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IL1 Buffalo Bisons

Bisons' Walk-Off in Series Finale with PawSox, 2-1

May 22, 2016 - International League (IL1)
Buffalo Bisons News Release


In the series finale against the Red Sox, the Bisons' ended their homestand with a walk-off 2-1 win Sunday afternoon. Casey Kotchman drove in pinch-runner Alexi Casilla with a RBI single off Pawtucket reliever Kyle Martin, securing the Herd's victory. The team now moves back to the .500 mark.

"I hit a hole, the shortstop wasn't where the shortstop usually is," Casey Kotchman said postgame. "So that was nice."

The bottom of the ninth inning kicked off with a Jesus Montero single, which narrowly stayed fair down the left field line. Alexi Casilla pinch-ran for Montero, and he was brought home on a perfectly placed shot to left center by Kotchman.

Wade LeBlanc hurled seven innings, allowing one unearned run, while pitching quickly and effectively throughout. Allowing just five hits, LeBlanc struck out six while throwing just 92 pitches, earning a tough-luck no-decision. The lefty has now gone 26 and 2/3 straight innings without giving up an earned run.

"LeBlanc had an outstanding changeup today, he utilized it just enough," Allenson said. "He keeps hitters off balance."

"He's been awesome. A lot of our staff has," Kotchman said of LeBlanc, and the Bisons' starters in general. "It'd be nice to get those guys some w's next to their names,"

With two outs in the third, Pawtucket's Ryan LaMarre reached first via a throwing error by third baseman Matt Dominguez. A batter later, Sam Travis doubled to put the PawSox up 1-0. This would be the only blemish on LeBlanc's night. LeBlanc escaped trouble in the fifth, stranding runners on the corners, by inducing a Deven Marrero groundout. A strike-'em-out, throw-'em-out double play ended the top of the seventh, keeping the score tied at one.

Once again wearing Blue Jays-inspired uniforms, Buffalo completes a 3-1 series win against Pawtucket. This coming in a series that saw two walk-off Bisons' wins. The Herd have now won 11 of its last 16 games.

Red Sox starter William Cuevas also allowed just one run, pitching effectively for six innings. Darrell Ceciliani doubled and stole third base to begin the fourth, and Matt Dominguez then tied the game at one with a double of his own. Later in the inning, Junior Lake drove a ball over 400 feet to dead center field, but it was grabbed by centerfielder Ryan LaMarre to end the inning. Cuevas struck out four, and surrendered just four hits. The last time the Bisons saw Cuevas was on April 10, his first start of the year, during which the Herd struck for five runs in five innings, beating the PawSox 9-1.

"A very well game played by both clubs," manager Gary Allenson said postgame. Both pitchers were on their A game, throwing strikes and mixing it up.

For a defensive highlight, in the bottom of the seventh, PawSox reliever Noe Ramirez speared a hot-shot to the mound by A.J. Jimenez, catching the ball behind his back. Ramirez then initiated an inning-ending double play.

After Aaron Loup pitched a scoreless eighth inning, Ryan Tepera struck out two PawSox in the eighth inning, after which Deven Marrero was caught stealing by a strong throw by A.J. Jimenez. Tepera is credited with his first win of the season.

The Herd has an off-day on Monday, and then heads to Columbus to take on the IL West leading Clippers for a three game series at Huntington Park. After a three game series with the Mud Hens in Toledo, the Bisons return home for a homestand against the Clippers and Syracuse Chiefs, beginning on May 30.

BISONS NOTES:

Bo Schultz, who had been rehabbing with the Bisons on an MLB injury assignment, has been optioned to Buffalo. David Aardsma has also been reassigned to extended spring training... Appearing in his first game of the season was lefty reliever Aaron Loup, who pitched a scoreless eighth inning. Loup joined the Herd prior to Saturday's game on a MLB injury rehab assignment, as he has battled a left elbow flexor strain... Devon Travis picked up a single to lead off the bottom of the first inning. He has gone 5-17 in his four rehab games with the Bisons... The Bisons' win on Sunday keeps the team out of last place in the IL North, as Pawtucket now falls a game back of the Herd... Alexi Casilla, who pinch-ran for Jesus Montero and scored in the ninth, has now scored in each of his five appearances as a pinch-runner this season... Wade LeBlanc's ERA drops to 1.44, which is now the second-lowest in the International League.

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