Saturday, May 21, 2011 (7:05 p.m.) – Coca-Cola Field
Radio: WWKB AM 1520, bisons.com

Buffalo Bisons (18-25, T5th(-8.0), North)
RHP Chris Schwinden (3-1, 1.82)

Charlotte Knights (19-21, 3rd(-4.5), South)
RHP Freddy Dolsi (2-3, 8.17)

FOR THE FANS: Since record temperatures were NOT reached in Buffalo today, the Bisons will offer all fans a $7.00 TICKET and a FREE Hot Dog/Drink at tonight’s game.

TODAY’S GAME: Tonight, the Bisons take on the Charlotte Knights in the first game of a four-game series from Coca-Cola Field (7:05 p.m.). Today’s game opens up an eight-game in nine-day homestand for the Herd as they will also welcome in the Gwinnett Braves, May 26-29. The Bisons are coming off a 3-5 roadtrip and a 3-2 loss to the Indianapolis Indians on Friday night.

SCHWING AND MISS: RHP CHRIS SCHWINDEN will make his team-high eighth start of the year tonight. The Triple-A rookie has stormed onto the scene with the second-lowest ERA in the International League at 1.82. He has allowed one run or less in five of his seven starts, including none in a season-high seven innings in his last outing, May 16 in Louisville. Opponents are hitting just .184 with one home run in 141 at bats against Schwinden this year.

VS. THE KNIGHTS: Today’s game is the Bisons’ first against Charlotte this season. It’s also the Herd’s first match up against a team from the IL South Division. Last year, the teams split their eight-game season series with each club winning three games in their home ballpark.

GONE FISHIN’: INF MICHAEL FISHER has posted four consecutive multi-hit games as part of his five-game hit streak. The 26-year old is hitting .433 (13-30) with a home run and five RBI in his first eight games since being promoted from Double-A Binghamton on May 12. In his short time, Fisher has posted a .800 (4-5) average with runners in scoring position.

YOUR NEW HOME: The Herd’s active roster features four players who have yet to play at Coca-Cola Field with the Bisons. OF JASON BOTTS was signed yesterday out of the independent Atlantic League and INF CHIN-LUNG HU joined the club Friday after beginning the season with New York. INF LUIS FIGUEROA was signed and OF BUBBA BELL was acquired in a trade with Cleveland on May 13 -the first day of the Herd’s most recent roadtrip.

BISONS BITS: The Bisons are the only team in the International League that has yet to allow a passed ball…RHP DALE THAYER has not allowed a run over his last 8.2 innings of work over eight appearances…C CHARLIE ‘DOCK’ DOYLE joined the Bisons on Friday from extended spring training.

METS UPDATE: The Mets opened the 2011 Subway Series with a 2-1 win over the Yankees. Former Bison RHP R.A. DICKEY allowed just one run in six innings for the win. Former Bisons INF DANIEL MURPHY snapped the 1-1 tie with a home run in the sixth inning. The Mets take on the Yankees again today at 7:10 p.m.

The Bisons threatened Indianapolis in the eighth and ninth innings Friday at Victory Field but couldn’t put across the tying run.

In the ninth inning the Bisons got Michael Fisher into scoring position, but Indians Leftfielder John Bowker made a diving catch and a great throw to second getting Fisher sprinting back to the base ending the game in dramatic fashion, 3-2.

The Herd got within one in the eighth but were stopped short of a tie when Indians second baseman Josh Harrison made a diving stop and then a quick throw to get Valentino Pascucci.

The Bisons hit into three double-plays in the first four innings of the game allowing Indianapolis starter Rudy Owens to face one batter over the minimum through the first four innings. Owens went seven innings giving up seven hits and striking out two.

It was Owens longest start of the season since his first start on April 11 against the Toledo Mud Hens, and got his first win since April 16.

The Indians threatened to blow the game wide open in the third inning after Bisons starter D.J. Carrasco gave up a single to Bowker and walked Andrew Lambo and Dusty Brown back-to-back loading the bases with one out.

