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COOP BACK IN THE LOOP: The Bisons’ Modern Era leader in games played, OF Jason Cooper has been activated to the team. Coops’ 410 games played are 10 more than Buffalo Baseball Hall of Famer, Tom Prince. Cooper also ranks in the top 10 in virtually every offense category, including RBI (2nd – 212), doubles (2nd – 81), triples (T2nd – 19) and homeruns (6th – 49).

ROSTER MOVE: Just prior to last night’s game, the New York Mets purchased the contract of C Omir Santos. The catcher started three games for Buffalo and hit .231 (3-13) with a walk and a run scored.

F-MART: OF Fernando Martinez extended his hit streak to a Bisons’ season-high five games yesterday. Martinez has hit .348 (8-23) with four doubles and a home run since Monday. Martinez’s eight-extra base hits on the year (6 doubles, 1 triple, 1 homerun) are two more than any other player in the entire International League.

AT THE TOP: OF Jesus Feliciano collected two more hits in last night’s loss to the Chiefs. In four games since being moved to the lead-off spot, Feliciano has hit .368 (7-19) with a double, an RBI and two runs scored. On the season, Feliciano’s .303 batting average leads the Bisons. Last year, the outfielder topped New Orleans’ (AAA) team with a .308 batting average.

SPEED WORK: INF Argenis Reyes stole a pair of bases last night to give him a team-high three on the season. As a team, the Bisons are now 6 of 8 stealing bases this year, good for a 75% success rate. In 2008, that Bisons had just three two-steal performances by a player. The Herd also stole and International League-low 59 bases in 2008.

The Chiefs got on the board first, getting a leadoff double from Jorge Padilla. The centerfielder advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a groundout by Kory Casto. That was all the damage Syracuse would do to Bisons starter Casey Fossum as Syracuse pulled out a 3-1 victory to begin a four game series.

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~ Ben Wagner

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TODAY’S GAME: Today, the Buffalo Bisons take to the road for the first time in the 2009 season by opening up a six-game roadtrip with the first game of a four-game set in Syracuse at Alliance Bank Stadium (6:00 p.m.). The Herd is looking to rebound off a tough homestand as it went just 1-7 against Pawtucket and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. After this four-game series, the Bisons will travel to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for a two-game set against the Yankees.

CASEY ON THE MOUND: LHP Casey Fossum was very impressive in his Bisons debut on Sunday against Pawtucket. The veteran allowed just two singles and two walks over five shutout innings. With three strikeouts and two double plays, the PawSox didn’t get a runner in scoring position against the southpaw. Fossum left with the lead in a game the Bisons eventually won 4-2 in 15 innings.

F-MART: OF Fernando Martinez continued his torrid start to the season with a pair of doubles yesterday. Martinez hit .368 (7-19) in the four-game series against the Yankees with four doubles and a home run. Martinez’s eight-extra base hits on the year (6 doubles, 1 triple, 1 homerun) are two more than any other player in the entire International League.

WHY STOP AT ONE: INF Nick Evans hit a pair of two-run homeruns in yesterday’s defeat to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The slugger launched blasts in the first and fifth inning to give him a team-high three homers on the season. Last season, six different Bisons collected two-homerun games with 2008 Bisons MVP Todd Linden accomplishing the feat twice.

PEN WORK: RHP Eddie Kunz is one of only five pitchers in the International League with perfect 0.00ERAs and enough innings to qualify. Kunz has appeared in five games for Buffalo and has allowed just a pair of hits while striking out five in 6.1 innings of work.

THRUWAY CUP: Today’s game marks the first for the Bisons against a Thruway Cup opponent in 2009. Syracuse won the season series against the Bisons last year, due in large part to five straight victories to begin the season. After that, Buffalo won seven of the final 11 games against the Chiefs in 2008.

Nick Evans hit a pair of home runs, but the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees rallied late for an 8-7 victory over the Bisons on Thursday afternoon at Coca-Cola Field. The win gave the Yanks a four-game sweep of the Herd.

Nelson Figuroa’s start lasted two innings after Bisons’ Manager Ken Oberkfell received instructions to limit the start as a “precaution,” possibly for Mike Pelfrey’s (pictured) turn in the rotation if he’s scratched with forearm tendinitis.

READ: Game Story
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~ Ben Wagner

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TODAY’S GAME: Today, the Buffalo Bisons host the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees in the final game of a four-game series from Coca-Cola Field (1:05 p.m.). The Herd is looking to avoid the sweep as the Yanks have won three straight close affairs, 6-5, 5-3 and 4-3. The Bisons are also 1-6 on their season-opening homestand that ends this afternoon. Tomorrow, the Herd will open up a six-game roadtrip with the first of a four-game series in Syracuse.

ON THE TUBE: Today’s game will be broadcast on Time Warner Cable SportsNet, Channel 13. Send Ben and Duke an email and we’ll talk about your question or comment on the air today. See the entire broadcast schedule here: TV TIME!

OH NELLY: RHP Nelson Figueroa was very impressive in his Bisons debut on Saturday against Pawtucket. The veteran allowed just two singles and two walks over seven shutout innings. He erased all four of those base runners with four double plays and also struck out four. He ended up with a no-decision as the Herd lost, 1-0. The seven innings was the longest outing for a Bisons starter this season. An “innings eater,” Figueroa averaged 6.1 innings a start with New Orleans (AAA) last season.

F-MART: OF Fernando Martinez ripped a pair of singles yesterday in five trips to the plate. The knocks were his first two singles of the year as his previous six hits all went for extra-bases. Martinez still leads the International League with those six extra-base hits (4 doubles, 1 triple, 1 homerun). Last year at Binghamton (AA), Martinez had 19 doubles, 4 triples and 8 home runs in 86 games.

AT THE TOP: OF Jesus Feliciano is 5-11 in his two games at the top of the Bisons batting order (.455 average). He currently leads the team with a .320 average and is tied with OF Fernando Martinez with eight hits. Last year, Feliciano hit .308 in 139 games with New Orleans (AAA). He led the Zephyrs in average and had 33 more hits (157) than anyone else on the team.

PEN WORK: RHP Eddie Kunz allowed just one hit while striking out five in three impressive innings of relief work Monday. Kunz has delivered three scoreless outings (6.1IP) for the Herd so far this year and earned the club’s lone win in Sunday’s 15-inning marathon. With his power right arm, Kunz has allowed just one hit to a right-handed batter in 15 at-bats this year.

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