Buffalo Bisons (30-45, 6th(-14.0), North) vs. Norfolk Tides (29-44, 4th(-12.0), South)

Friday, June 24, 2011 (7:35 p.m.) – Coca-Cola Field

LHP Pat Misch (2-4, 5.33) vs. RHP Steve Johnson (0-2, 15.09)

Radio: WWKB AM 1520, bisons.com

 TODAY’S GAME: Tonight, the Bisons begin a four-game series against the Norfolk Tides at Coca-Cola Field (7:35 p.m.). The Bisons are coming off a 3-5 roadtrip that began on June 16 and included a split of a four-game series against the Tides. Tonight’s game also marks the start of a season-long 10-game homestand against the Tides, IronPigs, and Chiefs.

 VS. THE TIDES: The Bisons split a four-game series against the Tides last week in Norfolk. Since 2009, the Herd has won 12 of the last 19 games in the match-up against the Tides. Buffalo took three games of a four-game set the last time Norfolk visited Coca-Cola Field (May 14-17, 2010).

 ON THE BUMP: LHP PAT MISCH will make his seventh start for the Bisons this year tonight. The 29-year old southpaw is coming off the club’s first complete game of the season as he worked seven innings in a rain-shortened contest in Norfolk on Sunday. Misch allowed two runs on four hits as the Bisons beat the Tides 16-2. On May 15, 2010, Misch threw a nine-inning complete game over the Tides in a 4-0 victory at Coca-Cola Field.

 EVANS ALMIGHTY: INF/OF NICK EVANS has the longest active hit streak currently for the Herd. The slugger has hit in 13 straight games. Evans has averaged .490 (25-51) during a streak that began in May before a month-long promotion to the Mets. Ten of the 13 games during the Evans’s stretch have been multi-hit performances. Evans also leads the Bisons with 20 multi-hit games.

 HAPPY RETURNS: INF ZACH LUTZ is hitting .327 (16-49) in 13 games since being activated off the disabled list. The slugger had a double, two home runs and six RBI during the team’s last roadtrip. Lutz is now hitting .318 (28-88) in 26 games with the Bisons this season.

 BISONS BITS: OF JESUS FELICIANO and INF MICHAEL FISHER lost their hit streaks of 10 games (12-38, .316) and 16 games (20-66, .303), respectively…RHP RYOTA IGARASHI has pitched scoreless relief in six straight appearances (8.0IP)…INF LUIS HERNANDEZ hit .444 (4-9) with five RBI in two games against Norfolk last week.

 METS UPDATE: The Mets (37-38) defeated Oakland yesterday by a 4-1 score. SS JOSE REYES went 2-4 with a run and two RBI. LHP CHRIS CAPUANO tossed six shutout innings with seven strikeouts to improve to 6-7 on the year. The Mets head to Texas tonight to face the Rangers for the first time this season (8:05 p.m.).

The Bisons went into Thursday night’s game looking for series split and a, 4-4, recond on their road trip but they ran into Durham starter Alexander Torres who dominated Bisons batters striking out a season high 12-batters while giving up only three-hits at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

The Bisons dropped the final game of the road trip, 4-1. The herd couldn’t put across a run against Torres putting just six-runners on base and getting just two runners into scoring position in the seven-innings that he pitched.

As soon as Torres was gone Nick Evans slammed a homerun over the blue monster in left-field in the eighth-inning putting up the Bisons only run. Evans continued his hit-streak in the fourth inning with a double into center-field, for a 13-game stretch. In 10 of the 13 games Evans has gotten multiple hits.

Jesus Feliciano was the only Bison not to strikeout Thursday, in three appearances he walked, flew-out and was hit by a pitch. The herd went down on strikes 15 times Thursday night, three Bisons struck out multiple times.

Michael Fisher struck out three times in four appearances at the plate failing to get a hit and continue his 16-game hitting streak.

The Bisons fell behind in the second-inning after a one-out double put Jose Lobaton on third, and Robinson Chirinos on second. Leslie Anderson hit a slow groundball that Michael Fisher bobbled, unable to get off a throw to first for an out Durham scored their first run.

Anderson added a second RBI in the fourth-inning with his sixth-homerun of the season putting Durham ahead by two. The Bulls added a run in fifth and seventh inning to pull ahead by four.