Tribe third baseman Andy Marte doubled into right-center-field scoring Bowker from third. Lambo was thrown out at home by Michael Fisher, leaving Dusty Brown on third and Marte on second with two outs.

Raul Chavez picked Brown off third base to escape the third inning and limit the damage to one run.

Carrasco kept the Bisons in the game until the fifth inning when he gave up a soft-single to Brown. Marte followed Brown with a homerun over the left-field wall making the score, 3-1.

The Bisons scored their second run in the eighth inning with three consecutive singles. Luis Figueroa scored on a single by Kirk Nieuwenhuis. Figueroa scored both of the Bisons runs.

Game Notes: The Bisons are just 7-16 in their last 23 games against Indianapolis…D.J. Carrasco has not allowed more than three runs in any of his four starts…The Bisons finish the road trip, 3-5.

Friday, May 20, 2011 (7:15 p.m.) – Victory Field
Radio: WWKB AM 1520, WGR Sportsradio 550 AM, bisons.com

Buffalo Bisons (18-24, T4th(-7.0), North)
RHP D.J. Carrasco (1-1, 4.95)

Indianapolis Indians (17-25, 4th(-11.0), West)
LHP Rudy Owens (2-3, 4.70)

TODAY’S GAME: Tonight, the Bisons take on the Indianapolis Indians in the final game of a four-game series from Victory Field (7:15 p.m.). The Bisons trail the Indians 1-2 in the series and need to win tonight to earn a split. Buffalo is now 3-4 on their eight-game roadtrip that began with a split of a four-game set in Louisville. Tomorrow, the Bisons begin an eight-game homestand against the Charlotte Knights and the Gwinnett Braves.

VS. THE INDIANS: The Bisons trail Indy 1-2 in the season series. Dating back to the end of the 2008 season, the Herd is just 7-15 in its last 22 games against the Tribe. The last time Buffalo won a season series at Victory Field was when they took three of four over Indianapolis on June 28 – July 1, 2004.

HEY MR. D.J.: RHP D.J. CARRASCO is making his fifth start of the season tonight. The righty threw a season-high six innings in his last start, a no-decision to the Bats on May 15 (8H, 3R, 3ER, 4BB, 3K). Carrasco has not allowed more than three earned runs in any of his four previous starts this season.

GONE FISHIN’: INF MICHAEL FISHER enters tonight’s game on a four-game hit streak. The Triple-A rookie has averaged .563 (9-16) since May 15. Yesterday, Fisher was 4-5 with his first career Triple-A home run. It was the 26-year old’s fifth career game with four or more hits and his first since May 25, 2008 while with Single-A Rome.

NO FREEBIES: The Bisons pitching staff has not issued a walk in back-to-back games. The last Herd hurler to yield a free pass was LHP TAYLOR TANKERSLEY in the 8th inning of Tuesday’s contest (OF Andrew Lambo). Since then, Buffalo pitchers have faced 74 batters over 19.1 innings of work. On the year, the Bisons have allowed 140 walks, tied for ninth fewest in the IL.

BISONS BITS: The Bisons are the only team in the International League that has yet to allow a passed ball…RHP DALE THAYER has not allowed a run over his last 8.2 innings of work over eight appearances…INF VALENTINO PASCUCCI reached safely in all five of his plate appearances yesterday with a single, a double and three walks. He now leads the Bisons with 19RBI.

METS UPDATE: The Mets shutout the Nationals yesterday by a 1-0 score. Former Bison RHP DILLON GEE took a no-hitter into the sixth inning to improve to 3-0 on the year. Former Bisons INF JUSTIN TURNER drove in New York’s only run. The 2011 Subway Series begins tonight at 7:05 p.m. from Yankee Stadium.

Brian Sweeney shut out the Indians for six innings, helping the Bisons to a 5-1 win in Indianapolis Thursday.

Sweeney allowed just one run, a solo homer by John Bowker in the seventh inning. He left after that inning, allowing four hits and striking out four with no walks. After three starts with Buffalo, Sweeney is 1-2.

Valentino Pascuccui went 2-for-2 with three walks and three RBI, including a two-run double in the first inning off of Indians starter Sean Gallagher.

