The Bisons looked like they were headed on a roadtrip with a three-game winning streak. That is until Jesus Montero finally broke through against the Herd.

Held in check for most of the four-game series in Buffalo, the Yankees top prospect launched a three-run home run in the top of the eighth inning to give Scranton/Wilkes-Barre the 5-3 win over the Herd on Thursday afternoon from Coca-Cola Field. The defeat ended the Herd’s two-game win streak and denied them their first series win of the season.

Montero was just 2-15 in the first three-plus games of the series as the Bisons took two of three from their IL North rival. But the catcher came through with two runners on base and two outs in the eighth.

After Bisons reliever Taylor Tankersley gave up a single to Chris Dickerson and a walk to Dan Brewer, the Herd turned to Bobby Parnell. Montero greeted the Mets reliever with an opposite-field blast that gave the Yanks the lead for the first time in the game.

“I think the pitch was a little bit up and Montero’s got that deep threat swing, just drove it out of right-center,” Bisons manager Teufel said. “It’s a tough pitch to drive out that way; he did a great job of getting hold of it and putting it out.”

The home run was only Montero’s second of the year and first since April 9 in Rochester.

Montero’s home run spoiled a great outing from Bisons starter Josh Stinson. The righty worked 7.2 innings and struck out six. He was in line for his second win of the season until the eighth inning.

“Stinson had a better sinker, followed through a lot better, mechanics were a little bit more ironed out than the last game,” said manager Tim Teufel. “He lives on that sinker and if he has a good sinker he usually has a nice day.”

The Bisons didn’t wait long to get on the board in the second inning. With Luis Hernandez on second and Nick Evans on first, Herd newcomer Michael Fisher doubled in the game’s first run. Evans scored on a ground out by Salomon Manriquez.

Up, 2-0, the Bisons added a third run when the red-hot Valentino Pascucci hit his second homerun of the season into center-field.

“When you lose a game late like that it’s going to be one of those things you have to deal with in baseball,” said Teufel.

Game Notes: The Bisons are 3-4 when playing the Yankees…This was Josh Stinson’s longest start since he threw a complete game in the teams finale against Rochester last year…Valentino Pascucci continues his hot streak getting his second homerun in three games…The Bisons have yet to win a series so far this season splitting seven and losing three.

After a pitchers’ duel through six innings, the Bisons broke open the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees’ bullpen for a four-run seventh inning on the way to a 5-3 win.

Reliever Andrew Sisco walked in the go-ahead run before Luis Hernandez dealt the big blow with a two-out, two-run single.

Chris Schwinden carried a no-hit bid into the sixth inning where the righty allowed his first three hits of the night and two walks to give the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees a 2-0 lead.

Jesus Montero’s single scored Doug Bernier, who worked a leadoff walk, for the first run. Justin Maxwell’s single then scored Leo Nunez from third.

“It looks like it just ran out,” Schwinden said.

Manager Tim Teufel said it felt great to get Schwinden off the hook for a loss he didn’t deserve.

“I think he just moves the ball in and out of the strike zone effectively,” Teufel said. “He looks like he belongs out there. He’s not timid. He’s very aggressive.”

Schwinden exited the game with six strikeouts, three walks and two earned runs on three hits in 5.2 innings. His counterpart, Yankees starter had nine strikeouts (including eight looking), two walks and one earned run on six hits in six innings.

The Yankees had the tying run on base in the ninth, but Dale Thayer held on for the save, striking out two and causing Chris Dickerson to fly out to center for the final out.

After his six-RBI outburst Tuesday, Valentino Pascucci drove in two more, putting the Bisons on the board with a single that scored Ruben Tejada and walking in their third run.

Tejada went 2-for-3, scoring twice. Game Notes: Thayer recorded his second save of the season … Hampson picked up his first win … Major leaguer Bobby Parnell relieved Schwinden for his first appearance with the Bisons on a rehab assignment, striking out Brandon Laird to end the sixth.

Buffalo Bisons (14-19, 5th(-5.0), North) – RHP RHP Chris Schwinden (2-1, 2.00)

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (18-13, 1st(+0.5), North) – RHP David Phelps (2-3, 3.47)

Wednesday, May 11, 2011 (7:05 p.m.) – Coca-Cola Field

Radio: WWKB AM 1520, bisons.com

TODAY’S GAME: Tonight, the Bisons host the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees in the third game of a four-game series from Coca-Cola Field (7:05 p.m.). The Herd evened the series with a 9-5 victory in game two last night. That win also snapped a three-game losing streak for the Bisons. After tomorrow’s game, Buffalo leaves for a eight-game roadtrip to Louisville and Indianapolis.

VS. YANKEES: The Bisons are 2-3 against the Yankees this season. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre took two of three from the Herd from April 13-15 at PNC Field. The Yanks had won three straight before Buffalo responded with a 9-5 win last night. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre is 14-7 in their last 21 games at Coca-Cola Field.

SCHWING AND MISS: RHP CHRIS SCHWINDEN enters tonight’s game with the fifth-lowest ERA in the International League at 2.00. The righty tossed six shutout innings on Friday against Louisville to run his record to 2-1. In three starts after a Bisons’ win this season, Schwinden is 2-0 with a razor-thin 0.54ERA and only one earned run in 16.2 innings of work.

BIG GAME: INF VALENTINO PASCUCCI drove in six runs last night with a two-run single, a two-run double and a two-run home run. He is 10th Bison in the last 10 years to notch six RBI in a game and the first since OF TODD LINDEN on July 31, 2008 in Durham. It’s only the second time in those 10 years the feat has been accomplished at Coca-Cola Field. On June 2, 2005, C DUSTY WATHAN recorded a modern era record nine RBI against Toledo.

