Bisons INF Mike Hessman hit his 319th career minor league home run in yesterday’s 6-4 win over Louisville. He now has 8 home runs on the season, 2nd most in the International League (DUR’s Dan Johnson, 9) and 28 RBI are more than any player in baseball (one more than DET’s Miguel Cabrera, 27). The International League named INF MIKE HESSMAN its Batter of the Week for April 26 – May 2. In seven games, Hessman hit .321 (9-28) with four home runs, 14RBI and a .786 slugging percentage.
BUFFALO BISONS
Jesus Feliciano – LF
Andy Green – 3B
Fernando Martinez – CF
Mike Hessman – 1B
Chris Cater – RF
Omir Santos – C
Alex Cintron – SS
Ruben Tejada – 2B
Tobi Stoner – RHP
LOUISVILLE BATS
Chirs Burke – CF
Zack Cozart – SS
Chris Valaika – 2B
Danny Dorn – 1B
Wladimir Balentien – RF
Jaun Francisco – LF
Wilkin Castillo – 3B
Corky Miller – C
Aroldis Chapman – LH
See the Bisons face one of the most talented prospects in all of baseball.
Aroldis Chapman has been clocked at 102mph and will bring his record-breaking fastball to the mound on Monday night. The Cuban-defector is schedule to start for the Louisville Bats. The southpaw has posted 1.29ERA, 22 strikeouts in first four Tiple-A starts.
The Bisons will toss Tobi Stoner in game three of the series at 7:05 p.m. Currently, Buffalo is 5-1 on homestand. The Herd took 3-of-4 from Durham and bounced the Bats Saturday and Sunday.
The International League today announced that Bisons INF MIKE HESSMAN has been named the league’s Batter of the Week for the period from April 26-May 2.
In the past seven games, Hessman has averaged .321 (9-28) with a double, four home runs, 14RBI, seven runs scored and a .786 slugging percentage. He homered twice in the Bisons’ 9-5 victory over Durham on April 27 and then hit the club’s first grand slam since August of 2008 when he went deep in the team’s 12-7 win on Friday. Hessman also had a two-run home run and a two-run single in yesterday’s dramatic 6-4, 10-inning victory over Louisville.
26-86) with eight home runs and 28RBI. HIS 28 RUNS DRIVEN IN LEAD ALL OF BASEBALL, one more than Detroit Tigers INF MIGUEL CABRERA. He also ranks 2nd in the International League with eight home runs, 14 extra-bases, 56 total bases and a .651 slugging percentage.
His home run yesterday was the 319th of his minor league career, 27 more than any active player. In the decade of 2000-2009, Hessman led the International league in games played (899), home runs (201), RBI (556) and runs scored (488). This is the third time Hessman has been named International League Batter of the Week in his career.
The Herd took sole possession of the top spot in the International League North division with a thrilling 6-4, 10-inning victory over the Louisville Bats on Sunday afternoon from Coca-Cola Field. Chris Carter’s two-run walk-off home run capped a dramatic comeback as Buffalo collected its fifth consecutive victory.
The last time the Herd was alone in first place was July 16, 2007 when they were 51-38.
Buffalo’s climb to the top on Sunday wasn’t easy, especially as the Bats took a 4-2 lead in the top of the 10th inning on Juan Francisco’s two-run home run. Surprisingly, it was a pair of hustle plays that got the Herd’s potent offense started.
With one out, Jason Pridie chopped a two-hopper to first base, but Louisville’s Drew Sutton hesitated for just a split second. Instead of flipping to the pitcher, Sutton went to the bag himself, but was beaten by the speedy Bisons’ centerfield.
The next batter was Bisons shortstop Andy Green. Even though he doubled in each of his two previous at-bats, Green took advantage of a winded Jon Adkins and dropped a perfect bunt single in front of the Louisville closer.
That set the stage for the big bats in the Bisons’ order. After Mike Jacobs advanced the runners over with a groundout, Mike Hessman ripped a broken-bat single off the glove of Francisco at third. Pridie scored easily and Green reached his hand over the left-foot block of catcher Wilkin Castillo to tag home plate and tie the game.
After Adkins was immediately ejected for arguing the call, Carter hit a 2-1 slider from Chad Reineke into the Heron’s Landing Party Deck for the walk-off winner.
The game was knotted at two through nine innings as the Louisville Bats plated solo runs in the second and sixth innings. Hessman got the Bisons on the board with a two-run blast in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Hessman now has eight home runs and an International League-best 28RBI.
Dillon Gee started for the Herd and made the big pitches when he needed to. The righty allowed 10 hits but only two runs as Louisville stranded 10 bases runners. He walked one and struck out five.
Gee helped himself out with his glove. With a runner on first in the fifth inning, the starter fielded a grounder from Chris Valaika behind his back before turning a 1-6-3 doubleplay.
The International League named INF MIKE HESSMAN its Batter of the Week for April 26 – May 2. In seven games, Hessman hit .321 (9-28) with four home runs, 14RBI and a .786 slugging percentage.
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