BUFFALO BISONS
Jason Pridie – CF
Russ Adams – 2B
Mike Jacobs – 1B
Mike Hessman – 3B
Chris Carter – LF
Fernando Martinez – RF
Josh Thole – C
Ruben Tejada – SS
Bobby Livingston – LHP

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
Jose Tabata – CF
Neil Walker – 1B
Pedro Alvarez – 3B
Brandon Jones – RF
Brandon Moss – LF
Erik Kratz – C
Brian Friday – 2B
Argenis Diaz – SS
Brad Lincoln – RHP

This is the Bisons lone trip to Victory Field this season. Ironically, the Herd has a better record against the Indians in Indianapolis (27-21) than when hosting Indy at Coca-Cola Field (24-23). Buffalo has split their four-game series at Victory Field each of the past two seasons.

Tonight also starts an eight-game roadtrip for the Herd. Buffalo is coming off a 6-2 homestand that featured four comeback wins. The Bisons are 6-6 on the road this season, while the Indians are 3-5 at home.

More on the Indy-Indians:
ALVAREZ COMES ALIVE:
3B Pedro Alvarez has driven in at least one run in each of the Indians last five games (April 30 to May 4), while also posting three multi-hit and three multi-RBI efforts during that stretch. Overall, Alvarez is batting .421 (8-for-19) with two home runs and 10 total RBI during his five-game offensive outburst. The third baseman’s RBI total ranks second to Rochester’s Dustin Martin for the most in the International League during the five-game stretch. The Pittsburgh Pirates’ No. 1 overall prospect (according to Baseball America) also continues to come through in the clutch for the Tribe this season as he is batting .421 (8-for-19) with three home runs and 14 RBI with runners on and two outs, and is batting a ridiculous .521 (6-for-11) with 3 home runs and 13 RBI with runners in scoring position and two outs.

LEADING THE WAY:
Tribe CF Jose Tabata has reach base and scored to lead-off the game in each of the last five contests in which he has played and is now batting .382 (13-for-34) when he leads off an inning. Before his five-game lead-off streak, Tabata struggled in the first inning as he went just 1-for-14 with two walks in the 16 games in which he led-off the game for the Indians. Overall the Indians as a team have scored in the first inning in six of their last seven games after having only scored two times in the 19 games prior. Indianapolis also scored eight of their 12 total first inning tallies during their recent 7-3 road trip and are now 5-3 when they score in the first inning and 12-7 when they score first.

SCINTILLATING SOUTHPAWS:
Since the season began, the Indians have added three left-handed relievers to their bullpen: Wil Ledezma, Corey Hamman and Justin Thomas. The trio has combined for a 1-1 record, four saves, a 1.90 ERA (5 ER in 23.2 IP), six walks and 25 strikeouts over 17 appearances. Ledezma has earned a save in three of the Tribe’s last four victories and has yet to allow a run over his 5.2 innings of work out of the Indians’ bullpen this season. Including a four inning, one hit, six strikeout save against Pawtucket on April 27, Thomas continues to lead the Tribe with an 11-to-1 strikeout to walk ratio, while Hamman, who has posted a 2.57 ERA on the season, also turned in a four inning relief appearance of his own on April 26 at Louisville.

ROAD WARRIORS:
The Indians recently completed a 10-game road trip during which time they posted a 7-3 record. The seven wins were the most for the Tribe since they went 7-5 on a 12-game road trip from May 17 to May 28 in 2005. Overall the Indians are 10-8 on the road this season with their 10 wins tied with Durham and Oklahoma City for the most road wins in all of Triple-A Baseball and tied for third with several teams for the most road victories in all of Minor League Baseball.

The Bisons plated two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning -including the game-winner on a wild pitch- to storm back for their sixth win on their completed eight-game homestand with a 5-4 walk-off victory over the Louisville Bats, on Tuesday night.

The Herd used dramatics to re-capture first place in the International League North division.

CLICK HERE: Full game recap

After falling behind 4-3 in the top of the ninth, the Bisons came roaring back in the bottom half of the inning. Chris Carter started the rally as he hit the first pitch from Louisville closer Jon Adkins into left field. Fernando Martinez followed with a broken-bat liner into right and Ruben Tejada loaded the bases with yet another single.

Jesus Feliciano lined a pitch right off of Adkins’ glove, allowing the tying run to score. Then with Jason Pridie at the plate, Adkins uncorked a wild pitch to allow Martinez to race home with the game-winning run.

R.A. Dickey started for Buffalo and worked eight innings. He allowed two runs on six hit and struck out seven, but did not earn a decision.

BISONS NOTES: After Tuesday night’s performance, Dickey has not issued a walk in 118 batters. The last time he walked a batter was in the first inning on April 19 against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre…Tuesday’s win was the Bisons third walk-off victory of the year, they had five in all of 2009…The Bisons are now 11-5 against teams that made the playoffs a season ago (Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Louisville, Durham).

BUFFALO BISONS
Jason Pridie – CF
Russ Adams – 2B
Mike Jacobs – 1B
Mike Hessman – 3B
Chris Cater – RF
Fernando Martinez – LF
Josh Thole – C
Ruben Tejada – SS
RA Dickey – RHP

LOUISVILLE BATS
Chirs Burke – CF
Zack Cozart – SS
Danny Dorn – 1B
Wladimir Balentien – RF
Jaun Francisco – 3B
Wilkin Castillo – C
Todd Frazier – LF
Drew Sutton – 2B
Justin Lehr – RHP

Monday night at Coca-Cola Field was billed as the first look for Buffalo sports fans of mega-prospect Aroldis Chapman. It was, however, the Bats’ offense that stole the show.

Louisville scored more runs than any opponent ever has at the downtown home of the Bisons by plating 20 runs in a 20-7 victory over Buffalo. The Bats scored in each of the first eight innings, including a six-run fifth inning and five-run sixth.

Ironically, it was Chapman’s bat that did more damage than his 100-mph fastball. The Cuban-defector doubled in a run in the second and singled again in a four-run third inning that gave Louisville a 6-0 edge. He walked and scored a run in the fourth to help his team build a 7-0 advantage.

On the mound, Chapman topped the 100-mph mark four times in racking up eight punchouts. The Bisons, however, caught up to the speed with five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Omir Santos, Ruben Tejada, pitcher Adam Pettyjohn and Andy Green all had RBI-hits in the frame.

After letting the Herd get back into the game, the Bats scored nine runs over the next two frames in a record-setting performance.

Chapman got the win, but it wasn’t easy. By allowing six runs in five innings, he was touched up for twice as many earned runs than he allowed in his first four starts combined.

BISONS NOTES: Chris Carter finished the game 3-3 with a walk. He scored three of Buffalo’s seven runs…The Bisons lost their lead in the International League North Division. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre defeated Norfolk, 6-3, to leapfrog the Herd by a half a game…Not to be outdone, Bisons reliever Bobby Parnell topped out at 99mph during an inning of shutout relief.