SEASON HIGHS: The Bisons recorded season highs for both runs (9) and hits (14) in their 9-5 victory over the Yankees last night. The Bisons pitching staff also struck out a season-high 14 batters last night, including

ON THE MEND: RHP BOBBY PARNELL has joined the Bisons as part of his major league rehab assignment. The righty was placed on the disabled list by the Mets on April 21 with numbness in the middle finger of his right hand. Parnell pitched a scoreless inning with a walk on Tuesday night for Single-A St. Lucie of the Florida St. League.

 METS UPDATE: The Mets (16-20) and Rockies were rained out this afternoon. The clubs will make up the game on Thursday afternoon at 3 p.m. New York has won four of its last six games and is 11-7 in its last 18 contests since April 21. Before today’s action, the Mets were in fifth place in the N.L. East, 7.5 games behind the Phillies.

Valentino Pascucci hit his first homerun of the season and notched six RBI helping the Bisons beat Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Tuesday night At Coca-Cola Field 9-5. Meanwhile Bisons starter D.J. Carrasco kept the Yankees pinned down.

Carrasco struck out nine Scranton/Wilkes-Barre batters while giving up seven hits in five innings. He only gave up two runs both on a homerun by Jorge Vazquez in the third. Vazquez has hit three homeruns in two games at Coca-Cola Field.

“I felt like I was throwing the ball well, they weren’t putting the bat on the ball, or squaring anything up too much, other than the homerun,” Carrasco said.

Carrasco put two runners on in the second with one out before striking out the next two batters. In the fourth inning he loaded the bases on a walk and two singles. Carrasco escaped by getting Jesus Montero to ground into a force out.

“I think the more we get him out there the more he’s going to have a feel of comfort and executing his pitches,” said manager Tim Teufel.

Carrasco kept the Yankees within one long enough for the Bisons to tie the game. Following his bases loaded escape act Fernando Martinez hit a homerun to make the score 2-2.

The Herd took the lead in the fourth after Valentino Pascucci doubled down the left-field line scoring Nick Evans and Luis Hernandez making it 4-2.

“It was nice to see,” Teufel said. “We finally got some clutch hitting. Pascucci really came through tonight.”

The Bisons tacked on another run in the fifth and then two more in the sixth. Salomon Manriquez led off the sixth with a single and was followed by Pascucci’s homerun giving the Bisons a five run lead.

Bisons Relief Pitcher John Lujan gave up a leadoff homerun to Yankee Chris Dickerson in the seventh. Lujan gave up a single to Vasquez and then a double to Brandon Laird before being relieved by Manny Acosta.

With two outs and runners on first and second Acosta gave up a two-run-double to Jordan Parraz. Acosta struck out the next batter keeping the Bisons ahead by two.

Pascucci struck again in the seventh driving in Nick Evans and Luis Hernandez to put the Bisons in front 9-5.

“We’ve been talking the whole year; we have a great team here. I’ve been saying it the whole time, it’s just a matter of time till we have a game like this,” Pascucci said.

TO SUM IT UP: Valentino Pascucci knocked in 6 RBI and the Bisons pitching staff struckout a season high 14 batters en route to a 9-5 win over Scranton/WB Tuesday night… DJ Carrasco punched out nine Yanks during his five innings to start the game.

FAST FACTS: The Bisons established new season highs: runs (9), hits (14), strikeouts (14), and Carrasco matched the most strikeouts by starter (9)… Pascucci produced 6RBI and went 3-4 with double (5) HR(1), most by a Bisons player since Todd Linden drove in six 7/31/08 at Durham – included two HRs… The Bisons hit two HRs, the 2-run HR by Pascucci is the sixth non-solo HR out of the 25 HRs byt the Bisons this season(Since 2007, Pascucci has four 5RBI games, has NOT had a 6 RBI game – until tonight)… Fernando Martinez solo shot was his third of the year… Luis Hernandez, 2-4, extended his hit streak to 7-games (9-24)… Kirk Nieuwenhuis 2-4, BB has reached via hit in 27 of 33 games and on base 31 of 33 games played. 

Buffalo	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Tejada, SS	4	1	2	0	1	0	1	.281
Feliciano, J, LF	3	1	0	1	2	0	2	.239
Nieuwenhuis, CF	4	0	2	0	1	1	2	.311
Martinez, F, RF	5	1	2	1	0	0	3	.292
Evans, N, 3B	5	2	2	0	0	2	5	.222
Hernandez, Lu, 2B	4	2	2	0	0	0	1	.212
Manriquez, S, DH	3	1	1	0	0	0	2	.345
Pascucci, 1B	4	1	3	6	0	0	0	.230
Chavez, R, C	4	0	0	0	0	2	2	.145
Totals	36	9	14	8	4	5	18
BATTING 2B: Pascucci (5, Brackman). 3B: Tejada (3, Brackman). HR: Martinez, F (3, 4th inning off Brackman, 0 on, 0 out), Pascucci (1, 6th inning off Pope, 1 on, 0 out). TB: Tejada 4; Nieuwenhuis 2; Martinez, F 5; Evans, N 2; Hernandez, Lu 2; Manriquez, S; Pascucci 7. RBI: Feliciano, J (7), Martinez, F (7), Pascucci 6 (11). 2-out RBI: Pascucci 2. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Evans, N 2; Nieuwenhuis; Tejada; Hernandez, Lu. SAC: Manriquez, S. GIDP: Evans, N. Team RISP: 3-for-14. Team LOB: 8.

Buffalo	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Carrasco, D (W, 1-1)	5.0	7	2	2	3	9	1	5.14
Lujan (H, 1)	1.2	3	3	3	0	1	1	6.75
Acosta (H, 1)	1.1	1	0	0	0	3	0	2.77
Thayer, D	1.0	1	0	0	0	1	0	2.18