Pat Misch is an All-Star. Wednesday night in Syracuse was more proof of the fact…if that was even needed.

The southpaw struck out six in a complete-game victory as the Bisons bounced the Chiefs, 6-2, from Alliance Bank Stadium. The victory was Misch’s fourth straight and the ninth in his stellar first half to the 2010 season.

The next pitch the southpaw throws will be at Coca-Cola Park a week from Wednesday, when he represents the Bisons at the 23rd Annual Triple-A All-Star game.

In his All-Star tune-up, Misch retired 16 consecutive Syracuse batters. He allowed just two unearned runs on five hits and one walk. The complete game effort lowered his season ERA to 3.16, the 10th lowest in the International League.

After allowing a walk and a single in the first inning, Misch retired the Chiefs in order from the second to the sixth. A lead-off single from Justin Maxwell in the seventh broke the string. The Chiefs then scratched across a couple unearned runs as the Bisons committed two of a season-high four errors with two outs in the eighth inning.

The big bats in the Bisons order gave plenty of offensive support to Misch. Mike Jacobs hit a pair of home runs, a two-run shot in the first inning and a solo blast in the fourth to give the Herd a 3-0 advantage. Jacobs now has four homers and nine RBI in his last six games.

Lucas Duda hit his eighth homer of the year in the seventh inning and Justin Turner left the yard for the first time as a Bison in the ninth. Buffalo also plated a run in the eighth inning on Mike Cervenak’s RBI-single.

BISONS NOTES: Pat Misch is one of only four pitchers in the International League to have two complete games on the season. One of the other hurlers is former Bison, R.A. Dickey…Each Buffalo position player had a hit in Wednesday night’s victory as the Bisons out-hit Syracuse, 13-5…Jorge Padilla went 1-4 to extend his hit streak to 11-games, one shy of the Bisons’ season high set by Jesus Feliciano.

BISONS:
Justin Turner, 2B
Luis Hernandez, SS
Jorge Padilla, CF
Mike Jacobs, 1B
Fernando Martinez, RF
Mike Cervenak, 3B
Lucas Duda, LF
JR House, C
Pat Misch, LHP

CHIEFS:
Boomer Whiting, LF
Justin Maxwell, CF
Chase Lambin, 2B
Jason Botts, 1B
Kevin Mench, RF
Seth Bynum, 3B
Jamie Burke, C
Pedro Lopez, SS
Jason Jones, RHP

Power numbers coming through at minors’ highest level
By Justin Sheinis / Buffalo Bisons

Despite standing in the batter’s box at an imposing 6’5″ and 240 pounds, Lucas Duda was not known as much of a home run hitter coming into 2010.

The Mets 7th round pick of the 2007 Draft had just 24 total homer in his first three pro seasons combined. He had four long balls in his first year with Single-A Brooklyn, 11 in 2008 with Single-A St. Lucie and nine more last season with Binghamton at the Double-A level.

However, Duda has broken out of his shell in 2010…and in a big way.

The newest power hitter in the Mets’ system has 13 home runs already this year, seven of which have come in a record-breaking debut with the Buffalo Bisons.

“There’s a lot of work in the [batting] cages,” Duda explained. “But ultimately, you get a pitch to hit and luckily you put some good wood on it and it leaves the yard.”

Duda has found the sweet spot regularly with the Herd since a June 14 promotion from Binghamton. The outfielder has driven in 22 runs in only 20 games and matched an all-time Buffalo record by homering in five consecutive games from June 29 – July 2.

That put Duda firmly in the Bisons record books with some impressive names, including Buffalo Baseball Hall of Famers Ollie Carnegie, Carlos Garcia and Bill Selby. That last Bison to homer in five straight was third baseman Andy Marte in 2006.

The great week at the plate was also noticed by the International League, who dubbed him with its Batter the Week. He led the IL with five home runs, 11 RBI and a 1.000 slugging percentage during the stretch. He is the third Bison to win the honor this year, joining Mike Hessman and Jesus Feliciano.

Duda’s arrival at Triple-A was actually supposed to happen earlier in the season. The Mets had their eyes on the prospect early, but a right hamstring strain slowed down Duda’s progress.

“Before he injured himself at Double-A, he was swinging great,” said New York Mets minor league field coordinator and former Bisons manager Terry Collins, who was in town to witness the impressive homer streak. “He was just weeks away from coming here (Triple-A) in April or May, but now he’s here and I’m glad he is because he is showing everyone that he belongs here.”

“Before the injury I felt great, but obviously that slowed me down a little bit,” Duda said. “I think now I’m starting to pick up some good at-bats and have some good swings.”

Duda’s good swings have mean runs on the board for the Bisons. But although the honors and attention that have come from the home run stretch are nice feathers in Duda’s cap, in the end his objective for the season remains the same.

“I would rather win some games than have that streak and honor, that’s always the bigger goal.”

A seesaw battle saw the Bisons on the losing end of a 5-4 defeat at the hands of the Syracuse Chiefs on Tuesday night from Alliance Bank Stadium.

The Bisons took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning, but the Chiefs came right back to tie it in the bottom half of the frame. Syracuse then took a 3-1 lead in the home half of the third, before the Bisons came right back and scored three in the very next half inning to go on top 4-3.

However the final swing was the way of the Chiefs, when they platted two in the sixth off reliever John Lujan. With men on second and third, Pedro Lopez hit a two-run double to right-center field to put Syracuse up 5-4.

The Bisons threatened in the ninth. With the bases loaded and one out, Valentino Pascucci struck out followed by a groundout to end the game and strand the tying run at third base.

Lucas Duda continued his hot hitting, going 3-4 with a run scored and two RBI, to bring his RBI total to 22 in his time with Buffalo.

The Bisons look to get back to their winning ways tomorrow night with the series finale in Syracuse.

BISONS NOTES: With a single in the first inning, Jorge Padilla is now on a 10-game hitting streak…The three-hit game was the second of the year for Lucas Duda…Bobby Livingston made the start in place of Raul Valdes, who was recalled by New York yesterday.

BISONS:
Luis Hernandez, SS
Russ Adams, 2B
Jorge Padilla, CF
Mike Jacobs, 1B
Fernando Martinez, RF
Mike Cervenak, 3B
Lucas Duda, LF
JR House, C
Bobby Livingston, LHP

CHIEFS:
Boomer Whiting, LF
Justin Maxwell, CF
Chase Lambin, 2B
Jason Botts, 1B
Seth Bynum, 3B
Carlos Maldonado, C
Chris Duncan, 1B
Pedro Lopez, SS
Jeff Mandel, RHP