrett Hoffpauir doubled and scored on a Mark Teahen single to center.

The Bisons tacked on an insurance run in eighth with a Rob Johnson homer to right field off of Chiefs left-hander Atahualpa Severino.

The Chiefs and Bisons continue their Thruway Cup Series matchup on Saturday at Alliance Bank Stadium at 2:00 PM. Tanner Roark is expected to start for Syracuse opposite Buffalo's Jeurys Familia.

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International League Stories from April 20, 2012


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