Before getting downtown today, I went to visit with the students at Buffalo School 33 during their fourth annual Career Fair. Marshall, shown in the picture with me is a huge Bisons fan and welcomed me to the event.

The students arrived with great questions and a thirst for knowledge from everyone they spoke to this morning. Among the more credentialed presenters included servicemen, doctors and lawyers. Oh yeah, and the guy that watches baseball games for a living.

I had my own education from a few tables too. I saw how tires are made and got the closest to a skunk I have ever been, without a dose of “Prairie Perfume!”

The Herd return downtown tonight and a few students gave me questions to ask Bisons Manager Ken Oberkfell in our pregame conversation. Coverage starts at 5:35 p.m.

Excellent job by the students and staff to organize, execute an event in great detail and with TONS of enthusiasm.

~ Ben Wagner

It’s a final from Moosic, PA. On a rainy night, a former Bisons MVP reigned over the Herd. Todd Linden doubled, homered and drove in three as the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees bested the Bisons, 6-1.

Read all about the game by clicking HERE

Bisons fans new Linden was better than the .140 average he sported when the Yankees came through Coca-Cola Field. The switch-hitting slugger now has three homeruns in his last five games, finding a grove in the middle of Scranton/Wilkes-Barre lineup.

For Buffalo, Fernando Martinez continued to swing a hot bat with two more hits and a double. He leads the International League with eight two-baggers on the season.

Freddy Garcia was solid on the mound, giving Buffalo a quality start. He allowed just three runs on five hits in six innings.

We off to the bus now…a nice little drive through the night back home to Buffalo. See you at Coca-Cola field for the fridaynightbash! We hear the weather should be fantastic!

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TODAY’S GAME: Tonight, the Buffalo Bisons take on Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees in the final game of a two-game series from PNC Field (7:05 p.m.). The Herd is looking for the sweep of the two games after defeating the Yanks last night, 7-3. The Bisons are now 1-3 on their rain-shortened five-game roadtrip that ends today. After an off-day on Thursday, the Bisons will open up a four-game series against the Syracuse Chiefs back at Coca-Cola Field.

HERE’S FREDDY: RHP Freddy Garcia makes his 2009 debut today. The two-time American League All-Star missed most of last season recovering from labrum surgery on his right shoulder. Garcia has a career major league record of 118-77 with a 4.07ERA in 266 games. He won 13 or more games in seven seasons, including an 18-6 record with Seattle in 2001. That year, he led the American League with a 3.05ERA.

IN THE CLUTCH: Four of the Bisons seven runs last night came with two outs. OF Fernando Martinez got the Herd on the board with a two-out, two-run single in the 3rd inning. INF Michel Abreu and OF Jason Cooper added insurance with back-to-back two-out RBI-singles in the 8th inning. As a team, Buffalo was 3-8 (.375) with runners in scoring position last night.

THE BIG THREE: Twenty of the Bisons 38 runs this year have been driven in by three players. INF Nick Evans and INF Michel Abreu both collected RBI last night to remain tied for the team lead with 7RBI on the season. OF Fernando Martinez knocked in three against the Yankees to give him 6RBI this year.

COOP-A-LOOP: OF Jason Cooper is approaching another team milestone. ‘Coop drove in his first run of the year last night, giving him 223RBI in a Bisons uniform. He is now just 22RBI shy of Bill Selby’s team record of 245. Cooper has hit in all three games since being activated with a .273 (3-11) average. His Bisons Modern Era record for games played is now at 413.

METS SIGN PENA: On Monday, the Mets signed OF Wily Mo Pena to a minor league contract. He is scheduled to report to extended spring training in Port St. Lucie before eventually joining the Herd. Pena batted .205 (40-195) with two homeruns and 10RBI in 64 games with the Nationals in 2008.

As we first told you Tuesday night during “Countdown to Bisons Baseball” – Freddy Garcia will start Wednesday night at 7:05 for the Bisons against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, who will have Phil Hughes on the mound.

You’ll hear Garcia’s thoughts on how the past few weeks have gone for the former All Star and where he feels he can end up by the time the season is over. “Countdown to Bisons Baseball” begins at 6:35 p.m. prior to the first pitch.

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!

~ Ben Wagner

The Minors longest winning streak is over and so is the Bisons seven game losing skid.

The Buffalo Bisons, Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets, toppled the undefeated Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees Tuesday, outdueling the best record in the minors, 7-3.

READ: Game Recap

Buffalo and Scranton wrap up a brief two game series Wednesday. The game pits Herd newcomer and major league All-Star Freddy Garcia against Yankees ace Phil Hughes.

Follow the Herd:
Bisons Baseball Network: CLICK HERE!
Television Coverage: CLICK HERE!
Everything related to the Herd: CLICK HERE!
Get to the Game: CLICK HERE!

~ Ben Wagner