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IL Buffalo Bisons

Bisons Walk It off with a Walk, 3-2

June 1, 2021 - International League (IL)
Buffalo Bisons News Release


Patience was key for the Buffalo Bisons Tuesday night drawing seven walks, including a bases-loaded free-pass in the bottom of the ninth, to defeat the Syracuse Mets 3-2 in a low scoring affair.

Leaving their bats rested on their shoulders for a majority of the game, the Bisons got the job done with walks and timely hits led by Kevin Smith.

Tied at two in the ninth, Smith began the inning with a leadoff double and reached third on a slow-rolling ground out by Tyler White. After a walk of Cullen Large, an intentional free pass to Forrest Wall, Logan Warmoth battled back from down 1-2 in the count to earn a 6-pitch walk and a Bisons victory.

"I pride myself in being clutch," said Smith. "I think the best players do that, so you know in any situation like that I think the biggest key is just to keep it simple and to keep your approach ahead of the game."

T.J. Zeuch, the 21st overall pick in the MLB draft in 2016 by the Toronto Blue Jays, started for the Bisons and bounced back after surrendering nine runs in his last nine innings of work by pitching five innings and giving up just two runs.

"He didn't give up really, a lot of hard contacts, maybe a few balls were hit pretty good, but there were a couple of jam-shots here and there," said Bisons' manager Casey Candaele. "But he kept going after batter you know, and it was a quality outing."

The Mets jumped on Zeuch in the second starting the inning with a double and a single. He escaped the inning with limited damage thanks to Forrest Wall. The quick center fielder ranged to right field and made a leaping catch on the warning track before turning and rifling a relay throw to Colon to double-up the Mets and end the inning tied a 1-1.

Zeuch flirted with disaster at moments, allowing seven hits in the game and at least one in each inning. But he used his slider and sinker to induce five flyouts and four groundouts as he struck out only three. Zeuch kept the game low-scoring and in-reach for the Bisons' offense.

Opposite Zeuch for the Syracuse Mets was righty Jesus Reyes. Reyes has struggled as well through the first month posting a 6.51 ERA in five starts but bounced back as well surrendering only one earned run in six innings and leaving with the game tied at two.

Smith started the scoring with his first hit of three on the night driving a breaking ball back up the middle for a single that would bring Christian Colon home to give the Bisons a 1-0 lead. The Triple-A rookie Smith, who leads the Bisons with 17 RBIs.

Colon surprised everyone and raced home on a sacrifice fly from Tyler White to tie the game at two in the sixth inning. Colon, hitting leadoff for the first time this season, reached and scored twice in three plate appearances reaching on pair of walks.

Patrick Murphy made his first appearance of the season for the Bisons on a rehab assignment. The righty showed off his nasty curveball in the sixth and seventh innings striking out a pair and working around a single and walk to keep the Bisons with a run.

"It was his first competition in a while," said Candaele. "He commanded his curveball pretty well, so it was a really quality and positive outing."

The bullpen did it again overall keeping the Bisons in the game until the very end as Murphy, Jackson McClelland and Jeremy Beasley combined to pitch four scoreless innings. Beasley also earned his second win of the season and is the winning pitcher in the Bisons' last two victories.

After 12-10 May, the Bisons are undefeated, 1-0, in June and snap a three-game losing skid. The Bisons will be back at Trenton Thunder Ballpark again Wednesday night for game two of the six-game series against the Mets.

Lefty Anthony Kay is expected to make a rehab start and his first start of the season for the Bisons against the Mets' righty Akeem Bostick. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

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