TODAY’S GAME: Tonight, the Buffalo Bisons take on the Syracuse Chiefs in the first game of a four-game set from Alliance Bank Stadium (7:00 p.m.). The teams will play one game tonight with last night’s rainout to be made up with a doubleheader on Wednesday. The Bisons began this six-game roadtrip with a series split in Rochester over the Weekend.
VS. THE CHIEFS: The Bisons are 2-4 against Syracuse this season. The clubs have only played two-game series thus far, with a pair of splits and a Chiefs’ sweep at Coca-Cola Field, July 2-3. The Herd has not won a series at Alliance Bank Stadium since taking two of three, June 15(DH)-16, 2009.
DEALIN’ DYLAN: RHP DYLAN OWEN gets the ball for the 17th time this season. The righty has made 11 starts and has posted a 3.76ERA when he begins a game. Owen lost his last time out, allowing four runs in five innings to Pawtucket on July 10. The start before that, he defeated the Chiefs in Syracuse with six innings of one-hit, two-run ball on July 5.
ROSTER MOVES: The Mets signed a pair of minor league free agents and assigned them to the Bisons yesterday. LHP GUSTAVO CHACIN joins the Herd after going 3-6 with a 5.13ERA in 18 relief outings with Triple-A Oklahoma City. OF FERNANDO PEREZ last played for Triple-A Iowa where he stole 17 bases while hitting .238 with three homers and 20RBI. To make roster room, OF FERNANDO MARTINEZ was placed on the disabled list and RHP JACK EGBERT was transferred to Double-A Binghamton.
OUR PAL, VAL: On Monday, the International League named INF VALENTINO PASCUCCI its Batter-of-the-Week. He is the first Bisons player to be honored this year. Pascucci has 10RBI in four games since the All-Star Break and ranks 4th in the IL with 60RBI on the season. Fifty-five of those RBI have come since May 10, four more than any other hitter in the league.
BISONS BITS: Last night’s game was the Bisons first postponement on the road this season…C RAUL CHAVEZ has hit in eight straight games, averaging .371 (10-27) since June 29…INF VALENTINO PASCUCCI leads the International League with 53 walks.
METS UPDATE: The Mets (47-48) were off last night and will open a three-game series against the Cardinals tonight at 7:10 p.m. from Citi Field. Former Bisons RHP DILLON GEE looks to improve on his 8-3 record. New York currently sits in fourth place in the N.L. East division, 12-games back of the Phillies.