In the third, Gallagher allowed a double to Luis Figueroa before an RBI single by Michael Fisher. The pitcher loaded the bases, walking Pascucci and hitting Herd catcher Mike Nickeas in the wrist.

Raul Chavez then replaced Nickeas at first and caught the final seven innings.

Gallagher avoided major harm in the third, getting Jesus Feliciano to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Fisher, who went 4-for-5 with two runs, added his second RBI of the day with a solo shot off of Gallagher in the fifth.

Gallagher left after five, allowing four runs (all earned) on eight hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

Sweeney helped his own cause with a sixth-inning double off of reliever Dan Meyer, but was caught in a rundown when Figueroa grounded out to end the inning.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis went 2-for-4, scoring twice. After Pascucci scored Nieuwenhuis in the seventh, the Bisons again left the bases loaded, but held on for the victory with relievers Dale Thayer and Justin Hampson shutting out the eighth and ninth, respectively.

Pascucci now has 19 RBI on the season, passing Ruben Tejada for the team lead. The Bisons are 2-2 in morning starts.

The Bisons close their eight-game road trip Friday night in Indianapolis, looking for a win to salvage a split with the Indians.

Thursday, May 19, 2011 (11:05 a.m.) – Victory Field
Radio: WWKB AM 1520, bisons.com

Buffalo Bisons (17-24, T4th(-7.5), North)
RHP Brian Sweeney (0-2, 9.90)

Indianapolis Indians (17-24, 4th(-10.5), West)
RHP Sean Gallagher (1-5, 7.67)

TODAY’S GAME: This morning, the Bisons take on the Indianapolis Indians in the third game of a four-game series from Victory Field (11:05 a.m.). The Bisons trail the Indians 0-2 in the series and need to win today and tomorrow night to earn a split. Buffalo is now 2-4 on their eight-game roadtrip that began with a split of a four-game set in Louisville. On Saturday, the Bisons begin an eight-game homestand against the Charlotte Knights.

SLOW STARTS: The first inning has been the Herd’s demise this roadtrip. In the past six games, Buffalo has been outscored 19-0 in the first inning. The only game the Herd didn’t yield a run in the first frame was in Monday’s 6-1 win over Louisville. In the first 35 games of the season prior to this roadtrip, the Bisons had outscored their opponents 20-14 in the first inning.

VS. THE INDIANS: The Bisons trail Indy 0-2 in the season series. Dating back to the end of the 2008 season, the Herd is now just 6-15 in its last 21 games against the Tribe. The last time Buffalo won a season series at Victory Field was when they took three of four over Indianapolis on June 28 – July 1, 2004.

EARLY WAKEUP: The Bisons’ are 1-2 in morning starts so far this season. The Herd lost in Rochester, 5-0, on April 27 and in Lehigh Valley on May 3. Buffalo woke up early on Monday for a 6-1 win in Louisville. The Bisons will host the Indians for their lone home morning start, Thursday, June 9 at 10:35 a.m.

TODAY’S STARTER: RHP BRIAN SWEENEY is making his third start with the team since being signed by the Mets on May 6 off the roster of the Somerset Patriots of the independent Atlantic League. Sweeney is 0-2 so far with a 9.90ERA in 10.0 innings of work. The veteran righty has 10 strikeouts and 17 hits allowed in his first two starts.

GONE FISHIN’: INF MICHAEL FISHER continues to excel in his Triple-A debut. The 26-year old has posted back-to-back multi-hit performances and has averaged .333 (7-21) with a double and two RBI since being promoted from Double-A Binghamton. With the B-Mets, Fisher had averaged .281 (25-89) with three home runs and 12RBI in 23 games.

METS UPDATE: The Mets shutout the Nationals last night at Citi Field by a 3-0 score. Former Bisons LHP JON NIESE tossed seven shutout innings with seven strikeouts for his third win of the season. Former Bison INF JUSTIN TURNER had two doubles and two RBI. The Mets host the Nationals at 1:10 p.m. this afternoon.