Bisons starter Jack Egbert made his first appearance for the herd after missing 191-games after going through ‘Tommy John’ surgery during spring training in 2010. After the last out in the top of the first inning Egbert raced onto the field ahead of his teammates eager to pitch.

Egbert went 4.1 innings, striking out two, walking four and giving up three-runs. Raul Chavez helped Egbert escape a jam in the third throwing out a-would be base stealer after Egbert walked the runner. Egbert followed the play by walking two straight before getting Lobaton to fly-out.

The Herd ended the road trip, 3-5, after dropping three-games to Durham at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

Game Notes: Michael Fishers league leading hit-streak came to an end Thursday at 16-games…Nick Evans pushed his hit-streak to 13-games with another multi-hit game, his 10th game in the 13-game hit streak in which he has had multiple-hits…Jack Egbert made his first Triple-A start for the Bisons…The Bisons went down on strikes 15 times during Thursdays game…Buffalo has won just twice in their last 11-games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

Thursday, June 23, 2011 (7:05 p.m.) – Durham Bulls Athletic Park
Radio: WWKB AM 1520, bisons.com

Buffalo Bisons (30-44, T4th(-14.0), North)
RHP Jack Egbert (NR)

Durham Bulls (40-32, 1st(+2.0), South)
LHP Alexander Torres (3-5, 4.06)

TODAY’S GAME: Tonight, the Bisons take on the Durham Bulls in the final of a four-game series from Durham Bulls Athletic Park (7:05 p.m.). The Bisons need a win tonight to earn a split in the four game series with the Bulls. A victory would also give Buffalo a split of their eight-game roadtrip that began in Norfolk. After tonight’s, the Herd will return home for a 10-game homestand against the Tides, IronPigs and Chiefs.

VS. THE BULLS: The Bisons are 1-2 against the Bulls this season. Buffalo has just two wins in their last 11 games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Since 2009, the home team has won 15 of 19 games in the match-up between the Bisons and the Bulls. The season series shifts to Buffalo, August 12-15.

TODAY’S STARTER: RHP JACK EGBERT will make his Bisons debut tonight. The 28-year old righty has missed 191 games on the Herd’s DL after having ‘Tommy John’ surgery in spring camp in 2010. Egbert was injured pitching in an exhibition game for the Bisons on March 25, 2010. Egbert has made five starts for Single-A St. Lucie this season, going 0-2 with a 4.37ERA.

GONE FISHIN’: INF MICHAEL FISHER’S has tied OF KIRK NIEUWENHUIS for a Bisons’ season high with his 16-game hit streak. Since June 6, Fisher has averaged .303 (20-66) with five doubles, four home runs and 11RBI. The streak is four games longer than any active streak in the International League.

EVANS ALMIGHTY: INF/OF NICK EVANS is tied for the second-longest active hit streak in the IL. The slugger has hit in 12 straight games. Evans has averaged .489 (23-47) during a streak that began in May before a month-long promotion to the Mets. Nine of the 12 games during the Evans’s stretch have been multi-hit performances.

BISONS BITS: OF JESUS FELICIANO is the fifth Bisons batter to reach double digits with a hit streak. He has hit in 10 straight with a .316 (12-38) average..RHP RYOTA IGARASHI has pitched scoreless relief in six straight appearances (8.0IP)…RHP JACK EGBERT will be the 47th player to appear in a game for the Bisons this year. He will be the 13th pitcher to start for the Herd.

METS UPDATE: The Mets (36-38) defeated Oakland last night in 13 innings by a 3-2 score. All three runs were driven in by former Bisons, as INF JUSTIN TURNER drove in two and OF LUCAS DUDA BAY added his fifth RBI of the season. The Mets host Oakland for the rubber match of their series this afternoon.

Michael Fisher extended his hit streak to 16 games, tying the season best for all Bisons, but the Herd dropped an afternoon affair at the Durham Bulls, 9-3, Wednesday.

Fisher tied Kirk Nieuwenhuis’ 16-game streak with a single in the seventh. The mark also leads all active streaks in the International League.

After Fernando Martinez and Valentino Pascucci worked first-inning walks against Dirk Hayhurst, Botts gave the Herd an early lead with a single for his third RBI in two games.

