Bisons Top Gwinnett for Second Straight Day, 6-2 on Thursday
September 8, 2022 – International League (IL) – Buffalo Bisons News Release
BUFFALO, NY – The Buffalo Bisons used the long ball for the second straight day to defeat the Gwinnett Stripers 6-2 on Thursday afternoon at Sahlen Field.
A pair of home runs for the Herd was all the offense the team would need. Buffalo would fall behind 1-0 thanks to a Taylor Motter solo home run against Casey Lawrence in the top of the second inning.
However, Lawrence would not allow another run before ending his start after five innings. The right hander allowed just two hits, both to Motter, with three strikeouts. He did not factor into the decision despite throwing just 52 pitches in his five frames.
Stevie Berman’s fifth homer of the season came in the bottom of the fifth inning and was a solo shot to tie the 1-1. It was also just the second hit of the game off of Gwinnett starter Ian Anderson.
The Bisons would chase Anderson from the game an inning later thanks to four of the first five batters in the sixth reaching base. Spencer Horwitz led off the inning with a walk and scored one batter later on a Vinny Capra RBI double to give the Bisons a 2-1 lead. Rafael Lantigua added his 19th RBI of the season to extend the lead to two runs, 3-1.
But the big blast came off the bat of Yoshi Tsutsugo for the second straight day. The veteran hit a three-run home run to right field that capped a five-run sixth inning and gave Buffalo a 6-1 lead. Tsutsugo also had a solo homer on Wednesday that put the team ahead for good.
Nate Pearson re-joined the Bisons on a Major League injury rehab assignment and dazzled in his one inning of relief. The hard throwing righty struck out a batter while facing the minimum. He was credited with the win. It was Pearson’s first outing in Triple-A since being removed two pitches into a relief appearance on June 19 at Lehigh Valley.
Thomas Hatch worked a pair of innings as a reliver, allowing a solo homer to Motter that was his second of the game and brought Gwinnett within four, 6-2. Matt Gage recorded the final three outs to preserve the victory.
The Bisons pitching staff has combined to strikeout 16 Gwinnett batters and have allowed just one walk over the first 18 innings of the series.
On Friday evening the two teams are scheduled for a doubleheader beginning at 5:30 p.m. There will be at least a 30 minute break in between the two seven-inning games in Downtown Buffalo.
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