Saturday, April 16, 2011 (6:05 p.m.) – McCoy Stadium
Radio: WWKB AM 1520, bisons.com

Buffalo Bisons (4-5, T4th(-1.5), North)
RHP Chris Schwinden (NR)

Pawtucket Red Sox (4-5, T4th(-1.5), North)
RHP Brandon Duckworth (1-0, 0.00)

TODAY’S GAME: Tonight, the Bisons take on the Pawtucket Red Sox in the first game of a two-game series from McCoy Stadium (6:05 p.m.). The Bisons are coming off a 2-1 series loss to the Yankees in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to begin the club’s first roadtrip. On Monday, the Bisons return home to host an eight-game homestand against Rochester and Lehigh Valley.

VS. RED SOX: The Bisons are 2-2 against the PawSox this season. Buffalo hosted Pawtucket April 9-12 with the two teams splitting a four-game set. Pawtucket outscored the Herd 25-14 due in large part to a 15-1 victory on Monday, April 11. Last season, the Bisons and Red Sox split both four-game series at McCoy Stadium.

ROSTER MOVE: The Mets have selected the contract of Bisons LHP PAT MISCH. The Bisons 2010 Most Valuable Pitcher made one start with the Herd this season. The southpaw allowed five runs in seven innings on April 9 in a loss to Pawtucket.

NEW STARTER: RHP CHRIS SCHWINDEN will make his Triple-A debut with the Bisons today. The 24-year old Visalia, CA-native has thrown two scoreless relief outings for Double-A Binghamton this season. The righty made 14 starts for the B-Mets a season ago, going 3-6 with a 5.48ERA and 63 strikeouts in 70.2 innings of work. Schwinden was the Mets 22nd round pick in the 2008 first-year players draft.

A NIEU HIGH: OF KIRK NIEUWENHUIS enters tonight’s game on a Bisons’ season-high five-game hit streak. Since Monday, the outfielder has averaged .353 (6-17) with two RBI and four runs scored. Along with his eight hits on the year, Nieuwenhuis has eight walks, second-most in the International League. He enters tonight’s game with a .432 on-base percentage.

HOT HITTER: INF ZACH LUTZ got the night off last night, but still enters Saturday’s contest as one of the Bisons hottest hitters. Lutz takes a four-game hit streak into tonight’s game (.500, 7-14), three of which have been multi-hit performances. Overall, Lutz leads the Bisons with .333 average (9-27) and three doubles so far this year.

METS UPDATE: The Mets (4-9) were rained out again on Friday. After playing a doubleheader on Thursday in New York, the Mets will have to play two in Atlanta today. RHP D.J. CARRASCO will get the start in game one with RHP MIKE PELFREY starting game two. The Mets are currently five games out of first place in the N.L. East.