IL1 Buffalo Bisons

Bisons Notes

Published on April 7, 2006 under International League (IL1)
Buffalo Bisons News Release


TODAY'S GAME: Tonight, the Buffalo Bisons look to rebound from a tough season-opening loss as the face the Richmond Braves from The Diamond in Virginia (7:00 p.m.). Yesterday, the Braves scored a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the 8th inning to win the first game of this four-game series. Tonight, the Bisons will turn to Jeremy Sowers to earn that first win of the year. Sowers will be starting just his second season of professional baseball, but was the Indians' Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2005 after combining to go 14-4 with a 2.37ERA at three levels. Tonight, he will be opposed by Wes Obermueller, who was 3-1 with a 2.55ERA and one save last season with Triple-A Nashville of the Pacific Coast League.

Jeremy Sowers

-Last Spring Outing (3/31 vRIC): (ND, 6.0IP, 5H, R, ER, 2K in 2-2 win).

-2006 Spring (Bisons/CLE): (3-0, 2.55)(5G, 17.2IP, 19H, 5R, 5ER, 6BB, 7K).

-2005 w/ Bisons: made 1 start on 9/2 @OTT (W, 5.2IP, 7H, 1R, 1ER, 4K).

-2005 w/ Akron(AA): (5-1, 2.08)(13GS, 82.1IP, 74H, 25R, 19ER, 9BB, 70K).

-2005 w/ Kinston (A): (8-3, 2.78)(13GS, 71.1IP, 60H, 25R, 25ER, 19BB, 75K).

-2005 Indians' Minor League Pitcher of the Year (led system in wins (14), Ks (149)).

-Selected in the 1st round (6th overall) of the 2004 First-Year Player Draft.

OPENER HEARTBREAKS: The Buffalo Bisons have now suffered difficult losses on Opening Day in each of the past three seasons. On April 8, 2004, the Pawtucket Red Sox scored three runs in the 9th inning to beat the Bisons 4-3 from McCoy Stadium. Last season, Richmond's James Jurries and Andy Marte hit 7th-inning homers in the first game of a doubleheader on April 8 to defeat the Herd, 5-4, at Dunn Tire Park. The good news for Buffalo is that in the two previous seasons, they won the next game.

ENCORE PERFORMANCE: The Bisons are hoping Jeremy Sowers is just as good tonight as he was in his first Triple-A performance. Sowers made a spot start for Buffalo on September 2, 2005 and allowed just one run in 5.2 innings of work in defeating the Ottawa Lynx. The Indians #1 draft pick in 2004 (6th overall) led the Tribe's organization last season in wins (14) and strikeouts (149) while also spending time with Single-A Kinston and Double-A Akron.

CLUTCH COOPER: Outfielder Jason Cooper's clutch hitting is back in 2006. He had a pair of run-scoring hits yesterday with a two-out, two-run double in the 1st inning and a two-out, RBI-triple in the 5th. In 2005, Cooper led the Indians' Minor League system with 100RBI between Double-A Akron and the Bisons.

NOT JUST ONE: Several Bison hitters got the season off to a good start yesterday. Six players got that first hit of the year out of the way, while four batters had multi-hit performances. Franklin Gutierrez, Ryan Garko, Jason Cooper and Jake Gautreau all finished the game with two hits.

EARLY HOMER: Jake Gautreau hit his first home run of the season in Buffalo's defeat yesterday. Gautreau also went deep on Opening Day last season, hitting a two-run blast in the Bisons' victory over Richmond in the second game of a doubleheader.

Check out the Buffalo Bisons Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



International League Stories from April 7, 2006


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