Game Time!

Buffalo defeated Round Rock (Houston Astros), 4-3, in their spring exhibition opener at Winter Haven, FL.

Ryan Mulhern finished the game 1-3 with a double and a pair of RBI. The first baseman was the Bisons 2007 Stan Baron Most Valuable Player after hitting .290 with a team-high 16 home runs and 76RBI in 130 games.

Outfielders Nathan Panther (2-3, R) and Ryan Goleski (2-3, R) added to the Bisons’ eight-hit attack on Friday.

On the mound, Cleveland Indians’ reliever Rafael Betancourt earned the victory with two innings of shutout baseball. He allowed just two hits and struck out two batters. Randy Newsom pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth inning for the save.

Buffalo will take on the Toledo Mud Hens tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. at Winter Haven, FL. RHP Sean Smith is schedule to start for the Bisons.

The Bisons Home Opener is just 28 days away as they will host the Toledo Mud Hens on Friday, April 11 (6:05 p.m.) for a fridaynightbash!®.

Individual game tickets go on sale at the annual Family Day Open House at Dunn Tire Park, Saturday, March 15 (12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.).

Baseball, Just Around the Corner

Baseball has arrived for the Bisons!  Well, not in Buffalo quite yet but in Florida the Bisons will be playing their first game of the spring in Winter Haven against Round Rock.

During the off season, all of us that contribute to Bisons.com have been developing new ideas on how to bring you closer to the Herd on and off the field.  Instead of waiting around, we’re unavailing more features than every before!  After all, this is the “Year of the Bisons Fan.”

You’ve already seen the new look of the Bisons homepage and increased video features, to pull a couple off the top of my head.  In the next few weeks you’ll read more stories about the team and players as they prepare to open the season in Virginia.  Speaking of getting the season started, I hope you’ll join the Bisons as we return back to WWKB 1520 or at Bisons.com for all the exciting action. 

The roster has started to take shape following some moves made by the Tribe earlier in the week.  Righty Adam Miller and lefty Reid Santos were both optioned to the Bisons while southpaw Chuck Lofgren was sent to minor league camp too. On Thursday the Indians added Brian Slocum and Tony Sipp to the Bisons roster.  Check out the official releases with more details by clicking here.

I can’t throw the entire scoop on “The Dish” during our first post but there will be plenty more news from the Open House at Dunn Tire Park on Saturday and the “What’s New Event” as the season approaches. 

Many of the traditions you’ve come to expect will return but we can guarantee that you’ll have a new fan experience this year like never before.   

As always, we encourage your questions and commnets.  Feel free to email the blog and broadcast booth (or if you’re super savy, send us a text message!) at broadcast@bisons.com.