Durham tied the game with a Jose Lobaton solo home run in the second, but in the next inning Valentino Pascucci reclaimed the lead with his own solo shot over the “Blue Monster” in left field. Pascucci leads all Bisons with 46 RBI on the season.

Bisons starter Mark Cohoon ran into more trouble in the third, when Brandon Guyer doubled with Desmond Jennings on third to tie the game and later scored on a Russ Canzler single.

Hayhurst exited the start after four innings, his shortest start of the season, allowing two runs on four hits with three walks, a hit batter and three strikeouts.

Cohoon left his start trailing 4-2 with two outs and two runners on base in the fifth. Mike O’Connor finished the fifth as part of two scoreless innings in relief. In total Cohoon allowed four runs (three earned) on 10 hits with two strikeouts and no walks.

Nick Evans backed up his four-hit game Tuesday with a 2-for-4 Wednesday including a double. Since returning to the Bisons June 16, Evans is 14-for-27.

Reigning IL MVP Dan Johnson provided some insurance for Durham with a three-run home run against Dale Thayer as part of a five-run ninth inning.

Game Notes: Martinez returned to the lineup as the designated hitter after sitting out since June 16, the first day of the road trip… Shortstop Luis Figueroa left the game with an injury in the fifth. Luis Hernandez moved from second base to short, Fisher from third to second and Zach Lutz entered the game at third… The Bisons look for a split of the series and the eight-game road trip Thursday night.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011 (1:05 p.m.) – Durham Bulls Athletic Park
Radio: WWKB AM 1520, bisons.com

Buffalo Bisons (30-43, T4th(-15.0), North)
LHP Mark Cohoon (1-3, 9.00)

Durham Bulls (39-32, 1st(+1.0), South)
RHP Dirk Hayhurst (3-1, 3.32)

TODAY’S GAME: This afternoon, the Bisons take on the Durham Bulls in the third game of a four-game series from Durham Bulls Athletic Park (7:05 p.m.).  The Bisons are 3-3 so far on this eight-game roadtrip that began with a four-game split in Norfolk. After tomorrow’s series finale, the Herd returns home for a 10-game homestand against the Tides, IronPigs and Chiefs.

VS. THE BULLS: The Bisons and Bulls have split the first two games of their season series. Last night’s 9-1 victory was Buffalo’s first at Durham Bulls Athletic Park since a 9-3 win on May 29, 2009. The Herd had lost eight straight in Durham. Since 2009, the home team has won 14 of 18 games in this match-up.

TODAY’S STARTER: LHP MARK COHOON will make his fifth career Triple-A start this afternoon. The southpaw has lost three straight after debuting with the Bisons with a victory on May 30 in Charlotte. Cohoon has worked five innings in all four of his starts with the Herd. He allowed only three runs in five innings in his last outing, June 17 in Norfolk.

GONE FISHIN’: INF MICHAEL FISHER’S 15-game hit streak is now just one game shy of OF KIRK NIEUWENHUIS’S team-high 16-game stretch in April. Fisher had two hits and two runs scored last night and is now hitting .311 (19-61) since June 6. In 21 road games this season, Fisher has averaged .341 (30-88) with five doubles, four home runs and 11RBI.

ROSTER MOVE: RHP JACK EGBERT has been promoted from Single-A St. Lucie and will start for the Bisons tomorrow. The righty missed all of last season and 47 games this season after right shoulder surgery in 2009. He was 0-2 with a 4.37ERA in five starts with St. Lucie. To make roster room, RHP JOSH STINSON has been transferred to Double-A Binghamton.

BISONS BITS: OF NICK EVANS has hit in 11 straight Triple-A games around a month-long promotion to New York. Since May 12, Evans has averaged .488 (21-43) with eight multi-hit games…RHP RYOTA IGARASHI has pitched scoreless relief in six straight appearances (8.0IP)…OF JASON BOTTS finished a single away from the cycle yesterday, going 3-4 with a two RBI and three runs… Fernando Martinez will serve as the Herd’s DH, in the lineup for the first time since Thursday when he left with right knee soreness.

METS UPDATE: The Mets (35-38) lost 7-3 to the A’s last night. Former Bisons’ ace RHP DILLON GEE lost for the first time this season. The righty gave up four runs in four innings to fall to 7-1 on the year. OF JASON BAY was a perfect 3-3 with his third home run of the season. The Mets host Oakland again at 7:10 p.m. tonight.