The Bisons welcome Darryl Strawberry to the ballpark on today (Saturday, May 23). The Mets’ All-Time Home Run King will throw out a first pitch and then be available in the Coca-Cola Field concourse for autographs. The first 4,000 fans through the Swan St. Gate will also receive a complimentary Darryl Strawberry Bobble Head, presented by NAPA Auto Parts.

READ: More about the Straw

The eight-game homestand also features the team’s Memorial Day Pre-Game BBQ on Monday, May 25 (2:05 p.m.), presented by Famous Dave’s BBQ.

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TODAY’S GAME: This afternoon, the Buffalo Bisons face the Columbus Clippers in the third game of a four-game series from Coca-Cola Field (1:05 p.m.). The Herd needs to win the next two games to earn a split of the series as the Clippers notched victories on Thursday (6-4) and Friday (10-4). After this series, the Bisons will welcome in the Lehigh Valley IronPigs for a four-game set from May 25-28.

OH NELLY: RHP Nelson Figueroa is making his first start with the Bisons since May 10. The veteran had his contract selected by New York on May 14 but didn’t pitch in his second stint with the Mets. Figueroa has been solid for Buffalo, allowing three runs or less in all five of his starts. Despite being 0-3, Figueroa has posted a 2.37ERA in his last three starts, having allowed just five runs on 13 hits in 19.0 innings of work.

F-MART: OF Fernando Martinez has collected multi-hit performances in each of his last four games. Since Monday, Martinez has averaged .471 (8-17) with two doubles, three home runs, five RBI and six runs scored. The stretch has helped Martinez raise his average 22 points from .274 to a team-leading .296. Martinez has 17 multi-hit performances in the team’s 39 games this year.

EXTRA-EXTRA: OF Fernando Martinez is currently tied with former Bison Todd Linden for the International League lead with 23 extra-base hits. Martinez has 14 doubles (T3rd in IL), two triples (T5th in IL) and seven home runs (T6th in IL). Martinez also leads the Bisons in runs scored (21) and RBI (25).

SOLID DEBUT: C/INF Javier Valentin has reached base safely in six of his first eight games with the team. The veteran went 0-2 last night but did draw two walks. Valentin has hit .292 (7-24) since joining the Herd on May 15. He has six RBI on only seven hits.

FIVE FOR FIVE: OF Cory Sullivan reached base all five times he came to the plate last night. The veteran doubled in the first inning, walked his next three times to the plate and then singled in the ninth inning. On the year, Sullivan leads the Bisons with 15 walks and is 3rd with 12 runs scored.

The Clippers used eight extra base hits to earn a 10-4 win over the Bisons on Friday night. Travis Hafner, Chris Gimenez and Andy Marte all blasted home runs as the Clippers took a 2-0 series lead.

For the Herd, Fernando Martinez collected a pair of hits to extended his hit streak to four games (8-17) and Renee Rivera added two hits. Cory Sullivan reached base all five times with two hits and three walks.

READ: The game story

The Bisons and Clippers meet in game three-of-four Saturday afternoon at 1:05 when Dillon Gee faces Jeremy Sowers.

The ‘Straw’ is in town: Meet Daryl Strawberry

Follow the Herd:
Listen to the Game Live: CLICK HERE!
Bisons Baseball Network: CLICK HERE!
Email the Broadcast Team: CLICK HERE!
Everything about the Herd: CLICK HERE!
Get to a Bisons Game: CLICK HERE!

TODAY’S GAME: Tonight, the Buffalo Bisons face the Columbus Clippers in the second game of a four-game series from Coca-Cola Field (7:05 p.m.). The Clippers took Game 1 of the series yesterday with a 6-4 victory. Today’s game is the second of an eight-game homestand as the Lehigh Valley IronPigs will visit Buffalo from May 25-28.

A NIESE RETURN: LHP Jonathon Niese will make his first start with the Bisons tonight since his promotion to the Mets. Niese started two games for New York and was 0-0 with a 5.91ERA. His last start with the Bisons was his best outing of the young season. On May 1, the southpaw allowed just one run on three hits in six innings of a no-decision against Louisville. Niese also struck out a season-high eight batters in that game.

F-MART: OF Fernando Martinez has three consecutive multi-hit games. Since Monday, Martinez has averaged .500 (6-12) with two doubles, three home runs and six runs scored. He is currently tied with former Bison Todd Linden with 23 extra-base hits on the season. His 14 doubles are two shy of Linden for the International League lead.

SOLID DEBUT: C/INF Javier Valentin continues to be a solid addition to the Herd’s lineup. The veteran has seven hits in his first seven games with the team, averaging .318 (7-22) with two home runs, six RBI and four walks. Five of his seven hits have driven in runs for the Bisons. Valentin hit .256 (33-129) with four home runs and 19RBI in 94 games with the Cincinnati Reds in 2008.

BIG WILY STYLE: INF/OF Wily Mo Pena is riding a five-game hit streak coming into tonight. Since May 16, Pena has hit .333 (7-21) with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored.

ROSTER MOVE: RHP Nelson Figueroa rejoins the Herd today. Figueroa has his contract selected by the Mets on May 14 for the second time this season. He did not pitch in this last stint. For Buffalo, Figueroa is 0-3 with a 2.57ERA in five starts. To make roster room, LHP Mike Antonini was transferred to Binghamton (AA). He was 0-1 with a 12.27ERA in two starts with the Herd.

The Buffalo Bisons, Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets, put up three runs in the first inning Thursday, but couldn’t hold off Columbus, falling 6-4.

The Clippers started off strong, stringing five hits together in the first inning to plate four runs. Trevor Crowe began the threat with a double to left. Major league rehabber Travis Hafner then singled to left to score Crowe. That hit was followed by another single to left from Chris Gimenez. Jordan Brown then doubled to plate a run with Andy Marte singling for an RBI as well. The rally finished when Josh Barfield drove a sacrifice fly to left.

The Herd had an answer in the first, however, cutting a 4-0 lead to a 4-3 difference. Fernando Martinez doubled with two outs ahead of Wily Mo Pena reaching on an error. The error allowed F-Mart to score. Javier Valentin then homered to left field to make it a 4-3 game.

READ: Full game details

The Clippers got back to hitting in the second, putting another run across on a Crowe single and Hafner double. Columbus led 5-3 until the seventh when Hafner plated Michael Brantley with a single for the team’s final run.

Buffalo did get on the board again in the seventh as well. Mike Lamb scored on an Argenis Reyes groundout. The run made the score its final 6-4.

MORE: Bisons in an 8-game homestand