Bisons Offense Stifled by Lehigh Valley

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IL Buffalo Bisons

Bisons Offense Stifled by Lehigh Valley

June 25, 2025 - International League (IL)
Buffalo Bisons News Release


Buffalo, N.Y. - At Sahlen Field on Wednesday, the Buffalo Bisons and Lehigh Valley IronPigs were neck-and-neck in the early going, but a five-run sixth inning for the IronPigs was enough to set down the Herd 7-1 in the second game of their six-game series.

This game was a pitcher's delight throughout the early and middle stages, as Buffalo's Anders Tolhurst and four Lehigh Valley pitchers combined to keep the game scoreless through the first five innings and retire 15 straight batters at one point.

Tolhurst got some help from his defense to solidify his strong start to the game. Joey Loperfido made a diving catch in center field to end the first frame and take away a hit from Gabriel Rincones Jr. and Josh Rivera made a barehand play as he charged a ground ball from Rodolfo Castro to record the first out of the fifth. Even Tolhurst himself got into the action as he knocked down a 100-mph comebacker to finish off the top half of the fourth.

The top of the sixth was when it would unravel for Tolhurst, as the IronPigs loaded the bases with no one out on a hit and two walks, then Rincones chopped a ball toward the middle that Rivera picked up but had no play on, giving Lehigh Valley the game's first run and knocking Tolhurst out of the game.

The IronPigs continued their push against Jacob Barnes, who entered in relief of Tolhurst. With one out, Cal Stevenson poked one over a leaping Rivera for a station-to-station RBI single, then Castro followed with an RBI on a fielder's choice. With two outs, Castro stole second, then Josh Breaux grounded one under the glove of a diving Rainer Nunez at first base for a two-run single and a 5-0 advantage.

Tolhurst only allowed three baserunners through the first five innings, but his sixth-inning meltdown was the turning point of this game. Overall, the right-hander gave up four earned runs on four hits, three walks and one strikeout.

Meanwhile, the Bisons bats were as cold as one can conceive, as they only mustered two hits and had 13 straight batters set down by Lehigh Valley from the third into the seventh. Will Wagner and Yohendrick Pinango were the only batters to record hits for the Herd until they broke through in the seventh.

With one out in the inning, Orelvis Martinez doubled into the left-field corner, then Pinango walked. With two men on and two out, Rivera doubled down the left-field line to drive in the Herd's first run and put two more in scoring position for Wagner, who came up empty on a pop-up to end the inning with the score 5-1.

Lehigh Valley's lead would be back up to five in the top of the eighth with an unearned run. Cal Stevenson walked to begin the frame, advanced to third on a throwing error on a snap throw and scored on a Breaux RBI single with one out, making it 6-1.

To lead off the ninth inning for the IronPigs, Justin Crawford tacked on another run with a solo homer to right, which made the score 7-1, and it would be so at the game's end.

Bobby Milacki did well enough out of the bullpen for Buffalo, giving up just the one earned run in his 2 1/3 innings of work, though he allowed five baserunners.

The Bisons will continue their series against the IronPigs on Thursday at 6:35 p.m. with the third game of the set. LHP Adam Macko will toe the slab for the Herd. You can listen to the action on The Bet 1520 AM, the Audacy app, and Bisons.com starting at 6:15 p.m. with Pat Malacaro and Duke McGuire.

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International League Stories from June 25, 2025


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