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The Bisons 2009 season came to a close on Monday afternoon as the Herd fell to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs at Coca-Cola Park, 3-0.

READ: The Recap

The loss was the Herd’s 87th defeat of the season, their highest total since a 55-89 campaign in 1994. The Bisons finished in last place in the International League North Division for the first time in their now their 12th season since rejoining the league. It’s only the sixth time in the modern era Buffalo has finished the year with a losing record.

Jesus Feliciano was given the well deserved day off after appearing in a team-high 130 games. Even without playing on Monday, the Bisons MVP will lead the entire International League with 154 hits unless Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s Austin Jackson (149) closes out league play on Monday night with a monster game.

MORE: 2010 schedule

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TODAY’S GAME: This afternoon, the Buffalo Bisons conclude the 2009 season with the final game of a five-game in four-day series against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs from Coca-Cola Park (1:35 p.m.). The Bisons trail 1-3 so far in the series and are just 29-50 in divisional games this season.

vs. THE IRONPIGS: The Bisons are 6-9 against Lehigh Valley this season. The IronPigs victory last night ensured them the season series victory over the Herd. Buffalo is just 5-10 at Coca-Cola Park in the first two years of the rivalry. The Herd has never won a series in Lehigh Valley.

NOT SO PETTY: LHP Adam Pettyjohn gets the start in the final game of the season. The veteran has been solid since joining the Herd, going 3-4 with a 3.70ERA in his eight games and seven starts in Buffalo. He did fall in defeat his last time out, allowing six runs (four earned) on 10 hits in six innings of work to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on September 2. Pettyjohn is 2-2 with a 2.86ERA in five road starts for Buffalo this year.

MOST VALUABLE HITTER: Bisons team MVP OF Jesus Feliciano has all but sealed up the International League Hit Crown. Feliciano has posted two straight three-hit games, giving him 154 hits on the season. That’s five more than Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s OF Austin Jackson (149). Feliciano came on strong late as he enters today’s game on an eight-game hit streak (.452, 14-31). His 154 hits tie him with OF Kevin Young (1992) for the 5th most hits in a single season in the Bisons Modern Era.

OFF THE LEADERBOARD: RHP Nelson Figueroa will fall 2.2 innings shy of winning the International League ERA crown. Figgy posted a 2.25ERA in 17 starts for the Bisons, but has been with New York since August 3. IL pitchers are required to pitch in 0.8 innings per team game to qualify among the league leaders (143G x 0.8 = 114.2IP). Figueroa has only pitched 112.0 innings. This year, no Bisons pitcher will have a qualifying ERA.

TEAM LEADERS: OF Jesus Feliciano will end up as the team leader in virtually every offensive category. He tops the Herd in games (130), average (.311), doubles (30), stolen bases (13) and runs scored (57). INF Mike Lamb leads the team in extra-base hits (36) and RBI (53) while INF Nick Evans’ 10 homers are one more than OF Chip Ambres and C Rene Rivera.

ON THE MOUND: RHP Nelson Figueroa and RHP Tobi Stoner will finish the year tied for the team lead with seven wins. Stoner won his last four decisions. Figueroa’s 94 strikeouts will lead the team as will his 112.0 innings of work. RHP Elmer Dessens team-best 11 saves earned him a big league promotion this year. LHP Jon Switzer’s 41 appearances led the 2009 Bisons.

Sunday’s game seemed to be played with the enthusiasm you would expect from two teams way out of playoff contention on the last week of the regular season. Until the ninth inning that is.

The Bisons erased a one-run deficit in the ninth on a three-run home run from Jason Dubois to take a two- run lead. But Lehigh Valley answered in the bottom half on the inning as JJ Furmaniak’s walk-off, two-run single gave the IronPigs the 5-4 victory Sunday night at Coca-Cola Park.

READ: Game Story

Jesus Feliciano had three hits and increased his lead in the IL hit chase. The outfielder now has 154 hits on the season, six more than Scranton/WB’s Austin Jackson.

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 take on the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in the fourth game of a five-game in four-day series from Coca-Cola Park (5:35 p.m.). The Bisons trail 1-2 so far in the series but did collect the 6-4 victory last night. After today’s games, the Bisons and IronPigs will conclude the 2009 season with an afternoon game on Monday.

HIT RACE: The Bisons team MVP OF Jesus Feliciano used a three-hit game last night to take a three-hit lead in the International League hit race. Feliciano’s 151 hits on the season are three more than Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s OF Austin Jackson (148) and four more than Gwinnett’s INF Barbaro Cannizares (147). Feliciano becomes just the eighth Bisons player in the modern era to reach the 150-hit plateau. The last Bisons players to accomplish the feat where INF Jhonny Peralta (181) and INF Brandon Phillips (158) in 2004.

GETTING CHIPPY: OF Chip Ambres enters tonight’s game on an 11-game hit streak. The veteran has hit .372 (16-43) since August 27, with three doubles, two home runs, seven RBI and six runs scored. It’s the second time Ambres has reached the 10-game mark with a hit streak this year. Ambres also hit in 10 straight from August 9-18, averaging .410 (16-39) over that stretch.

vs. THE IRONPIGS: The Bisons are 6-8 against Lehigh Valley this season. The Bisons victory last night gives them the chance to still split the season series with the IronPigs. Buffalo would have to win the next two games to earn the 8-8 split. The two clubs split their first ever season-series in 2008 with each home team winning five or eight games.